The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1882-12-01

all Tue Eager pbIJluaClI1 ildLuIai 70 SulOli
daughters of Eve drew from this reluctant
witness that her grandfather, Captain Jona-
than Jones, and this gentleman, his brother
Lieutenant David Jones-were officers in
Burgoyne's army during the first year of the
Revolution; that the lieutenant was engaged
to beautiful young lady whose brother was
a staunch supporter OF the American cause
and opposed to her union with the Tory Of
icer. and that she was killed and scalped by
the Indians while going with friend and
escort to meet that officer in the British
camp by Sandy Hill not long before the sur
render of Burgeyne. He was so crushed by
the terrible blow, and disgusted with the
apathy OF Burgoyne in refusing to punish the
miscreants who brought her scalp to the
camp as a trophy. claiming the bounty offer
ed for such prizes by the British command
ers, that he and his brother asked for dis
( charge, and we're refused, when they deserted
he having first rescued the precious relic of
his beloved from the savages-and retired to
this Canadian wilderness, which he had never
been known to leave except upon one myste-
rious occasion many years before.
''She did not know the name OF the lady so
long and faithfully nourned, but when [
asked her if this tragedy did not occur near
/ Fort Edward, on the Hudson, she remem-
bered to have heard that place mentioned
/ in connection with it. She said they were
| all forbidden to speak in his presence of
American affairs OF history, but she had once
J persuaded him to let her see the mournful
/ relic so precious to him. She described the
! hair as the most beautiful she had ever seem
| light auburn in color, soft and glossy as silk
perfectly even, and yard and quarter in
/ length
! well, nv dear A said I, 1T go hap
pens that 1 know more about this sad affair
/ than even yourself who have always lived
} in the house with him. When my father and
mother used to visit his oldest sister in Ben
nington, Vermont they took me with them
at her special request for, being the only
daughter of her favorite brother, she always
treated me with more tender affection than
she showed towards her other niecss Her
house, which she had long owned and occu-
pied, was one where the officers quartered at
/ the time of the battle Of Bennington, and 1
remember the speechless awe with which I
was wont to con over and spell out the names
of those officers, recorded by themselves on
the eve Of the battle, upon a pane of glass in
the window with the diamond in a ring be-
iOHElliE W OHb VI blItiI WHO WAS
killed In the conflict Of the next day.
my aunt's memory was a storehouse Of
the tales of those times, and never tired of
listening to them. No sooner was one fin
ished thar 1 teased for another, until am
sure the patience of the good dame must
have been soreIy tried. She knew this young
lady, whose name was Jane NcCrea, and
also Mrs. Mcneil, the Tory friend whom Miss
/ McCres was visiting at the time of their cap
tuTe by the Indians. little thought when l
cried over the doleful story that the lover
! was still living, much less that should ever
/ see him =
! "A did not dare repeat to her venera-
Bile relative what had told her. but she ven
| tured to beg that l might be allowed to see
the beautiful hair of his lost love- He was
/ deaf to her entreaties, assuring her that she
/ was the only one who had or would see it
! while he lived, and that he wished to have 1t
buried with him when he died.
"After our return to school 1 drew from
/ her some facts in relation to the mysterious
! journey she had mentioned his having once
1 taken. 4 do not know much about it. she
said. Theard it from an old servant woman
| Of the family, who told me that many years
! before l was born a stranger came there one
! evening who appeared to be gentleman's
/ valet. He brought 3 fine looking, inUeli-
/ gent young boy with him, and inquired for
my grandfather, Capt. Jonathan Jones
Tho substance Of my friends account
/ was that, after an interview Of some length
| with her grandfather, his brother, the lieu
| tenant, was called in, and the three were to-
! gether in the library during most Of the
/ night, discussing some very interesting mat
/ ter connected with the boy The butler had
/ been ordered to prepare refreshments In the
/ dinjng-TOom, and Robert, one of the waiter
I boys-an urchin gifted with larger amount
of mischief and curiosity than his small
! frame could possibly enclose, insomuch that
! they were continually overfio wing to the an !
noyance to the whole househod-vas di- !
rected to remain within call to serve them |
when required. 1t was not in the nature of |
this varlet that he should continue idle at !
his post during the long hours Of the night |
and his faculties were too much on the alert
as to the subject engaging his superiors to !
yield to drowsiness so, in perfect submis- /
sion to his ruling instincts, he piled the key
/ hole diligently for such information as II |
might convey to bis ear when the parties ba-
came 80 excited as to raise their voices |
above the low tone to which most of their |
conversation was confined. He gathered
from these snatches that Captain Jones was |
urgently entreated to perform some service |
for the boy which he was very reluctant to |
undertake. he heard him exclaim vehe. |
mently: I will not be persuaded to receive /
under my roof the son of that detestabIe /
traitor whose treason, although to an m
righteous cause, caused my deareIt friend |
one of the bravest and most noble officers in |
his ma1eSty's service, to be hung like dog /
5y the vile rebels. I should be constantly I
haunted with the tho't that was nurturine |
viper to sting me when occasion offered.
His brother David said something in reply,
OF which Robert heard only enough to infer
that there was retired officer OF the Ameri- |
can army across the river who might be per
suaded to do what was desired 'Very we'll
said the captain, you can undertake the task |
II you see nt. but have no belief that YOU !
will succeed in gaining the consent OF one /
who loathes the father so bitterly to take |
charge OF the son. Stnl, as Re is a bachelor.
he would escape the risk ef exposing fam |
lily to injurious consequences. and as suffc- |
lent provision will be made for the support |
and education OF the boy. there will be no l
pecuniary risk it will also, no doubt be /
easier, as you say, to keep the secret Of his 1
birth in the States than here in the vicinity |
Of his fat