The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-03-06
Tho Corporal and tho cow.

/ When Lafayette visited America II
1924, his route Of travel brought him t
Concord In New Hampshire, whence he
was to cross the country to Burlington, in
Vermont aud to Troy, N. Y. Bradford al
burlington was astonished and delighted:by
notice that the guest OF America, with
his attending suite would pass night al
the hotel, the same being now occupied by
Dir. Gillls. Great preparation were all
made, and from the whole country round
tho patriotic people poured into the village
and were received by Lafayette In the
large ball room Of the hotel, For in the
north country every inn has bal room,
which In winter is used by slelghing par
ties, and balls are an established New
England country custom from old pos,
Puritan times.
The room, which might hold 200 people
In q standing position, was densely packed
and crowd who had passed In and out
were around the house and in the halls,
and among them an old Revolutionary
soldier, silent aud altogether neglected.
One may well imagine the solitary man,
looking into the crowd with the glitter Of
uniforms and hearing the Babel of voices
honorlng the stranger whom he had
honored in very much darker places. And
now 1t occurred to some Of tho turbulent
people TO obtain little fun out Of the old
soldier.
"Here's the corporal who says he knows
Lafayette, let's take h,m to the general. ~
And they pressed in with him through,
the crowd, and pushed him into tho door
OF the large room, and the people inside
thinking it new arrival of Importance,
parted little opening of lane TO where
Lafayette stood with Il group or officers
Two or three led the gray-haired veteran,
shrinking at first, but suddenly stralghten :
Ing up IN his tail form and slld
General here's III old man who saws
that he knows YOU"
Whether Lafayette heard or understood
the words OF this rude presentation is not
known, but he fixed his eyes an instant on
the soldier, stepped forward with both
hands outstretchcu and exclaimed:
cit Is Corporal Bloodl"
Then the old soldier broke down and the
general comforted him with kindly words,
and the American and Frcnch partv gath
cred around the two. aud then and there
Lafayette told the same story that Corporal
Blood had told so often to lncrcdulous
people, how In the most trying dimes of
those memorable days Of soul and BODY
trial, when food was very scarce, and ofH
GERS aud men were starving, the orders
sternly forbade taking any provisions from
the inhabitants without payment, and all
supplies for love or money were exhausted.
The general had accidentally overheard a
soldier saying, ho knew where there was
COW concealed, and but for the orders he
could get it.
The general sent for tho soldier, who
was Corporal BLOOD. and Il lestloncd hlnl,
and as the case was one Of starvation, gave
the order to seize the COW and the money
to pay for it. The relief, small as it was,
when the corporal brought III tho beoT,
was so sensible that the general thanked
him and often afterwards recognized and
thanked him. Forty years later he had
not forgotten the corporal or the COW.
1t ls needless to add that Corporal
Blood went out Of the ball room that night
a mighty man of valor and vcracity. 1t
ls not stated that he ever presumed on this
triumphant vindicaLlon OF HIS word. But
If be had chosen to say that he had dmeri
with George Washington, George of Cap
padocla and George, king of England,
while Iskander Bay served WINE for the
three. he may have been believed III hia
native town.