Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1885-07-16
ROBERT LOCKwOOD'S FATE.
A Tale Of the American Revolution.


TO support West Point in case OF an attack, | :,
and at the same time cover the country that J
skirted Long Island Sound, commanded the I.
irascible old warrior to choose some place r
from which both purposes could be easily $
accomplished and then go into winter quar- =
ters. The town of Reading was thus favora- :
bly, situated and "Old Put made his head 2
quarters at the farm house of patriot, Mar
win by name, who was cousin TO the gener- I
al The venerable and moss brown house
has been for many years AN object of hstori-
cal interest by reason of this fact. 1t has
stood almost unchanged, save that the rains
and SHOWS of a century have obliterated the
vivid red which was its color once, except |
ing under the caves Of the long sloping roof,
where dun patches of the tint remain.
One stormy afternoon in March, when the |
snow and sleet beat fast and furious against
the little window panes, weaving thick cur
| tains rapidly thereon, Gen. Putnam sat at his
rude table in the front room below. An ugly
| scowl indicated that he was greatly dis
| pleased, probably with the information that
| he gathered from tho reports that he was
busily examining. A young man of hand
| some features, and whose tall and sinewy
| figure was garbed i'm uniform that was
faded and sadly worn stood listlessly at the
| window. lie seemed to be idly waiting the
| pleasure Of his commander, and he found
| nothing better to do than to look out upon
| the white-sheathed trees and dreary fields, |
and upon the rough ruts of the soldiers, that |
stretched away TO the edge of the forest. |
bended heads, aud the heavily hanging |
smoke that issued from the roofs OF the cabins |
were the only signs Of life. Tho young man
| knew that within these huts were discomfort
and anger that were fast ripening INTO
mutiny, because of the scanty clothing, poor
aud insufficient food, and long arrearages of
pay;
generals table was interrupted by a sudden
sharp, cracking sound, that indicated that
the points had caught in adefect in the paper,
Il l,,.l Dt,a sit Ia
, blotcbes of ink. An impatient ejaculation,
rounded OIL with vigorous oath, confirmed
the suspicion.
9 The young man turned 10 the general
"Can not help you now, sir 2" he asked,
| scarcely able to restrain the smile that
l showed in his eyes, as he saw the great un-
conquered general overcome by so trivial
. | thing as the perversity of quill pen.
. "Yes you can mend my pen and get
J. light
a at grows dark early today, sir" said the
young officer as he mended the pen
!, "Not SO dark here as IL grows over III that
II camp. This discomfort is getting very dark.
~ 1t threatens mutny, but by? I'll have
none. IN crush 1t, If have to blow'em to
|, eternity"
N sDo you think tho discomfort 80 threaten
:, ing the officer asked
~ 'Threatening? Yes It's getting hot as,
l. and the worst of it is, the men have reason for
a | it. ! Cont care 50 much about their pay
= they'll get that some time but their ratOns
N are bad and scarce, id scare Whitney and
es some of these fellows are doing duty bare
footed. It's id disgrace. But they're
my soldiers and by Heaven this mutiny has
ne got to stop Why, the Connecticut brigade
r. are proposing to march in body 10 Hartford
:, and get redress from the assembly at the
III point of the bayonet. They ought to have it,
of | too but there'll be no mutiny here as long as
nc | command these men"
10 Major Whitney lighted two talow candles
NJ and placed them on the generals DESK and
he | was suggesting that nc was ready for any
-, further service, when the duh, quick reason
'' ance of hoois upon the frozen earth wa
heard.
"Dispatchesr' said Putnam, interroga
,te lively.
n. "Yes," replied the young officer from th'
es window, "and the bearer has ridden fast 70
m, the horse steams from the TANKS and nos
ke trils'
ial "See that have them, quick" said Put
sel nam.
,ai In moment the dispatches were placed il
,er the generals hands, and the bearer wa
IN hidden to shelter his horse and then find sucl
comfort rs there-%as- in big fire. mug o
hot rum, and something To eat, and he Joy
W fully went his way, first TO the barn, then Il
bly, the kitchen.
II The old warrior glanced at his messages
:. and then, with his sandy hair in dishevellet
III fury falling over his eyes and upon his puff,
il | cheeks, his long arm waving with passion
,ot so that ill would ii have been had they COM
''' in contact with anything, and with stamp
ings that made the oak floor tremble, Ia
N foamed and choked uttering the most EN-
=, phatic oaths.
ch The internal British have been uforme,
oh of this threatened mutiny. Whitney, ant
ry Washington himself sends me word that b.
- has reason to think they contemplate a sud
'ys den attack on us, taking advantage of tn
nal discomfort Let 'em come, mutiny or n
-, mutny. I'll give em skin full of lead
AZ AZ We haven't got much bread, but we'v
dl- plenty of powder aud ball, thank God"
lat "Wby, then, do you become so furious !?
~. asked Whitney who was such firm trien'
t.e of Putnams that he feared not at times t
yn check the outbursts OF passion, senior mem
ber OF his staff and secretary as he was.
"furious! Why don't you see that there
ler either a spy or a traitor in this camp VIII
.ue has been taking reports to the enemy in NeS
,ev York? l can fight every mothers son i
'ey King Georges army in open field and fai
,he fight, but / can't fight spies and desertn
m. traitors"
~ =, 'If ! might suggest" said Whitney, defer
'lic entially, "night It not be good plan to Civ
lte them dose of their own medcine"
pm "Whats that--bullets?'
0 "No. They seem TO be fond of spies AM
gS | deSerters Give them one"
rs "By thunder, that's worth thinking about
1t shall be done. I'll give them deserte
,Id who'll send them scurryIng off over the Nol
walk pike on a false scent and thatll Civ
me two or three days more time. But
added Putnam, thoughtfuly, "our man
ias away now, and don't know another one
the | can trust"
m "Shall try to find one?',
a,, ''Yes, but be discreet"
sSn A gentle tap at the door seemingly needle,
|
I'VE was that thus begged entrance lie wen
of quickly, and lifted the old brass latch. Their
mt | on the threshold he beheld a slender grace
$50 full figure, which dropped the quaint recoil
mo ing courtesy of the time But though he
ho body was thus bended her head was erect
,er so that Whitney saw the flash of mirth il
ch the brown and mischief-loving eyes, and il
ad the arch coquettsh smile of the full though
nj sensitive lips, upon which emotion yibrate,
tb- with revealing touch.
,o Here Putnam seated himself with vicious
~ energy at his desk, rapidly wrote a few lines
"a and then handing the paper to Whitney
has commanded him to see that the order wa
lin promulgated that evening. The young Off
or cer as he copied it, that it instructed tina
ch sentries should be doubled until further no
nd tice, that special pains be taken TO apprehenC
~ spies or deserters and all suspicious persons
and announced that every deserter or sp,
Or would be shot or hanged on the finding of
1t | drum-head court-martial, and without al
to hours delay.
fat | For half hour thereafter Putnam ant
Whitney examined such rough maps of tn,
country as they had, and, with the quick in
spiration ofa true soldier, the general at tn,
is end of that time had, as he believed, fathom
ed the plans of the enemy.