The Penn's Grove record., 1885-11-14
TWO ~BEECHNUTS.

An old brown farm house has stood
for years on the highway between
Ridgefeld and south Salem, Connectl-
cnt. 1t was so near the New York n
Connecticut boundary line thai a stone
could be thrown 20 yards or more from
the door steps into either state, IL las
sheltered generation after generation OF
the same family for more than a hun
dred years. a few years ago 1t become
necessary to tear down this old build
ing. and in removing the discarded fur
niture that had grown shaky with years
of solitude in the musty garrett, a small
chest was found. Nothing was IN 1t
hut a package no larger than a spool.
On opening the %tattered, faded paper
covering two beechnuts were disclosed,
exactly alike, perfectly preserved, and
whose shells were as hard as glass. An
examination Of the crumbling enclosure
revealed some writing that was scarcely
legible. The almost vanished sentence
was deciphered as follows:
.'These are the beechnuts that Philip
and Martha exchanged October 10,
1773."
The little nuts that had lain for a
hundred years untouched are to be
carefully preserved, especially associa-
ted with them is a family tradition.
The history which the discovery OF these
beechnuts has revived is as follows: a
huge boulder frowns upon the old Sa-
lem turnpike perhaps a mile from the
New York state line. 1t conceals the
highway toward the west by reason OF
the sharp turn that is made around 1t.
Leaning against the boulder one mild
afternoon in October, 1778. was a young
man. His eyes were resting on the
vista of buff, brown and scarlet foliage
that stretched far away, and through
which patches of blue water OF the lake
beyond could be seen.
beautiful" he said. "Ah, If / only
if / had not this business in hand;
and their outposts are just beyond"
Even as he spoke he started, listened
and in an instant so changed his man.
ner that he seemed a tired and listless
soldier, with no care for the landscape
that had charmed him.
AS the footsteps that had caused the
change of manner approached. and
seemed about to round the boulder, he
still kept his eyes half closed with an
expression of WEAKNESS, o did he lift
them until the steps stopped in front of
him. Then looking up he saw a child,
a girl of 10 or 10, maybe. The little
one spoke.
"Where is your musket?' she asked.
"Are you then SO used to seeing SOL
diers with guns, my maid, that you
wonder ] haven't any?"
"Not always, but no. Why, my faith
er and my brother John have gone away
with their muskets, and so has every
one.n
"Mayhap they have gone shooting
the game"
s'Oh, no.; for they put on their three
cornered hats like yours, and did hear
my brother say surely there'd be a bat
tie to morrow.
The young soldier no longer assumed
the look of wearied indifference. His
manner, however, did not suggest to
the child that he burned within
"My little maid,r he said, 81 have
something better than a flint lock. l
will show it to you."
From the inner folds of his homespun
coat he drew forth a small portfolio,
and then sitting on a shelf of the rock,
opened the case, placed it upon his
knee, and then sharpened a crayon.
Your little face, my maid. is set SO
charmingly by the bright leaves on the
bank, back of you, that if you will let
me, l will sketch it, and you may have
the portrait
The childis eyes sparkled, but she
said: "You were tiredand al most asleep
as / came.n
A slight, quick smile, though tenn
pered with sadness, fitted over the
young mans face, aud he said, Eyes,
but you have awakened me. Now stand
still as you CAM
With quick vigorous strokes the young
man piled his crayon, now and then
glancing up at the child's face. Both
were silent some moments. AT length
he said, "Apd so your brother does
predict a battle Tomorrow
"Yes. He did say so, and did ask
sister Martha to make cartridges for
him."
"And now he has gone-there, there,
my maid," for he saw her chin culver.
"He viii come back. Mayhap therenl
be no battle"
They were silent a few moments;
then he said: (which way did your
father and brother go, my child?"
"By the turnpike to the White
Plains"
"Oh, hol oh, yes, Of course, to the
White Plains. There" holding up the
portrait, s'there, l have f~ereshortened
the nose a little too much. When !
have fixed that it will be DONE" Then
with a few rapid strokes ne finished the
sketch and gave 1t to the child.
.sIt's my face! it's my facet" cried
the child.