The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-05-29
TOW NSEND'S FATE.
New York SUM-

TWO SluuenJS OF COLONIAL history 10 ilN WIN
accuracy the precise place where Cen Put
nam took his traditional plunge down the
steep precipice in the town of Greenwich.
An aged man whose early years had been
spent with those who witnessed the incur
sion Of the British into the town, some Of
whom professed actually to have seen the
irascible patriot spur his horse over the
jagged and appalling declivity, was well
come though voluntary guido for the g
investigatorS This veteran, as he
stood ON the brink Of the preeipice,
the wind tossing his long white locks ex-
citelly denounced the tradition rs myth,
and asserted that Gen. Putnam disappeared
from the astonished red coats, not by plung
ing down the steep rock, but by dashing into
a bride path made obscure by the thick I'M
dercrowth of bushes and the interlocking Of
branches He led the students TO the spot
where traces of tho old path were yet to he
seen, and suddenly stopping by the hallowed
and ragged stump of an oak OF large cireum-
ference, said: "Right here lived Nathaniel
Townsend, on the very day that old Put es-
capped, and he did a drawer thing than that
which people say the general did" Then he
told the story as no had it from one who
knew it,
A hut fIanked the bridle-path through the
woods that skirted the Horseneck hill. By
all accounts, so skilliully had its builder
joined the chestnut logs, and so artfully had
he arranged the rough clapboards which
covered it, that it was pleasing to look upon.
rather than such an unsightly object as a
solitary cabin in the woods is apt to lie. A
patriot Of repute, whose farmhouse stood
on the level plain that stretched back from
the brow of the precipice, had suffered the
builder and occupant there to live rent free,
exacting only in return such assist
ance as the tenant could give upon
the farm. He had chosen the spot because
by reason of a natural opening between
the trees, a vista Of the rich green valley
below, Of the river beyond, and of the blue
waters of the sound, and far away the SEEM
ing meeting of the misty Long island hills
with the horizon, could be obtained Here
lived Nathaniel Townsend, and he was wont,
on fine days, just as the sun began to tinge
the waters of the soun1 away in the east, to
sit by the door Of his cabin to enjoy the
sight.
He thus sat perhaps an hour after sunrise
on a morning in June, IT'S, and he was
mending a small net He seemed, however,
to be listening as he piled his great bone
needle and when he lifted his face from his
work he glanced anxiously down the path
At last his fingers stopped with the Irvine
half drawn through the loop, and he listened.
"Yes, It's she,' he said, and he cast hisnet
down and went inside. In an instant he re-
turned to the door, having a bunch of wild
flowers with him The dew Of the morning
still seemed TO be upon them, for the tender
blue violets were unwilted and the pink aza-
lea blossoms were unfaded, and the sprig of
laurel fresh as when plucked. He cast his
eyes down the path, awaiting the coming Of
some one around the bend.
Soon there appeared young girl, tripping
along with as much lightneSs of step as the
narrow, briery path permitted. Her dress,
though of the coarse hcme-spun linsey wool
sey of that time, hung SO gracefully upon her
slender, lithsome figure, the white and
ribbed calash that fell back and down almost
upon her neck revealing her brown hair
all disordered by her wrestling with
the bushes that intertwined over some parts
of the path, her cheeks blooming by reason
Of her exercise in the morning air, and her
blue eyes, that but half allowed look Of
recognition to go from them to Nathaniel
as she lassed-all these combined to make a
picture that to him was faircr and mori
fascinating than the most gorgeous sunrise
that he had ever seen.
A look of sorrow fitted for a moment
over his rugged face as she tripped by with
no smile for him, scarcely token that She
knew he was there He had less hold of hel
thoughts, he saw, than the tree that shC
passed, far less than the scarlet tanager that
she frightened, for upon that she stopped tC
look
As she watched this brilliant -colored bird
Nathaniel made bold to approach her, but il
was with amazing shyness AMI confusion
that this broad-shouldered, stern visagsd
young man called her by name
mistress Rose" said he and 50 timiIlS
that she scarcely heard hun.
"Oh, it's you, is iii" said Mistress Ros,
Bush, with an Indifference that she coulC
not know most grievously panied him.
"Yes, l saw you when you went below
"That is not strange. / passed you
house"
Il wouldn't do it, Mistress Rose" he said
"Do whatp she asked, now for the frs
time looking at him.
some errand to your uncle below.
wouldn't There be rumors of another ad
vance of the British, and it might happen a
any time that you would find yourself
prisoner. Go by the highway, or, IL there
be need of haste, come to me- and / vii
gladly do your errand for you. 1t is SAT-
enough for you to come the short distance
between my house and yours, though til,
way is rough"
She looked at him with half-amused ex
preston, glancing once at his feet, and theI
she said: "If there be need of haste, do yol
think you could go more quickly than In
His face showed that she had panied him
so she quickly added: "Well, then, Ma
thaniel, you mean well enough The mex
hasty errand that l have I'll entrust TO YOU
"And you shall see how quickly it will b
done, in spits-in spite of my misfortune,
he said Then he added: II presume yo
were at the ball last evening""
Her face frightened at the recolectio
that he stirred. @Indeed, / was, and Gen
Putnam did lead me in the minuet and
did dance with one of his aids, handsom
officer, Nathaniel, and with many others
could be happy if there were ball ever
night"
"And did many seek your favors in tn
dancer
"Of course. More partners could hav
had than would have been enough for
dozen dances more"
"Of course-of course knew it, and gla
it makes me, Mistress Rose"
why should it please you SO, Nathaniel!
"Who else Of all the village maids shout
be so eagerly sought for favors, mistressg"
She looked dernurely at him that sh
might conceal the delight because of sue
compliment, even from him.
Then he took the flowers that he had cor
cealed behind his back all this time, an
said: you were SO blooming this morning
mistress, that i did almost doubt that yo
did dance all the night surmised that th
fragrance of some buds Of the woods migf
refresh you, SO picked them after yo
passed by on your way below You wi
find them very sweet"
She looked at him in surprise, and the
she laughed, tossing her head prettily to OF
side and the other as she did So
THAT is the strangest cure-all that evt
heard. Shall boil them, like catnip or lii
pennyroyal, Nathaniel? Why they gro
wild in the woods, Nathaniel, and, il
wanted flowers there's sweet william AM