The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1888-04-26

t>oPysAB"seu 1900 " uHk y Waknhisl
At the old "Lake House," at the head
OF Lake George, long before the spacious
Fort William Henry" caravansery was
built. became acquainted with a
charming young woman and her broth.
er, from the vicinity Of the lofty Kaats.
bergs fringing the Hudson Valley.
They were making q brief pleasure tour.
A sudden tempest Of wind, rain and
lightning had kept us all within tho
parlors during one sultry evening in
July, 1S4s, and there the acquaintance
began. We voyaged down the lake to-
Rether the next morning in bright sun.
shine and invigorating air.
The young lady was model tourist
intelligent, sensible, vivacious and en-.
thusiastic. With her brother she had
encamped among the charcoal burners
OF the Kaatsbergs, hunted in the noun.
tains, and fished for days in the glens,
and was favorite companion OF Thomas
Cole, the artist, in his sketching excur-
sions. While others were afraid of
spelling their compilations in the sun.
light or of crumpling their smooth
dresses or soiling their fine bonnets and
gloves, she bade defiance to dust and
crowds, for her brown linen sacque, with
its spacious pockets for q guide book and
other accessories; her lisle. thread gloves,
her jaunty sun.hat and her free but
sweet and modest demeanor toward all,
gave herself and brother no uneasiness.
And when, at the foot of the lake,
climbed to the lofty and broad seat of
the driver of an old.fashioned stage
coach, for a ride Of four mics through a
most picturesque region, to Ticonderoga,
on Lake Champlain, she too sprang up,
as nimble as squirrel, to the notable
perch OF observation for a traveller. As
we journeyed among the hills, caught
glimpses Of the Green Mountains, and
heard droll stories of his experience
from the lips Of our Jehu of slow speech,
her ringing laughter awoke responsive
echoes.
A glance, from our seat, of the gray
old ruins of Fort Ticonderoga, as we
drew near the Pavilion" on the lake
shore, made US as impatient as children
to be among them. With these pleasant
companions, and alone, I spent hours
among the remains of the old fortress
listening to the stories of venerable
soldier, who in body haunted the place
in the pleasant summer time. We were
about to send to the Pavilion for guide
and an interpreter of the mysteries
around us, when this white haired man,
supported by q rude staff, came from
the ruins of the northern line of bar.
racks and offered his services. They
were accepted, and after my companions
for day had departed down the lake
for Quebec sat at the foot of one the
crumbling walls and listened to the old
mans interesting stories. His name
was Isaac Rice; his age was eighty.five;
no kindred Of his was left on the earth !;
by technical error he lost . just title
to q pension for military services in the
Revolution, and he was obtaining pre-.
carious support from the free.will
offerings Of summer visitors
FOR whom he acted - cicerone.
Though feeble in body, his mind ap-
peared clear and vigorous.
ibid you assist in the capture Of this
fort :" I inquired.
"No," he replied, "but my oldest
brother did. I was then nearly thirteen
years old. When Burgoyne took the
fort I was q drummer boy of the garri.
son that escaped, and saw the British
general deliver his sword to our General
Gates three months afterward. My
brother was twenty years old on the day
the fort was taken. We lived near the
old "Catamount Tavern" in Vermont
did you ever hear OF it ?-where Ethen
Allen lived for long time, and where
the Green Mountain Boys mustered in
the troublesome times before the Revo.
lutionary war. I've heard my brother
tell many things about the taking of the
fort on that morning."
"Didn't they get into the fort by q
covert way 2" I asked.
eyes, and there's where it was," he
said, pointing to hollow among mass
Of stones and earth. my brother, who
was sergeant, led a squad of men Just
behind Colonels Allen and Arnold"
"Arnold-Benedict Arnold ~ said,
eyes. Arnold joined the Vermonters
and others at Castleton on the evening
before the capture" The veteran then
told the story as clearly as his brother
had related it to him. Arnold came
without officers or troops-only one ser.
want. He introduced himself to Colo.
nels Allen and Easton-Easton of Pitts
field-snd taking from his pocket com.
mission - colonel from the Massachu-
sets Committee of Safety he claimed the
right to command the whole force gath.
cred there for the expedition. Allen
disputed his claim. Arnold persisted,
when the indignant Green Mountain
Boys declared that only Colonel Allen
should lead them or they would shoulder
their muskets and 70 home.
Arnold was compelled to yield, and all