The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-12-25
A REVOLUTION STORY
By James Parton.


upon 8 witness 70 tell the truth, the whole
truth. and nothing bat the truth Nothing
IL more difIlenlt. Many true story be-
GENES false when the whole truth about Il
il told. and many others are fatally tainted
by only very smsily addition OF untruth.
This il Is which renders the Conscientious
writing Of history 50 iaborlous. IL Is con-
paratfgeIy easy 10 tell interesting tales, OF
which We end MANI in the old records,
bias 70 discover the simple truth Of mat
ter. 20 as 10 be sure Of It, and make others
sure Of II, often demands an amount Of
patience which every one does not possess.
During the recent Washington eelebra-
tons the story Of Lydia Darrsch, who
comes down 90 rs as the savior OF the etn-
erai and his srfny. was again related; and
q very interesting story il Is. She was for
many years tbe noted Quaker midwife OF
the Quaker City. and lived 81 the old Lox-
ley House. which few people stiil living
remember. at the corner OF second and
Dock streets. II was rather q spacious
donicile, with an old-iashioned gallery In
front Of il. on which whiteiieid used 10
preach 10 his audience Of thousands. Benz
jamin Franklin may have heard him there
In this business days.
When the British forces under Sir VIII
liam Howe took possession Of Philadel-
phla. ia September t777, the adiutant-
general Of the army occupied large room
in the second story Of this house as an
Office. William Darrach, husband Of
Lydia, was Quaker schoolmaster. and it
IL probable that the room occupied by the
acknowledgement was his school-room. AS
ii IL the duty Of an acknowledgement to
receive, record and distribute the orders Of
the comfnander-in-chief, he being the
medium Of communication between the
general and the army, be required.
occasionally, room OF some size. lie felt
the more At home. perhaps. in this house
because the Quakers, as . body, were
opposed TO the warlike measures of the
patriots. and some of them were in full
sympathy with the English Beside this.
the Loxlay house was built and named by
q british officer, who served under General
Braddoek.
Mrs. DaTrach used herself 10 relate the
incident which connects her name with the
history of her country. There are prob
ably persons still alive who heard il from
her own lips. and there Is no good reason
90 doubt that what she told she fully be-
lieved 10 be true.
She said that, on December 2, 177T. to-
ward evening the adiutant general came
to her house, and gave a hasty order to
have his room warmed and lighted that
evening, a. he expected several friends 10
meet him there, and they might stay late
And be sure. Lydia, = he added, ''that
your iasaily are all in bed early. When
my friends are ready TO leave l will call
you. that you may let Us cut. put oat the
candles. and take care OF the Ere
These orders were oheyed. She sent all
her family to bed At O'Clock. after which
she lay down upon her own bed, without
undressing She conld not sleep some
thing in the manner of the edintant gen
eral had provoked her curiosity, and as
soon ~ she heard the murmnr OF voices in
her hack room. she got np very quietly ap-
piled her ear %. the kevhole. and sosn
heard voice reading an order for the army
to march cut Of the city on the evening Of
December I, and attack General Washing.
ton. then posted at che village Of White
Marsh. shout fourteen miles 60 the north
ward Of Philadelphia She then went back
20 her bed, and remained there tai she
heard saeesing At her door.
She made no answer until the knocking
hal hesn twice repeated. when she opened
the deer. II was The Acknowledgements
whe told her that his company WAS going.
She pus Got The lights and the Ere fastened
the house aud waited Inipatienily for dav.
hight TAsn she reused her husband
and told him ihat she was going for four
70 The mills ~ FraukfaFd, whlch wss
ias on the read 20 washiHrtou's camp.
she teok her hoaF. hsF. went 80 she
british headquarters. where she obtained
she usual PASS foF the purpose. and
then ssarnpra through the SHOW TO che
mills. Eve mites distant There she lets her
hzg 20 be nlsca aud went on towards the
American camp GA her way she nses Cot
onel Craig .es the Philadelphia fleht Horse
whom she recognised she Vas also fes.
ogussed BY him To tbs officer she lni
parted her dreadful secret. and BE eans-
snUntesged il % his commanding general
While she made the best Il her way. win
her tweRty-five pound har Ct four. 80 her
home N the civ.
sac usea g. EiaisA ths story in AiShty
vfisetlve manner. on TIC eytatns ira Qa,sS-
tian size Snxio0siv Watched itge tiepartare
81 ths british array. SHE also sax them
ccgna hsek sessR, and n as Ia ssca an a-oay
a knes he svsait - tAsir sxpeaittoa that
size vas almest deprived of tle power II
notiua. A sasaasn knocking st the donr
uax heard q vas the al 8atsnt general
lie iesses the 8ooT - her Yas5eF. ara lsaa
neg 70 sss dNwn, lie askesi heF whether
kny q h0g fausly zere ~ oa &Ae nerhg
when Re had hssi eesnp any. she answered
No. they al weas So hess al ; e'c.gck
@it i very ssgagEs SID sas ogssetr.
Yeu. knew. isyds. were As9e~p. Scr
kascked a. yaar aeoF thfcs uIaes hessvv
yss hsaai sae. let Il = esrssEa tha4 We
wsrv aefrRxesi4 Ga arriving nesr tisnesal
WashlnEsss camp We taani bis eaaase
nsoasssi Ass trseps uasieF arms Aa4 sl
prepared - sTeTy pasnt - sweVsvs rs thRg
Ne aNve hsea casaEegisa 20 msareh as,x
Stsaees sRsar.ar car emeuy. Use pArsis.
IS fsalk
Mses at tA3s ssarF. I gvF3ss. nav b~
tfzss. Mre, narrsch prueAhsv dsa egxsheAf
ire sFsssE TwA4 fes she regiments g. nsAFas.
saa asss franp SEVEN - nssas assiss tAualish
tAs sssa aae Esa Cal0sel CsAsg NaAs she
lad heara has sAsFv as sr.sA o. ksr mar
Fsftve sussa, GA teFasar IA TIA 8lspass,zss
e s}enssas iluse snsa ths aessess Il ts~nesas
NasAsagsen wS Gss taAt. Tor raans eAys