The Newtown bee., 1891-12-18

honest yoemen OF a WESTMINSTER county
village while he sang songs and cracked
jokes that went the rounds for many a
mile, for he was the reputed wit of the
section. One was member of the staunch
Committee of Safety, which had it's head
quarters at White Plains and was destin-
ed to win more than national reputation
for the part he took in the Revolutionary
War; the other, though his services were
to be of priceless value to the cause of
liberty, was destined to go down to the
bottom of the scale of reputation and to
die obscure and poor, his name scarce
written on the pages of the glorious his
tory which he had helped to make.
''Take your time, Enoch," said the
former kindly. sit is very serious step
to which L have invited you. 1t is not
life alone that you are offering on the al
tar of your country"
mot life alone, Mr. Jay?'
mo, my boy, not life alone. You must
sacrifice your good name as we'll. The
service that Washington wants of you
admits of no loophole of escape. You
must be friend of the patriots cause
while seeming an arrant enemy to it.
You must be friendly with the enemy-a
spy of Sir Henry Clinton in all seeming
while serving the cause of Washington.
You must be the medium of communica-
ton between our side and men inside the
enemy's lines who are supposed to be
loyal to the King, but who are our secret
friends. You must be prepared to be
hated, despised, persecuted-aye, per-
haps killed-by your present friends and
companions in arms for it is the purpose
of the Commander-in-C hef-nay, it is an
absolute necessity-to protect his power
full and secret allies. Are you fully pre-
pared, Enoch Crosby, to wear the crown
of thorns in the service of your coun-
try?''
There was deep and solemn earnest
ness in the tones of the statesman that
filled these words with deep fraaght
meaning. There was no palliation, no
, covering up, no chance for future retreat.
, AS he looked into the deep gray eyes of
the shoemaker sitting before him. he saw
the latter change color indeed, but the
, eyes never wavered. They were lit up
with the holy flame that shines in eyes
of martyrs when they go smiling to the
stake. He felt that he had torn aside the
veil and that this gay joker of East Ches-
, ter village was looking into the future.
Enoch Crosby had already tasted the
sweets of glory. He knew that he was
in the direct line of promotion for bold
, and meritorious conduct. The very fact
that Washington knew of him and had
= picked him out for this exalted and unex-
= ampled sacrifice was proof positive that
his character for honesty and sagacity
: had made deep impression upon the
Chief, who. save in the
case of Benedict Arnold, was to prove
himself such a mastery judge of charac-
. ter.
Not long before, the American army
had rung with one of Crosby's exploits,
; which showed what a natural bent the
joker had for strategy and guile. A Brit
. ish gunboat anchored off Teler's Point,
where Crosby and six companions were
on guard. The latter rugged up one OF
= his companions in a uniform of Lafayette
-, and set him to patrolling the beach in
u plain sight of the gunboat, while he and
: his five companions hid in the woods
- Eleven redcOats in "A whaleboat came
" ashore and the decoy took to his heels
pursued by them. Suddenly they heard
a voice of thunder from the underbrush
''Come on, boys! Now we have 'em y
l. And, with mighty rustling of the brush
: Crosby and his followers came tearing
~ out. The. redcoats thought the whole
Z Continental army was at their heels and
, laid down their arms without a shot, on.
: ly to find that they had surrendered to
u half their number.
Il And he who was just tasting the Joys
of popular applause, he whom men pat
ted on the back and called good fellow,
. he who had promotion, perhaps an Off
GERS epaulets, in his eyes, was asked to
renounce all and to seek the title of rem
egade, spy, traitor and all the foul names
that would be applied to him by his in
censed countrymen. A bitter price to
pay to loyalty-a price a thousand fold
more weighty than the price of life which
= = he would have paid so gladly.
l "Mr JAY" said the young man firmly,
1 81 am ready to serve my country in any
way, even that of seeming dishonor. I
have no one to disgrace save myself and
my aged father and he is bound heart
and soul in the holy cause of liberty. Do
yon think that'-(and here he stuttered)
THAT Washington would give line
friendly word on paper-that / might
gladden. his aged eyes with it. 1t would
y never fall into hands inimical, stake my
life upon it,
''We will see what we can do" said the
other kindly and the compact was COM
pleted.
Soon after, Enoch Crosby drifted away
: from those that knew him, and soon dark
rumors were bruited about his doings. 1t
; is always easy to think bad of ones
: neighbor, and it was not hard for his
comrades to believe that he had joined
: the great army of two-faced which in
habited the little trodden roads of the
j neutral ground. Many had gone before
him. Gold was great tempter.
The shoemaker turned peddler and,
pack on back, tramped among the rough
; hills of Westminster county, retailing
wares which he brought up from the dis
I tant city after it had fallen into the
hands of Clinton. 1t was reported that
he had the latter's PASSPORT hidden among
his clothing, and in fact this was the
truth, for the patriot spy became val
J ued adjunct to the British army, and