Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1893-03-04

y Is due 10 tHe JuulclOus acuOn OF Lyulsi
Darrach
Lydia was the wife OF William Oar
rach, a teacher OF some reputation In
Colonial times, With hef family she
he wintry winds which wnlstled around
lived in the "Loxley House at III
South Second street, just where little
Dock street. The Loxley House was Of
good age even then, and from its curl
lis old front porch, which was q sort Of
gallery on a second story level, the Meth
odist preacher, John Whiteteld, had
1ften addressed large audiences ranged
a the street and on the hill opposite.
he historic house stood until within the
memory OF many now living, but was
ntuy replaced by more modern build
lss better suited for modern uses. W heth-
the Darrdchs owned the I4oxley
louise at the time Of the Revolution Or
yheJher like st Paul, they were merely
living in their own hired house, seems
. be a point upon which no one Is quail
itied 10 speak with authority. At the
ate the occupying English failed TO
cave them in undlsturbed possession
their home quarters and a portion OF
he house was appropriated for use as
ihces for the Adjutant General OF the
invading army.
1t was on December , that that Off
lal gave orders to his Quaker landlady
o have room in readiness for meet
ng he wished TO hold that evening, add
ne IN u tone OF authority, and be sure
.ydia, that ali your family are in bed
an early hour" MIS-. Darrach had
o choice but to obey, and the meet
ng came of as scheduled and under
he conditions as prescribed. But, while
he had faithfully seen that ali other
lembers OF her family We're duly abed
nd presumably asleep, she herself ut
cry failed TO fall in with the spirit
+ the arrangement. After a period OF
estessness, she rose and stole softly
0 tie door OF the room in which the
.dJutant avs holding his council of
yar There she heard plans made for
attack on Washington force at
y hite Marsh.
The news was naturally far from
grecable and the latter end OF that
light, 50 far as sleeping was concerned,
was worse than its beginning. Lydia
Darlach was distinctly capable woman
ven though she is described by those
no anew her us being physically smul
nd trail; and what to a woman OF this
art Of the nineteenth century would
ave seemed all but impossible Airs.
)aTaCh undertook without word OF
confidence 10 an.ne. The barracks
Tere evidently not burdened with an
verplus OF this worlds goods, for it
recrled that Lydia followed a profcS-
ion OF her own, and rendered services
5 a nurse whenever needed.
So it was entirely in keeping with
or social and financial position that
.ydla should, on the morning OF De
ember 3, obtain from Lord Howe
ass allowing her to proceed beyond the
british lines. and start on foot to Frank
ord for the Ostensib,e purpose OF pur-
hasIng -four for family use There was
SNOW on tue ground; but the little wu-
lan trudged all these weary miles with
ut a thought OF heSitatng, left her
az at the Frankfort mill and hurried
n toward White Marsh to warn Gen
raj Washington Of his dancer.
Before she reached the camp, she met
American officer, Colonel Craig, and
moving and trusting him as friend
he delivered to him the secret that I'M
eIled her TO the journey and started
homeward Carrying her twenty-five
ound of flour from Frankfort to her
ONE on South Second street she saved
ppearanccs and was never suspected
+ having put the Americans on their
uard against Lord Howe's plans. The
British troops marched away ut night
all of December 1, ana it was not until
he Sth that they came back. sore and
disguised, having found Washington
repaired at every point Their intend
attack on the 9th had proved Il liz
zle and the little Edge Hill military
arCe was over.
The Adjutant examined Lydia bar
ach closely as To the movements of the
lemhers OF her household on the even
NJ of his meeting, but never thought
f suSpectug her, because he had had
pparent difficulty in rousing her after
he meeting was over. The Illustration
( his plans remained n mystery to him;
nj it was probably the necessity for
reServing her secret from him that kept
the story OF Lydia barracks heroism.
rom being better known.
Just what elements go to make up
case Of genuine heroism is a curious
ort of study. In this case there was
one side an uncomfortable curiosity
but what might have been very justly
ousidered none OF her business; a clear
ase Of eavesdropping, and a certain
mount OF Jesuitical reasoning rs TO the
ustitication of the means by the end,
nd the lawfulness Of mental reserva-
ION But the love or country and the
tactical patriotism shown in her sac
itice Of personal comfort, and the BRAY
NJ Of personal danger seem to outweigh
ID These i'm rho general pSrpprp for th1t