News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1894-05-10
A LITTLE REBEL In RED.
BY T. c. HARBAUGH.

When the British held possession of
Philadelphia in the winter of 1777-
70 they carried everything with
high hand.
Fetes of all kinds were the order of
the day, and they were taken part in
by the officers of the kings army,
from the commander to the lowest
subaltern. Jugglers and montebanks
piled their calling, and shows and
theatres were the nightly attraction.
This was most distasteful to the
patriots, but for the most part they
were not permitted to show their
loyalty for the cause of freedom,
though some of them did not hesitate
to do so.
One afternoon a boy of fifteen years,
a smart little fellow who was favor
lite with every one on the street where
he lived, was sitting on the old fash
toned stoop of a house, when a gen.
tleman approached. The man bowed
politely as he drew in front of the
way. He was a dapper little person
of fifty, with a pair of keen eyes that
fairly sparkled and moustache that
was waxed daintily.
"What is your name, monsieur"
asked the man, with a foreign accent.
"Jarvis Scolly," was the reply of
the boy, fixing his eyes on the gilt
buttons of the mans coat.
"Would you like to help me, Mon
sieur Scolly?"
"Helpyou, "queried the boy, "what
can l do?"
81 will dress you up like a little
prince, and you shall see all the great
men of the kings army. We will
have famous times together, and you
shall have a shilling a night for your
trouble"
"But don't know you-and you
forget sir, that | am an American
boy
eyes, yes, my little monsieur" was
the interruption. "But just think of
it. A shilling "a night and a chance
to see Monsieur Parbleau show all of
his marvellous tricks on the stage"
care you Monsieur Parbleau, the
magician?"
The little man bowed and laid his
hand on his bosom.
He then proceeded to tell little JAR
Wis that he was the celebrated French
magician, Monsieur Parbleau, and
that he was giving exhibitions in
magic nightly at certain house for
the entertainment of the kings Off
GERS and their wives and sweethearts.
The boy was an orphan and was
then living with an aunt who did not
look after him very well, and he
thought he was at liberty to take up
with anything that promised to
amuse him as well as to put few
shillings into his purse.
Monsieur had promised to give a
show on a certain night, but the boy
who had been helping him had gone
away, and he was now in need of an
assistant, without which he could not
get along very well. He seemed so
clever and captivating, with his
French ways, that the boy concluded
to take up with the offer, and forth
with the bargain was made.
That very day Jarvis Scolly found
himself in the quarters occupied by
the magician, and there he was in
structed how to assist on the stage.
He was fitted with gay suit, con-
sistiDg of red velvet trousers and
Jacket to match, and when he looked
at himself in the mirror he wondered
what the other boys would say il
they could see him thus attired.
During the next few days he went
through many strange performances
with Monsieur Parbleau, and for the
first time saw the wonderful tricks in
magic which had delighted Sir Henry
Clinton and Lord Howe.
One of the men who was very fond
of the magician was a handsome
Young offic r whom the Frenchman
called Major Andre. Jarvis noticed
that he always applauded the best
tricks. Sometimes he seemed to be
watching the boy in the red suit more
than the iuggler.
For all this Jarvis was a stanch
American, and while he assisted the
magician his thoughts were often
with Washington and his army
whom he hoped to see drive the Brit,
ish out of the Quaker city.
Tomorrow night we will give one
grand entertainment" said Monsieur
Parbleau one day to his little assist
ant. "We shall have all the kings
generals in the house, and we must
please them as they have never beer
pleased before"
"What shall we do, monsieur"
"Oh," said the man, "we shall per
form some of our old tricks, such al
breaking up the handsome young
majors watch and then restoring il
to him whole. Then we will delight
the ladies. And, finally, we shall fire