The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1895-05-01

er one cut, good sir, said l, "that thou
mayest examine the esaddle-poc.lets and
the bag of feed for my horse?' So,
holding the white duck in one hand, he
examined the saddle-pockets with the
other.
Following my own will, Mistress -
said he, 81 would fain let you 30 on;
but know you not that Lord Cornwallis
hath already crossed ti,e Assanpink,
and hath his forces stationed in the
town? Hence you will surely be az
rested and searched this side Of i..
Therefore, Mistress, my duty is-' He
paused, and in a second / saw that !
had to do as mr. father had enjoincd,
aud Use my wit.
Takingup the black duck, held i
outward, saying, Good sir, please hold
this, too, for me an instant - which be
did and slipped from Generals back
nearly falling from stiffness as reach
ed the ground: / shook out my petit
coat, and showed the empty saddle;
then / laid my hand upon his horses
neck, looking UP in his face, and said
|:
'Thou hast my word, sir, that thou
dost hold in thy hands my sole reason
for going up to town. / bear naught
else about my person, and that may
prove the ducks quite good to eat, |
pray thee keep one Of them, and 50
share our New Years dinner"
500 10, liitie Mistress - quoth ne,
looking down ON me with laugh.
"a skilled pleador for one 50 young!
Thinkest to bribe the British army?v
NAY" said /, rlceting his honest
blue eyes as leaped back on General.
''I think not, good sir, indeed; but
would fain thou shouldst keep one, for
L is like Is not thou art far from
home.n As spoke, took the black
duck and left the white one in his
hand
THANK you kindly, sweet Mistress
said he "but despite nay viii, | must
do my duty, and / fear me thou must
come with us"
Even Is he spalo there was a burst
of musketry from the woods behind
them, which made him wheel around
and every man sprans to his feet. In a
trice had given General such q cut as
he never had before, and daFting ahead
dashed down the road TO the i,i,,
whittier I galloped Ike mad, pausing
not to look behind until | knew there
was mile or more between us. and
that | was not being over,akeu. Then,
haItihg, fastened the dIek again in
the saddle-pocket, aad LET General take
it slowly while / wondered what next
to do.
Ny Aunt Lois then tells other guam
dairy ON learning the town to be full Of
British.
~ did not fret to think of being a
prisoner she writes for at worst
knew they would not shoot a defense
less maid. Bat / feared me lest they
should seize the black duck.
She thea made up her mind 10 80
straight ahead, and "to hold until the
last To the black duck" which she
says, They should not take from me
unless by fore Of arms, anl thcn was
determined to - liGcwise!'
She hal no further stopp;ngs until
she found herself six miles from the
town, riding by piece of woods, She
heard there the sound OF horses and of
tramping.
"And then it was" she writes, '.that
| felt somewhat of fright, and straight
way wheeled General into the woods,
AMI waited IL was a body o. men
coming very rapidly, and, meihoughi,
Quietly, and my heart thumpcd loudly
until-what was NY joy to see The I'M
iforms of our own American army .
Knowing this, perhaps, to be my only
chance, rode out in the road s;raigh.
before them, whereat they halted in
much surprise"
Then Aunt Lois tells of her interview
with their header, General Mercer, who
got his mortal wounds shortly after at
Stony Bridge.
"He was in great haste She writes,
"ind said did but bear black duck
of which must tell him, whereupon
he ordered his men 10 march on, and
straishtway said he, in some surprise.
- ~
ait is my father's-John Bradiey's
-errand,' quoth 60 bear this black
duck to one who would send its or It's
contents to General Washington this
m)rn, Immediately
"'Sl, said he, drawing long breath.
and Thy father?'
"'Was shot while making his way
with the papers
"'And the papers"
care in the ducks craw, sir said
|, drawing the bird from out my -ad-
dle-pocket.
"And at what time didst start, little
Mistrcss??' -
"'Well, well! He took the duck
AN slung it across his saddle before
him. 4 must hasten. | shall see Gen
eral Washington within an hour. God
willing, and me shall get the papers-if
not by me, 10y some one else. Good
day, Mistress Bradley lie bowed.
The American ARMY has done we'll to
count you in it y
"In truth, sir, said I, if they count
by hearts, and not by niuskets, their
biggest following is left behind -
(Which, when did tell my mother
to-day, she shook her head ut me from
the but.ery door, saying Lois Lois "
But my father, from his cot where he
lieth weak saith, Tut Let the lass be,
SO that she doth but speak the truth =
which from my heart | did"
Ny Aunt Lois's ride home was un-
eventful. As every step took her furth-
er from the approachingarm she was
unmolested, and feared. naIght save
that General might give out. IL was
showing hard for the greater part of
her journey, and the horse stumbled
homeward, stiff with cold ahd lame
with fatigue. She writes:
"Twice after nighttime | fell asleep
on Generals neck: and when | spicd