Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-04-14
TWO BATTLES.


IL Wdc AAt anniversary VI NAG hANNlt
of Princeton, when an aged man, with
stout staff in his hand. was seen
trudging manfully down Broadway. As
he passed along from square to square.
he cast his eyes upon the signs and
door-plates, and muttering. continued
on his course.
Here" said he. was Clinton's quar-
ters-'Edward Mallory. silks and laces'
and here was the house that WASH
lngton stopped at-John Kniperhausen,
tobacconist--and here was where the
pretty ouakeress lived. who used to
furnish the commander-in-chief with
Information as to the enemies move
ments-'Cafe de Mile Colonues'-all,
all are changed; time has been busy
with everything but the seasons--they
are the same-the sun and the rain,
the evening and the morning, the ioicle
and the dewdrop. the frost and tho
snowdrift change not; but man and
his habltations-Rye. the very names
Of places and people have been altered,
and the New York of the revolution is
not the New York of 81.
AS the old man said this he seated
Itlllstn upon u IlNIult NoIi7A'll hhN
wiped the Precipitation from his brow;
for he had walked a long wGy that
morning, and the thousand associations
that pressed upon his memory wedried
him.
a company Of volunteers, in all the
pomp and circumstance OF city war,
now approached by side street. The
bugles shrin note mingled III with the
clarionet and cymbals; and the glance
of the sun on their bayonets and pol
ished helmets lit up the martial IRE
that slumbered in the old mans soul.
He rose upon his feet.
at is pleasant enough to look upon
such gatherings said he, but those
who have heard the drums beat to
drown the cries of the wounded and
dying. cannot forget their meaning
though youth and Joy accompany
them, and though the smiles of beauty
urge them on" And the old man wept,
for the men of other days stood about
him; and the battle-fields, then silent
and deserted. teemed with the deaa
and the dying. and the blood FORMED IN
pools amid the trampled grass or
trickled in little rills down the smoky
hillside.
A servant now came out Of a neigh
boring house and invited the old man
in. He thankfully accepted the hospl-
tallty Of the polite citizen, ana soon
young man Of u received MN
with Kindness, and n tall, prim
woman of Sc cordially insisted upon
his Joining her family at break
fast A beautiful girl Of Is took me
old mans hat and cane, ana Wheelei
up an old armchair that had done Inc
family soma service In ancient days
The old man. as she seated herself be-
side him, patted her upon the head
and n firm God bless you" escaped
| from his wrinkled and pallid lips. The
| old lady suddenly paused in her tea
table duty and looked earnestly at hei
| guest. The old mans eyes met hers
| they had seen each other before; bul
| the mists of time shrOuded their mem
| cries, and blended names and places
and periods strangely together
win thee have another cup of tear
said the matron to the old man.
II have heard that voice." thought
| the stranger, as he took the proneret
cup with gratitude. and finished hi!
| breakfast in silence.
"Ohl grandmother" said the maiden
Swinging to the window, here come
the Iron Grays; how splendidly they
| look"
81 cannot look at them" said the
matron, In a trembling voice, "thS
grandfather was killed by the Bruins
wick Greys at Princeton.
| what was his Nance said the ole
man, fixing his dim eye steadily ON the
| speakers face
"Charles Greedy" said the matron
shedding an unexpected tear.
Charles Greedy said the old man
springing up, why. he was a Life
| Guardsman. and died by my side
buried him at the hour of twilight By
and thou art?" said the matron
earnestly.
"Old Hugh Maxwell, a corporal OF
Washingtons Life Guard at your ser
vice" said the stranger guest.
"Oh, well do | know thee" said this
matron, weeping-'it was thee who
gave me directions where to find him
and delivered to me his dying sigh
| This Is an unhappy day TO me, Hugh
Maxwell, but thy presence lends an in
terest to II that l had no idea Of en-
toying. William and Anne. they grand
| father died upon Hugh Maxwell,
breast In battle-let us bless God tina
we are permitted TO entertain the gal
liant soldier upon the anniversary o.
that day of glory"
And the son brought forth the ole
family bible. and the Widow Greedy
prayed after the manner of Quakers
amid her little congregation.
| When the service was over, and the
breakfast equipage had been removed
| the son and the daughter each drew
| seat beside the old veteran, while theil
grandmother carefully wiped her spec
tacles and took moderate pinch Of
Maccouba. Then seating herself as
straight as a drlll sergeant In her cush
| Toned seat in the corner. she turned
her well ear toward the old corpora
and looked out Of the window.
Tell us about the battles OF Trenton
and of Princeton, Mr.. Maxwell" sale
| the grandchildren in one voice. The old
man looked inquirlngly at the widow
| Greedy.
'Thee may tell It. though II may
| be a sad tale to me-" said the matron
| and Hugh Maxwell, after resting his
head upon his hand for a moment
began his account OF the battles oil
Trenton and Princeton.
1.-THE 25th Of December. 1916
was a gloomy day in the Ameri
can camp. An army of 10000
British soldiers lay scattered along tn,
ware, from Brunswick to the environ.
| manded the British cantonment, ant
| Lord CORVALLIS was on the way from
New York to reinforce him.
"The British soldiers were flushed
with success. They had driven us
through the Jerseys. New York island
and the North river were In their pow,
err They had tracked us by our bloody
| footprints along the gloomy. though
snowclad hills; and they looked eagerl,
! forward 10 the day when the head OF
our illustrlous Washington should be
| placed upon Temple Bar, and the mol
| ~ opdOn should cry out while they