The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-11-24

no one supposed that at Dr. Frankliu's
table. anybody would s-arve.
This was the outlook for n Th-uks-
giving dinner on the morning Of The
fth OF December. The clouds were as
dark As ever on the political SKY. Mr.
Lee was grumpy and Mr. Deaue was
fairly cross. and Dr.. Franklin was
very silent The dispatches which
they waited for would not come. Prob
ably they had been lost at seq In
nose days il happened. again and
again, th8t every one Of the four quad
duplicates which We're sent from Phil
adeIphia 10 Paris by the foreign sec
retaTieS would be thrown into the sea
from some hard-preSsei American yes
sci 10 avoid capture by an English
cruiser Every sort of rumor was put
in circulation by the friends Of Eng
land as to the success OF EUrEoyle. as
10 the success of Howe: and YOU would
have supposed that Gen. WASHINGTON
army had melted away TO nothing. and
that there never was any army under
Gen Gates. The hangers-Ou at the
little legation disappeared. Instead Of
the crowds OF adventures who used
20 ne in there asking for places and
trying To feather their nests in one
way or another there were only a few
Of the most steadfast rebels in Paris.
These men came in to see If there
were any news, and when they found
that all the news was bad they skuikcl
away again.
Such was the condition or affairs
when. as they all sat az work one
morning in Franklin's large psrlor OF
the Hotel ValentinoiS. the sudden
crack of a whip was heard. and in an
instant the concierge's bell rang and
they heard the heavy iron gates Of the
courtyard swing open. This was not
very frequent. The carriage Of Wis
itOTs were Il little apt to stop at the
outer door; but on this occasion the
concierge was evidently affected by
surprise, and thought it important that
the post-carriage at the gate should
come in. One OF the young men ran
TO the window. and said in a moment:
1T is a pCst-carriage and the horses
have been running"
DR.. Franklin started up and looked
out, and saw in moment that it was
clear that the carriage brought a bear
er OF dispatches. He was as impatient
as any one, and he hurried down the
stairway, the other gentlemen OF the
legation following MIN.
The driver, meanwhile, cracked his
whip again, made an unnecessary cir
cult around the courtyard. and brought
up at the door just as Or. Franklin
stepped upon the lower step. An eager
young man, who was pale with eX-
| element, without opening the carriage
| door sprang over the side upon the
pavement. He carried in his hand a
large folded envelope, but he did not
at first instant deliver it. He simply
bowed 10 DR.. Franklin, whom he had
seen before, and said: 1T is DR..
Franklin"
The old man hardly recognized the
salute. He only said: You are from
Nantes?"
And the young man said: i am
from Boston"
Sir, is Philadelphia taken?' said
DR.. Franklin.
1T is SIR" said the young man. And
he saw DR.. Franklin turn away. He
cried out on the instant: But l have
greater news than that. Gen. Burgoyne
and his whole army are prisoners of
war;"
1t is one of the most dramatic and
critical sentences which was ever pro
nOunced in history. The messenger was
young Austin a Boston boy, who had
been sent by the Executive Committee
of Massachusetts, TO bring this great
news to their distinguished friend. He
had landed at Nantes. after a shorter
passage than any other vessel made.
He had ridden with post-horses day
and night from Nantes to Paris with
his news. and had the exquisite pleas
~F ri M in, 1f.lr ma IL
way.
Franklin folded him in his arms and
kissed him The whole party went
back into the great salon and tore
open the dispatches which he had
brought them He was compelled
again and again TO tell the story of
the arrival Of Gen. Gates express in
Boston and of the JOY there. He had
at once been selected for the mission,
and a little vessel fitted out for the
swiftest passage that could be made.
Alas. the wind had been contrary for
four DAYS in Boston Harbor, and il IS
matter Of tradition that young Austin
was himself at the First Church in
Boston when DR.. Chauncey prayed for
A short passage for the messenger. \
story. perhaps somewhat exaggerated.
saws that in the prayer DR.. Chaunoy
asked that even if, in battle or in
storm. the messenger be lost, his dis
patches might be saved.
With laughter, and sometimes with
tears. with EXPLANATIONS Of surprise.
and with hopes for the future which
fate never gratified, the young mes
senger and his new friend, the aged
philosopher, spent the morning. 9th
ers of the party rushed 10 the city,
| that they might use the news TO the
| hest advantage in their stock specu-
! lations; and he in whom our readers
will be the most interested, little Jere-
miah. stole down to the kitchen and
| told Philippe that he was sure now
| that they might have turkeys on
! Thanksgiving for dinner.
| And truly, when the dinner came,
there was a little menu, which young
yy-il1;ap, Franklin and jeremiah had