Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1899-05-10

for Nick Stryker, Rex, the British army, or
the devil himself. My sole yearning was for
food, and the sun had not sunken fairly be-
hind the Jersey hills when, against all rea-
son, rose from my last hiding place near the
roadside and strobe into it, making my way
toward the tavern as fast as could walk
My arms We're like lead. The gold in my
pockets and the bullets in my pouch had
Fifty times their weight as splashed through
the mud, but was protected by divine
providence, for no soSl saw going or COM
ing while was on the great thoroughfare
When turned into the lane leading to the
tavern some of my reason returned to me,
and slipped over the fence that might
not approach too directly the front door.
There were no horses under the shed as 1
passed it, a fact that gave me assurance, and
ON peering through the bar window, /
marked that the room was unoccupied.
The bar of the Dove was, like many of
the taverns of the day, as much a refectory
as bar, and the general assembly room of
the house. AS have said, it Yas deserted,
and barren of light as well, the far corners
being SO immersed in gloom that could
barely make out the tables under the cur
tanned windows. My advent within brought
an answering sound of steps, and there en-
tered black man, half waiter and half
hostler, as / made out by his apron, the
table knives in his hand, and general smell
of the stable he brought with him.
Without ado / asked for food-food of any
sort, hot or cold, with bottle of wine, OF,
falling in that, skimulant of any description.
thought the fellow was frightened at my
ferceness, and showed him meant to pay
for all l demanded by pulling from my pock-
ct a few pieces of gold and exposing them.
He slipped behind the bar and Brought out
a bottle of rum, setting it on table in the
darkest corner of the room, and then hur-
riedly went out, saying should be served
without delay.
Left to myself, took stiff dram and
looked about me. The room was decidedly
barren in appearance, the only attempt at
ornamentation being in the boughs of
green stuff that had been piled into the vast
fireplace. The rafters overhead, somber
with age, were black in the increasing dark
ness, and the walls, unwhitened for months
and perhaps years, were deeply scored with
names and coarse notices craven by sword
points or bayonets, and smutted by
candles held against the rough plaster. The
floor was clean and sanded, and the only
furniture in the room consisted of an i'm
mense settle in the corner by the chimney,
one long table with bench betwixt it and
the wall, and four or five smaller tables with
accompanying chairs. In strong contrast
with the prevailing dinginess Of the apart
ment were the two windows in the rear of
the room, their curtains of plain stuff as
white and stiff as crusted snow, and the
panes as sparkling and brilliant as newly
minted coin.
With an eye to future action in case of
mischance, went to the windows and found
them unfastened. The view looked east and
showed an infield with a stream ON one side,
which knew must drain the ponds and
swamps of the lower Harlem flats in the vi
cinity of McGowan's Pass, and empty itself
culverted, still runs under the city in the
into the Sound river. This stream, now
neighborhood of East One Hundred and
Tenth street,
The sight Of its brush-grown banks and
the oncoming night suggested a way of es.
cape, but boat would have been necessary,
and even with this there were the jaws of
He'll Gate and the river patrols to overcome.
think l had plumbed the depths of
every possible chance to get off the island
and on to the main, but saw no way out.
The Hudson was too wide to swim; the
Sound river too bolsterous in either run of
the tide, and even better guarded than was
the land. To pass the Harlem was not pos
sible, both banks being sentried by the
enemy, and thus was held betwixt the
barrier gates" the lower lines, and the two
rivers. In time every foot of this ground
would be secured, and the end looked to be
that would succumb.
But the end was not yet. l was well
armed and stronger by dram than when
came in. l left open the windows, changing
my seat to the long table, partly stretching
myself along the bench to render me less
conspicuous. From here commanded a
view of the front door and all within the
room, being myself quite in the darkness.
Thus waited for full quarter of an hour
with dead silence all about until the black
brought in nay food and candle, setting the
light at the end of the table farthest from
me, pulling down the windows, and drawing
the curtains, though it was far from being
chilly. Twas about to resent this disposition
of the candle as piece Of impertinence, as
it barely cast shadow ut that distance,
when suddenly considered the advantage
Of bSias. in gloom. asd 90 II y bids. ]