The Hope pioneer., 1899-06-15
CHAPTER vi.
A FAIR PROSPECT,

A FAIR PROSPECT
Left alone with Beldcn, that worthy
looked me over slowly, and then holding out
Ills hand, said:
''On my soul, Lounsbury, you had best
shrvc yourself! 10 tell the truth, I'm
nightly afraid of that fellow, who is no less
the brute called him because offered to
cry quits. He would be invncible with
rapicr, only he holds the light weapon with
too light a hand. He is all points and t:cky,
and, unless you disarm him, it looks to 20
hard with you. You will never get by his
guard"
Thanks said |, laughing, and taking his
hand. I've trick or two, myself. What
does the general want with Inc now?"
Il have but a fraction of the matter, and
know my place too well to talk OF it, lie:
us step out; but, man, you'll never appeox
at headquarters in such a rig! You would
be barred at the door!"
lis but the service of razor and q
Shift of clothes l need, and will soon have
Nlll you bear me company to my lodgngs!'
He agreed to this, and we set ont down
thte Bowery Lane to the Fields, past the
provost prison (now the Hall Of Records,
City Hall Park and poorhouse, and 80
along the Broadway, chatting like two old
friends as we walked.
Twas strange coincidence, thought,
when found my companion was attached
to the Sprite, having been on board even at
the time | was telling a false tale of myself
in her cabin, he having been laid up below
through a wound received in a duel while
in Philadelphia. a jolly, light-hcartcd dis.
slpated boy he was, but as rampant wor.
shipper OF royalty as has fallen to my lot to
meet.
lie could tell me nothing of Mrs. Badely
and her ward, Gertrude King (thc latter to-
ward whom | had an instructive lcaning),
save that they had long ago left the schoon.
CT and were IN sumptuous quarters on Queen
street. Scammcl's passion for the young
lady was no secret to him, and he made a
coarse joke at the expense of both, for
which | could have wrung his neck
But all were alike in those days, it seemed
to me, and not once did l hear a woman re.
spcctfully spoken of, though the naligncrs
OF the sex professed readiness to lie down
and be troddcn on when in the presence of
the least of the ladies' of fashion. Such
iulsome aping of fine manners on the streets
and off; such back bending and courtesy
ing, froth, and hypocrisy; such affectation in
speech and attitude; such utter prostra-
ton before the god of mode and folly as was
Iractced by these puppets of the king in
this small copy of the court, never before or
since has it been the fortune of man to see.
lnsincerty, heartlessness, and an absurd
sensitiveness regarding so-called points of
honor ruled the day. And these were the
spirits who were expected to subduc the
hardy yeomanry of America!
But this is neither here nor there.
Well shorn, with u decent ribbon for my
queue, suit but shade or two the worse
for wear, and sword at my thigh for ef.
feet, we set off for our destination, Belden
having washed his dirty face and generally
g. oomed himself
AT this time Clinton's headquarters was
en- the Broadway, at No. !, and opposite the
Bowling Green, being the same dwelling
wherein Washington had established him.
self while the patriot troops occupied the
city.
Twas strange to me that the British com.
mander should have hit upon this house, not
only because of its association, but from the
fact that it was, with some few mansions
to the north, cut off from the rest of the
city by the broad swath of ruin caused by
the great fire of September, l770.
This conflagraton had started God
knows howl near the Whitehall, and, under
the tanning of II strong wind, had burned
northwest, crossing the Broadway below
trinity church, and from there laying low
everything clear to the Hudson and north
ward to nigh the city limits. Trinity went |
with the rest, but by some mercy St. paurs |
was spared, as well as Kings college [Co. |
lumbia collcgel, the fire stopping Just shor.
of Robinson street Inow Park Placcj, on |
which stood the latter,
No attempt had been made to rebuild or
even clear the ruins. aud now twas dan,
Iferons ncIghborhood, as the ollscourings Of
the camp had taken possession of the whole
urea, and utilizing old walls, beams, and
sails, had established n colony M violence
md nth, which went by the name Of Can
vastowD,
lTO w CONTINUED