Willmar tribune., 1899-06-28

it confined to the con6scation Of property
belonging to patriots. An uninatiated stran-
! ger would have found some difficulty in de-
| termining whether this brilliant assem-.
blage was exerting itself as much toward
| suppressing a rebellious people as it was
| in making war on the king s treasury
There may have been honest men in New
York during the summer of ITS, but as yet
had failed to strike them. Every one with
whom had to do was a gambler, thief. or
q drunkard-frequently all three-and
| dare swear that, were the truth known, one
term or the other applied to the whole
| army, from Sir Henry Clinton to the last
| subaltern, and from the bowelless villain of
provost marshal, Cunningham, to the low
est besotted turnkey under his thumb.
New York had ceased to be a town. It
was nothing more than fortified camp, in
which neither justice nor mercy might be
found. Morally, it had become a vast, open
sore, spreading it's corruption beyond itself.
! Virtue was weight on man and woman q
speak but of the rule), and power the only
recognized right.
was nightly depressed at this time.
Seasoned though I was, shrank from life
as l saw it, and sickcned of those into whose
company my policy forced me. In fact, I
might have made a shift to get myself from
this sink of heartless depravity, only my
gold still swung at the end of cable within
pistol shot of the shore, and none knew it.
Many night had lain awake Matching
schemes to get aboard and recover it, but
they were worse than foolhardy, as knew
after second thinking, so I took it out in
watching and biding my time.
AS the days sped, had little or no fear
for myself. Lounsbury was probably well
under ground by this, for had heard moth
ing of him, and if the negro was a pris-
oner in hulk he might as we'll have been
in tomb.
Of what was taking place in the world out
side knew nothing save from rumor, and
lumor oft contradicted itself. The only
report seemingly sure was that Washington
had sat himself down on the Hudson Just
north of the Harlem (the very spot from
which he had been driven two years be-
fore) and was there awaiting the arrival of
the French fleet in order to strike blow.
And there he remained inactive, for the
French did arrive early in July, and, find.
ing Howe's fleet drawn up to receive them,
but peered into the bay, and then turned
tail and sped away to Newport on the fruit
less mission of blockading that port
In the seemingly open yet wholly secret
life led made many friends pot
house companions whom I listened but
spoke little, fearing to be recognized as an
lmpostor. 1 kept both ears and eyes on
the alert the while, fighting shy If broils,
yet holding the respect of the toughest of
the camp offscouring, owing to my size and
apparent strength. I even dared make a
map of the lower defenses of the city; but it
was so disguised, SO crossed, and recrossed
in a manner clear only to myself that l
would have trusted it to the eye of any OF
them without fear of their coming by it's
true nature.
This did not to be idle, for nothing hap.
pened in the way of military movement, or
even threatened to, for some weeks after
my arrival. By then was practically pris.
| oner, Tor without pass and clear state
ment of business could not have gotten
beyond the lines, which now extended across
the island from the heights of Corlea-s Hook
to the Hudson (on about the general line OF
the present Grand street).
My wound healed in the space of two O.
three weeks, but still kept the arm in a
sling, using it in privacy that the muscles
might not weaken or stiffen from lack OF
exercise. The sling saved me from many
did not join the army or apply for berth in
the fleet, had but to point to it, gently NOV
ing the limb, and say: "All in good time
adding for weight that I had no call 10 fur
ther serve his majesty until he paid me the
money had already earned
But for the arm, backed perhaps by the
way my muscle filled out my coat sleeve, ]
would have been pressed into the service
whether or not, and the sling being safe
guard let it bide
| had taken quarters in the tavern Of tn:
"king's Arms,' on King street (now Pm,
street,, near the Broadway, making term,
en- credit, an easy matter with my prize
money claim in my pocket. Twas the gnta
cring place for tories of the better SORT, aud
but little affected by the military, the dash
ing element of which favored Fraunce'a. or
Broad street.
But my time was not spent here 'TWal
the Bulls Head" on the Bowery Lane (nr
the site of the old Bowery theater), and
near the inner line of defenses, that sav
the most of me.
The spot was but a step from hsdes, hut
i great place for much coming and going and
hearing the news; and then twas near tAe
shipyard off which lay the Phantom Never
a day passed without one broil, and often
two or three, most of them ending in mort
or less bloodshed, and one of them put q
stop to the life was then leading.
l mind me it was on cloudy Saturday
forenoon early in August, though through
the wet in the air and the yelled heat every
pore oozed as if one had raced. There had
been but few about. l was half doing un
der a locust in the tavern yard when be-
came conscious that two men had but just
settled themselves at small table near me
and was thoroughly wakened by hearing the
name of "Scammell' in connection with
some matter they had been discussing.
One was boyish-looking naval officer
seated with his face toward me, the other
being in dress cross betwixt a soldier and
e civilian. Like the officer, he wore sword,
but I could see no more of him than the
broad of his back.
Using but the tail of my eye, mt rked
them begin game of cards for stakes, for
! could hear the clash of coin, and after q
hand or two he of the back spoke.
|. docs Clinton know the mani"
NAY, but he knows of him and what he
has done," was the answer. II was told
last night that he has been about. There's
something afoot outside, and he'll be need
ed. IT'S wonder he has not turned up for
another job; Clinton is liberal with the
kings cash! I'll give you pound to find
him."
There was silence for moment or two
as the officer drew in a stake and dealt the
cards.
II wish could get fingers on this same
kings cash." the unknown remarked.
card playing for shillings is small truck for
q man, and ye have had all the luck. Gould