Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-03-03
CHAPTER vi.
A FAIR PROSPECT.


Left alone with Belden, that worthy
looked me over slowly, and then holding out
his hand, said:
ION my soul, Lounsbury, you had best
shrive yourself! To 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 inyincible with a
rapier, only lie holds the light weapon with
too light hand. He is all points and ticks,
and, unless you disarm him, it looks to go
hard with you. You will never get by his
guard"
Thanks" said !, laughing, and taking his
hand. "l''ye trick or two, myself. What
does the general want with me now?"
II have but fraction of the matter, and
know my place too well to talk of it. Let
US step out; but, man, you'll never appear
at headquarters in such rig! You would
ba barred at the door!"
lis but the service of razor and a
shift of clothes / need, and will soon have.
Wil you bear me company to my lodgings?"
lie agreed to this, and we set out down
thte, Bowery Lane to the Fields, past the
provost prison (now the Hall of Records,
City Hall Park and poorhouse, and so
elong the Broadway, chatting like two old
friends as we walked.
lives strange coincidence, | thought,
when 4 found my companion was attached
to the Sprite. having been on board even at
the time ! was telling false tale of myself
in her cabin, he having been laid up below
through wound received in duel while
in Philadelphia. A jolly, light hearted dis.
sipated boy he was, but as rampant q wor-
shipper of royalty as has fallen to my lot to
meet.
He could tell me nothing of Mrs. Badely
and her ward, Gertrude King 1.-THE latter to-
ward whom l had an instructive leaningl
save that they had long ago left the schoon-
Ell and were in sumptuous quarters on Queen
street. Scammell'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 hear woman re-
specially spoken of, though the maligners
OF the sex protested readiness TO lie down
and be trodden on when in the presence OF
the least of the ladies of fashion. Such a
fulsome 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
Lracticed 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.
Insincerity, heartlessness, and an absurd
constituencies regarding so-called points OF
honor ruled the day. And these were the
spirits who were expected to subdue' the
hardy yeomanry of America!
But this is neither here nor there.
Well shorn, with decent ribbon for my
queue, suit but a shade or two the worse
for wear, and sword at my thigh for eff.
feet, we set off for our destination, Belden
having washed his dirty face and generally
groomed 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, l776.
This confagration had started Goo
knows how!) near the Whitehall, and, under
the tanning of a 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. Paul's
was spared, as well as Kings college [Co
lumba collegel, the fire stopping just short
of Robinson street NOW Park Place], or
which stood the latter.
No attempt had been made to rebuild OF
even clear the ruins, and now twas dan
gerous neighborhood, as the offscourings Of
the camp had taken possession of the whole
area, and utilizing old walls, beams, and
sails, had established colony of violence
and filth, which went by the name of Can
vastown.
1t might have been pleasant for Sir Henry
to look from his south windows over the
grand Battery, the bay, and the feet be
yond, but ! take it he little cared for the
| view east, with its black desert of devasta
tion, or to see in the Bowling Green, right
beneath his knightly nose, the hacked pedes
tai that had but lately borne the desecrated
statue of his majesty of England.
But notwithstanding it's isolation 'twa.
fine mansion, this Kennedy house, as il
was called, and well fitted in its interior TO,
the uses to which it was put. Broad halls
and large rooms furnished ample space 70,
the brilliancy usually gathered there, but
to-day 1T was comparatively deserted.
Had | been alone ] should have had in
finite trouble in getting in at all, but Belder
soon opened way past the guards at thu