Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1901-01-03
Ole Deroire Of Montiloutb-

BYJoHN r hJSIok
Copyright. 1898, by Robert Bonner's Sons.
All rights reserved.

ed until Sunday, when they seemed pre-
pairing for a general attack. The ad-
vanced and fanking parties Of the Brit
ish were warmly attacked. The conflict
was severe. Twenty-seven men in Nor
gan's corps were killed and wounded,
besides Maj. Morris, brave and gallant
officer, who was severely wounded. Sew
enteen Of the Maryland militia We're
wounded, two Of whom died.
On Monday, the 9Th Of December, when
the movements of the British gave Wash
ington every reason to believe that an
immediate attack was to be made, he was
surprised to perceive them, instead of adj
vancing, commence preclpltate marcn,
by two routes, for Philadelphia.
One Of the officers afterward remarked
to Mrs. Darrah that it had been fools
errand and accomplished nothing. Gen.
Howe in his official dispatches said that
the rebels had been informed of their
plans and they found Washington so
strongly entrenched that it was impossl-
bic to attack him.
The next morning after the retreat OF
the British, two American pickets on the
most northern outpost were squatted,
shivering over small fire which they
had kindled to warm their benumbed and
half-frozen fingers. They were both 81
lent A sort of grim despair seemed to
have fallen upon them, and they had be-
come resigned to their awful fate, what
ever it might be.
Suddenly the crunching of a horses
feet on the snow fell on their ears, and
on looking up they saw boy about four
| teen years old mounted on horse whose
smoking nostrils were white with frost.
The youth wore a great coat and was so
wrapped and muffied that at first sight he
looked like a bundle of dry goods perch
ed on the horse.
"Hello, Zeb! who's that comin'?' one
Of the sentries asked his companion.
"Don't know
MAY be British trick
At this suggestion each man rose with
his musket in his hand, and the man
called Zeb cried:
"Haltw
ooh, law! don't go to maxim one halt
away from the fire, please, SEEM as I
am most frozen"
advance and give the countersign,"
said Zeb.
81 can't give no countersign, cause
amt got none to give. faint cause I'm
stingy, but cause hain't got nothin' t.
give"
''Where are you going?" demanded the
sentry.
'Wall! kin tell We whar I want t go
mighty quick, f yell only let me"
"Where is it? Speak out or I'll thaw
yer shiverin hide with hot lead"
"Want t. go t. Gineral Washington's
camp t. see the great Captain Fitzger-
ald," was the answer.
what We want to see Captain Fitz-
gerald for?' asked Zeb.
''Why, / expect somebody as he knows
is in great trouble, and sends letter by
old Teller who brung it to me at home"
"Let me see the letter." said the SEN
try.
''No; I'm to give it to nobody else but
him. declared the boy.
The sentries held a consultation and
before they had come to any conclusion
the officer of the guard came up and re-
lieved them from duty. The shivering,
halffrozen lad, who still faithfully chung
to the letter, was admitted to the camp,
and after many inquiries found Maurice
Fitzgerald.
Maurice broke the seal and drew forth
a folded bit Of paper, which he hastily
spread out on his knee and read with
an eagerness and interest which barred
out every other thought in the world.
It was from Amelia. 1t told of the try
ing ordeal through which she was pass
ing, that she had learned that her uncle
was resolved to marry her to a British
officer-Captain Sanford, a man whom
she deteSted. It concIuded:
"Uncle has at last decided that l shall
be taken to Philadelphia. He has come
to fear the Wings. who threaten to burn
his house. do not know what to do, as
l shall be unable to resist them should
they determine to take me to Philadel
phia. l write this to you,. hoping you
can devise some means of saving me and
sending me to Connecticut, or some place
where / could live free from danger of
these people. / have no means to sup
pert myself, but I could labor with my
hands. The life of domestic among
friends is to be preferred to lady among
enemies. Do not risk your life for me,
but, dear Maurice, if you can, come and
save me-"
In five minutes the young captain was
at the headquarters of the commander
An hour later he and Sam Moulton might
have been seen in close consultation, and
when the roll was called next morning
neither was present. They had mount
ed their horses during the night and left
the camp. The lover was on his way to
the rescue.
CHAPTER ".
1t was a gloomy winter day. There
had not been known a colder winter in
years than that of 11I7 and It's those