New-York tribune., 1901-12-29

their comfortable homes the Italian side of
| the Alps. some distance south of Turin. They
! settled at Stony Brook and built houses much
| like those they had left behind. They erected
! little stone church which had loopholes instead
! of windows, SO that it could be used as fort
when the Indians attacked Them they often
did. Over the door of the church the cross
| of Malta.
They were as happy in their new homes as
strangers and refugees can be. Their children
taught the story Of Peter Waldo the mer-
chant of Lyons, who had become their beloved
saint and martyr. Many times the fierce Rari-
tans took the warpath and burned the roofs off
the stone houses. The church they were
able to capture, and the Indians thought that
the reason lay in the strange cross that was
above the door,
At this time the chief of the Raritans
! Lo-ha-tact-tah, a Delaware Indian, who had
! been sent to rule the island. He had fondness
for 'firewater,'' which easily secured from
still which the Governor of Manhattan had
set up near the centre of the island. Every time
he got drunk he led a fierce raid on the Wal
denses which was quite to the Governors Tx
! ing.
ment that Lo-ha-tact-tah was dying from some
] mysterious malady which baffied the skill and
incantations of the best medicine men" of the
| tribe. Great was the rejoicing among the peo-
! pie. Now we shall have peace" they cried, and
i some one hurried off to tell their minister. The
good man shook his head sadly when he learned
how the people were rejoicing.
This should not be- he said. I'VE must try
to the life of this wicked man."
| Let him die" advised the messenger. He
deserves worse than that Think how many of
our people have been killed by his orders and
| how often have been driven from our
homes"
What will it benefit us if he dies?" said the
minister. THE Deawares will send another
chief who may be worse than this one
Accordingly the minister sent for skilled
physician who member Of the colony, and,
bearing the cross of Malta before them, they set
out for the Indian camp. The chief had given
up hope or he would hardly have trusted him
self to the white medicine man. One brave told
| how saved
the church. Another recalled to his mind that
the fire water for which he had such a taste
from the white men. Eventually he bade
them admit the visitors. Under their care he
began to get better, and was soon as well and
strong as ever. Nor did he forget the act
of mercy, for as long as he lived and the cross
of Malta hung over Stony Brook his Indians
made raids elsewhere when the spirit moved
them to bloodshed
There is than family in England
which has put black mark in its record book
against New-Dorp, of the prettiest little
settlements the south shore Of the island.
Their sons officers in the British army, thrust
and shot out each others lives the famous
duelling ground the village during the
years that the British troops were quartered on
, the island Several sons of noble families are
i said to have taken their own lives the bloody
ground after having lost their fortunes at the
gambling tables in Camp Hill. In fact, gam
J bling responsible for most of the duels. al
though there are legends of the havoc wrought
by fair Staten Island women in the hearts OF
the officers from over the sea.
Although Lord Howe and his immediate staff
l had their headquarters Tottenville, there
large force of British quartered Camp
) HILL which lies just outside the present village
of New-Dorp and within stones throw of the
Black Horse Tavern. 1t is said that the tavern
is so called because a British officer was thrown
t from a large black horse in front Of its door
and killed by his head striking against a rock
At any rate, Camp Hill became the Monte Carlo
! of America, as far the British officers were
concerned. They hocked there from other
stations whenever they could get leave. Fifty
officers tried by court martial in one
winter and dismissed from the service in dis
grace. So firm hold had the gambling mania
that officers so far forgot themselves as to play
: cards for money with private soldiers, and
servants, even, were admitted to the games
Lord Howe was forced to most drastic measures
before he succeeded in checking the gambling
, fever which threatened to ruin his army.
The duelling ground was just back of the
camp in hollow which was screened by trees
from the highway. The grove is much the same
to-day as 1t was then, but traces can be
found of the bloody battles fought there. The
= graves OF several victims who are said to be
buried In the vicinity are not marked. Many OF
those who live In New-Dorp do not know that
this old dueling ground exists. and those who
can give details of any of the contests on this
Revolutionary field Of honor are still harder tc
find.
D Few Staten Island girls know the story of the
ouei between TWO young officers of a Highland
regiment which was encamped at New -Dorp
yet several OF them related to the woman
s VINO Drought about the contest. She the
daughter of an aide -de-camp to Lord Howe
\ one or the many Staten Islanders who sfdet
- wlth the British in the contest for American
independence. Tradition says she was mos
= |, Deautrul and just a bit tickle besides TIL,
Highland officers were great friends when the,
met her but their friendship soon turned I,
: nate Both declared their love in passopat,
Terms, ana as she was unable to choose between
them she favored first and then the other
nyG Nxrnc
e prompt challenge was promptly accepted
With their seconds and a surgeon thew went +,
% the .dueng ground
n rs this woman worth fighting for?" asked on