Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1901-02-12
NATHAN HALE.

the tavern at "Fhe Cedars" when Hal
entered was Tory cousin Of his, di:
sipated fellow, who recognized hi
kinsman in disguise and betrayed hir
into the hands of the enemy; but Their
Is no warrant for such an accusation.
Hale's captors stripped and searche,
him, and found the evidences of his beinI
a spy in the papers hidden between tn
soles of his shoes. Capt. Hale was take
in one of the boats of the Halifax T.
Gen. Howe's headquarters and upon tn
evidence found in his shoes was con
demned to be hanged early the mex
morning.
Howe delivered him into the custod,
of William Cunningham, the nOtOriOu
British provost-marshal, with orders Il
execute him before sunrise the mex
morning.
When Hale was taken before Howe h,
| frankly acknowledged his rank and hi
purpose as a spy. He firmly but re
| spectfully told of his success in gettins
information in the British camps, anc
expressed his regret that he had moi
been able to serve his country better
Il was present at this interview" wrote
| British officer, "and l observed that
the frankness. the manly bearing, and
the evident disinterested patriotism Of
the handsome Young prisoner, sensibly
touched tender chord of Gen. Howe'S
nature; but the stern rules Of war would
not allow him to exercise even pity"
Long before daybreak Of Christian
Sabbath, Nathan Hale was marched to
the place of execution, escorted by file
of soldiers. and there delivered to the
provost-marshal. Hale requested the
presence Of chaplain; it was denied.
He asked for a Bible; it was refused.
At the solicitation OF compassionate
young officer in whose tent Hale sat, he
was allowed to write brief letters to his
mother, sisters and the young maiden to
whom he was betrothed. Her name
was Alice Adams. She was q native of
Canterbury, Ct, and was distinguished
for beauty and intelligence. She after
ward married Eleazer Ripley and was
left widow. She subsequently, married
William Lawrence of Hartford. where
she died in 1916 at the age of IS years.
1t would seem that the memory OF her
early love never wholly faded for her
last words were: "Write to Nathan
When they were handed to the provost
marshal to cause them to be forwarded,
that officer read them. He grew furious
as he perceived the noble spirit which
breathed in every sentence, and with
coarse paths and foul epithets he tore
them into shreds before the face OF the
Young victim. Hale gave Cunningham
whitening look Of scorn, and then re-
sumed his usual calmness and dignity OF
demeanOr. The provost marshal after
ward said that he destroyed the epistles,
''that the rebels should never know that
they had man who could die with such
tirmness."
Ii was in the morning twilight Of a
beautiful September day that Hale was
led out TO execution. Even at that early
hour quite large number Of men and
women had gathered to witness the sad
scene. Cunningham watched every ar
rangement with evident satisfaction, and
when everything was ready for the last
scene 10 the tragedy, he scoffiugly de-
mandeo of his victim his "last dying
speech and confessiou" The soul of
the young martyr, patriot and hero, who
was standing on the fatal ladder with
his ewes turned heavenward, was then in
secret communion with his Maker, and
his mortal ears seemed closed to esrthly
sounds. A moment afterward he looked
benignly upon the evidently sympathetic
spectators, and with calm, clear voice
pronounced the last words uttered by
him: Il only regret that | have but one
life to lose for my country" The women
wept; some of them sobbed audibly.
The sublime and burning words OF the
victim about to be sacrificed on the altar
of liberty, and the visible tokens OF
sympathy among those who witnessed
the scene, msddened the cOarse-natured
and malignant provost-marshal. he
cried out in voice hoarse with anger,
.Swing the rebel off," and cursed the
fearful women with foul epithets, calling
them rebels and hsrlots. So ended, in an
atmosphere of mingled Christian
faith, fortitude and hope, and of savage
barbarism and brutality, the beautiful
life-drsma Of Nathan Hale, the early
MARTYR for the cause Of human freedom
in the grand struggle for the independ-
ence of our country. In only one way
did the death of Cunningham resemble
the death Of Hale. He died upon the
scaffold but not in an atmosphere OF
faith aud hope. He died the death OF a
felon.
The body of the martyr was laid in
the earth near where the spirit left it.
A rude stone placed by the side OF the
grave Of his father, in the battle-ground
of the Congregational church in his
native town, for long years revealed to
passers-by the fact that it was in COM
memoration of "Nathan Hale, Esq, a
captain in the army Of the United States,
who was born June 6, 1885, received the
first honors of Yale College, September,
l773; and resigned his life sacrifice to
his country's liberty in New York,
Sept. %, 1776, aged D."
An entry of his death was made upon
the town records Of Coventry. Sixty
one wears after his sacrifice the citizens
of Coventry formed "Hale Monument
Association" for the purpose of raising
funds for the erection of suitable
memorial to the memory of the young
patriot. The association applied in vain
to Congress for aid. By fairs, tea
parties, private Grammatical performances
and other social appliances, carried on
chiefly by the gentler sex, and grant OF
$1,000 by the state of Connecticut,
sufficient sum was secured in 1916 to
erect the desired monument.
etc drum.beat and heartbeat,
soldier marches by;
There Is color on his cheek,
There is courage In his eye;
Yet to drum. beat and heart beat
In moment he must die.