Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-01-12


Knows what a fierce battle ground wai
the Mohawk valley. Lying open, as il
did, to Indian and tory incursions, iti
patriot Inhabitants were constantly
an state of fear, and many who were
true to the colonies were compelled to
smother their feelings in order to saw
both life and property,
Among the American families whe
during the struggle occupied an hum
BILE house in the heart of the valley wal
one named Wilton.
Some time before the opening OF hos
thties the childless couple had adop1
ed an orphan boy, who, although Amer
ican by birth, bore the name of Gottlieh
for a German grandfather.
Gottlieb Wilton, as he was known
was a smart boy of Is, short and stout
and the possessor of = nature which
was hard to ruff1e. Up With the larl
and to bed with the sun, the boy wal
known everywhere in the neighbor
hood for his industry, and parents were
won't to hold him up as an example ts
their less thrifty children.
The Whittons were favorably dispose
20 the American cause, though they
had succeeded in making no enemies o:
their tory neighbors.
The house in the valley stood on the
trail to Fort Stanwix, an American out
post, and the spies of both parties vert
almost constantly crossing the neutra
ground.
Que. night Gottlieb Wilton looket
from the small window of his attic ane
witnessed a very unusual proceeding
The moon was a pale crescent in tn,
sky, and tho drifting clouds stifl fur
ther dimmed the little light il afforded
he saw man carrying something
into the house from the garden thai
came almost up TO the back door. l.
was not Mr.. Wilton, and the proceed
ing was enough to arouse the boy,
suspicion.
Again and again the strange mar
made little trips between house anc
garden, each time bringing from tn,
latter something bulky, which he car
ried in his arms.
AT last the man disappeared in tn,
garden and did not return.
The boy waited and watched a Ions
time for him, and at last crept bacl
to his hard bed in the corner and fell
asleep.
The next day the farmer told Gott
lieb that he and his wife intended tG
visit some relatives at one end of tn,
valley, and concluded by saying that
he would have TO remain at home ana
keep house two or three days.
Once it was on the boys tongue e
mention the strange movements he hat
witnessed the previous night, but fear
ing 10 let Mr.. Wilton know that he
had played the spy he let the oppor
tunity pass.
When noon came the boy found him
self alone with dinner of his owl
getting. and at shutdown he had fed the
cattle and shut~up the house.
His adopted parents at parting hae
cautioned him to admit nobody, ane
Mrs. Wilton had taken care to say
that she had placed all the food he
needed in the pantry, and that she had
locked the cellar till their return.
The boy went up TO his bed in tia
attic as the birds retired to their nests
In the trees
Falling asleep almost directly, h.
passed through the first sound slum
Der, and then lay wide awake on the
cot.
Suddenly there came up from below
and into the loft through the open win.
dow, the hum of voices.
Gottheb crept to the window and
looked out. A large tree grew in from,
OF the house, shading the long porch
during the day, and throwing Its
branches over the sloping roof.
There was a figure under the tree
which was not there when Gottliei
crept up to bed. While he watched il
was joined by another which came
from the porch, and then the low voices
were resumed.
The next minute Gottlieb went down
stairs in his bare feet. The boy knew
that the men outside contemplated
mischief of some kind, and all at once
he thought OF the mysterious proceed
ings of the night before, and coupled
with them Mrs. Whitton's remark aboui
the cellar.
Stealthy footsteps came across tn,
porch, and found the patriot boy listen.
ing at the door.
Are you sure the boy sleeps in tn,
garrett" asked voice.
That's his nest, as everybody
knows" was the answer. al know
where the bolt is, and here have the
gimlet ready. 1t will not take US ter
minutes to saw out hand-hoIe, an6
then we're inside"
do you think we'll find the Yankee
powder in the cellar?"
at is nowhere else. We've tracked IL
10 Jonas Whitton's house, and it hasn't
gone onto Fort Stanwix yet. A sly fox
as Jonas, but hereafter he can't blow
hot and cold with the same breath, for
everybody will know how he hid Yam
'kee powder in his cellar"
Like a fash the whole truth dawned
on the boy in the dark. The numerous
trips between garden and house we're
now explained.
There was powder IN the cellar, and
1t was patriot powder at that, intended
20 be struggled into Fort Stanwix al
the first favorable opportunity.
GOttlieb felt his heart leap with a de