Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1901-04-08

uays Wnen the present entente be-
tween England and America was a
thing undreamed of. Worthy to rank
with it was the adventure of Jack
Jouett, young Charlottesville innkeep-
er, who rode thirty miles to save
Ihomas Jefferson from capture. The
story is told in st. Nicholas by R. r.
w. Duke. Jr
Jack shrewdly guessed that Tarle-
ton would follow the highway into the
main road that led by the country
seats, the homes of the gentry. Jack
Knew shorter route, an old disused
Dad that would lead him to the river,
@1ence to Monticello, and then to,
Sharlottesvflle-not a pleasant road
% ride or drive, though as picturesque
route as one often sees: for on either
side grew great pine trees mere. and
massive oaks there, while dogwood
End saSsafras and sumac filed the
5paces. The road had once been q
>uftalo track, then an Indian trail,
chen Il wagon road for while, but as
20 one ever worked it or changed the
g:ade. it rapidly washed into a sue
Cession of red gullies and became we'll
Ugh impossible. SO it had been
abandoned many years, and nature
Lad covered up the Tcars made by the
animals and men, and only in few
places could one have known that 1t
had ever been used as highway
Broom-sedge grew wherever there
was an open space ferns of hun
dred varieties clustered in every hol-
low where water ran, and the wild
Df1mble ran riot everywhere i'll the
shade. Into this old road Jack pushed
his horse. and soon was dashing at
full speed over hill and dale. 1t was
dangerous ride, even at a slow gait
Deep gullies lay concealed under
treacherously smiling wild flowers.
Ground-hog holes offered pitfalls lia-
Bile to break the leg of his steed; over
hanging limbs swept him in the face,
and the wild brier ever and anon
caught him in painful and harassing
embrace. His face bore for many
years the scars left on his face by
this brier, which, you know. climbs up
trees and seems to throw itself from
one to another. But Jack had no time
to consider these things. He knew
that in few hours the enemy would
be in Charlotte willie, and make the
Governor and Legislature prisoners
unless he could give them timely
warning. His mare was sure of foot,
sound of wind, and no other fox hunt
er got the brush when Jack and she
were in the hunt
So away he went, touching her light
ly with the spur now and then. but
often cheering her in the race with
merry whistle or encouraging word.
He had thirty miles to make. He
could have as easily made fifty on
good road as thirty through this will
derness. At one point the disused
road entered field in sight of the
highway along which Tarletons le-
2ion was passing, and a few strag-
elers saw Jack when he dashed into
the open. They followed him with
loud shouts and pistol shot or two.
but when he dashed into the woods
they abandoned the pursuit. Once his
bay mare fell, her foot having caught
in mass of brush and brier and half
rotten logs, but up she scrambled and
away she Went, as If she knew that
the fate of a commonwealth depnded
upon her. In two hours Jack rode his
thirty miles and paused in the ford
just opposite the little hamlet of Mil
ton, two miles from Monticello. Only
a mouthful of water did he allow his
gallant bay to sip, and then he dashed
up the river bank and on through the
streets of the village, stopping not at
merely shouting: The British are
coming! The British are comingw
In ten minutes he drew rein in front
of quaint brick house on top of the
now famous mountain. He was
sight, too," the darkies said. His face
was torn and bleeding from the wild
brier thorns, his gray blue suit COW
cred with mud and dirt, his mare COW
cred with sweat and foam and pant
ing as If her heart would burst through
her sides. Down from the porch in
front of which Jack had halted came
q tall, thin man, dressed in a suit of
nankeen, lace at his wrists and shirt
front, and with little sword-cane in
his hand. This man had clear, spark
ling blue eyes, and thin skin under
which the blood almost seemed start
ing. His hair was thin and curly and
covered with white powder. For a
moment he did not recognize the
rider. Then, as he drew nearer, why,
Mr. Jouett," he said, what brings you
here, and with your good horse so
well-nigh spent?"
Jack could only gasp, THE British,
Governor! Tarieton and his men
passed Cuckoo Tavern at o'clock this
morning."
And Tarleton was outwitted.