The Washington times., 1902-06-29
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE DINNER OF THE BARONESS RIEDEsl


the stroke of six the next night
~ l stood before the fine mansion
1 \ which the Baroness Riedesel
occupied. with a foreboding,
and, to tell good truth. bit of a fiut-
tering in my insides. We, Acton and |,
had late in the night slipped back into
the ruined house and found the old wo-
man lying in the back room nearly dead
with terror, and with the mark of foul
blow over her eye and down her cheek.
We got her up and brought her to, only
to find Hazeltine gone. T was no place
for US, and so, on her advice, and deem
ing the open method wisest, We betook
ourselves to the Star and Carter" a
boarding house kept by Mrs. Hodges at
the Battery, down below Clinton's man
sion and over against old Fort George.
There We stayed all day, working out,
partly from our window view, partly
from our information, the lay Of the
land back of Arnold's house, just above
the commander in chiefs mansion. Only
once l went out TO find man named
Low. who had been mentioned to me
as brave patriot of the Sons of Liber-
ty, living under the stigma of Toryism
to serve his country by staying in the
city-a doctor -chirurgeon. / went
down Wall Street, by the hosts OF
shops chat had laces and silks and
satins in their windows, and rare fruits,
and met ladies daintily picking their
way from carriages through the muddy
streets, full of pitfalls and holes and
filthy cutters where the drains ran.
Four times in that hour ! met carts
with canvases over them, but not so
completely as to prevent one from see
ing half a dozen dead bodies lying
one on the other beneath the covering,
going, so a shop-keeper told me, TO the
trenches up above the city, where they
were thrown TO rot in the sun and
rain. Many of them were my con-
patriots, who had lain in the Sugar
Hcuse or Bridewell Prison-for many
thousands OF our poor fellows lay here
still, since the day. more than three
years ago, when ! had marched north
with Putnam for my life. Low found
at last, and a good man and true he was
20 ne. Somehow he knew Of my com
ing. and we arranged plan for an at
tack at the foot of Arnold's garden two
days hence.
Then / left Acton. telling him-morc
Shame be 1t to me-that / was going
10 sup in order that l might get word
of Arnold's habits. And yet what came
Of that dinner would have made me
stop a BIT. had / foreseen it. And so
! was ushered into the drawing room
in the finest coat and breeks / could
buy in the shops and tie and lace
front that made me feel like 4 gaudy
popinjay from some sickly European
court. The baroness came in mo-
ment and kindly bade me Sit, saying the
others would be there in a few mo-
ments. Indeed, found the custom pre-
vailed 10 arrive half an hour late.
which seemed to me then. and does
still, to be a foolish bit OF inane fashion.
DO you know" said she. with GEM
inc tears in her eyes. that ne have
Just heard of our friend Major Andres
horrible sentence. Did you know him,
MI l1tIlOE
Il never saw hin, but he was n good
and true gentleman" I answered.
These are terrible days. l cannot
sleep o'nights for thinking that my
little daughters may catch this terrible |
plague. Only this afternoon my hus-
band told me that twenty-seven of the |
poor prisoners died of it yesterday on |
the prison ships in the harbor / wish |
might dc something to aid them, but. |
beautiful as our house is, we have hard |
labor to get wood and food, such Is the |
price OF all neces5aries.''
My better self warmed TO the lady |
and tolG her she had e good heart, |
and that l. too, could not keep my |
thoughts from the wretched prisoners.
Governor Tryon and General Pat |
terson, the commandant of the town, |
are goodness Itself to me-" said she.
.sBut tits terrible time, and often |
ycarn and long for ny own dear Bruns-
wick"
ct is indeed a terrible time. ma am, /
hut II all the women had but such