Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1904-07-19
CHAPTER XXvI.

CHAPTER XXVI.
ND so the departure of my
|fA Lord CORVALLIS was neces-
ss% sarily deferred The packet
49, upon which he had engaged
passage and which had actually re-
ceived his baggage sailed without him.
1t would he some days before he would
grace the court of st. James with his
handsome person, and long time
would elapse before he would once
more rejoice in the sight OF his be-
loved hills. When he next returned 1t
would not be with the laurels Of
cOnlueror either! He was to try con-
clusiOns once and again with the gen.
tleman he had so assiduously pursued
through the Jerseys, and this time
aye. and in the end. tOo-the honOrs
were to be with his antagonist. The
star and order of the Bath. which his
gracious and generous Britannia ma
jesty had sent over to the new Caesar.
General Howe. with so much lauda-
ton and so many words Of congratula-
ton. was to have little Of its luster
diminished. and was destined to ap-
pear not quite so glorious as II had
after Long Island; in fact, is was soon
to be seen that it was only pyro-
technic star after all. and not in the
order of heaven. Both Of these gentle
men We're to learn that an army-al-
most any kind of an army-is always
dangerous until II is wiped out, and II
is not to be considered as wiped out as
long as il has any coherent existence
at all, even il the coherent existence
only depends upon the iron will Of one
man-which is another way Of saying
the game is never won until it Is ended.
There was mounting in hot haste in
New York. and couriers and orders
streamed over the frozen roads. and
Lord CORVALLIS himself gallOped ut
full speed for Princeton. The calcu-
latiOns of certain number Of his maj
esty's faithful troops were to be rude
ly disturbed, and the comfortable quar-
ters In which they had enscOnced them
selves were to be vacated forthwith.
Concentration. aggregation. synthesis,
We're the words. and this time the reas-
sembled army was not to disintegrate
into winter quarters until this pestilent
Mr. Washington was attended to, and
attended to so effectually that they
could enjoy the enforced hospitality
of the surly but substantial Jerseymen
through the long winter nights undis-
turbed.
For his part, Mr. Washington. having
tasted success, the first real brilliant
offensive success of the campaign. was
quite willing to be attended to. In
fact. in II manner which in another sex
might be called coquettish. he seemed
to court attention. Having successful
ly attacked with his frostbitten. ragged
regiments detachment, he was now
to demonstrate to the world that not
even the presence Of an army could
estOp him.
Things were not quiet on the Penn
sylvania side of the river either: there
were such comings and goingS in New
town as that staid and conservative
village had never before seen. Our
two friends. the sad hearted. were both
busily employed. Talbot had galloped
over the familiar rond and had electri-
fled the good people of Philadelphia
with his news and then l,ad hastened on
to Baltimore to reassure the spirits OF
A., s,;.
Norris was trotting around from door
to door upon New Years morning. hat |
in hand. begging for dollars 10 assist
his friend George Washington and the
cause Of liberty and the suffering
army: and Seymour, become as 1t were
a soldier, and with Philip for esquire,
vas waiting to take what he could
ret be the amount ever so little. back
10 General Washington. The sailor |
had been granted further leave OF alb
sence by the naval committee at the
generals urgent request. and was glau
to learn that he should soon nave
command of the promised ship of war
which was even then making ready in |
the Delaware. Honest Bentley-be-
loved Of the soldiery in spite OF his
genuinely expressed contempt for land
warriors was lending what aid he
could in keeping up the spirits OF the
Elen and in other material ways In
the camp. Some Of the clothing. some |
Of the guns from the Mellish. some OF
the material captured from the Hes
slams had gone into the hands and over
the backs and upon the feet Of the
men. But the clothed and the naked
were equally happy, for had they not
done something ut last? Aye. They had
given assurance that they were men
to be reckoned with.