Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1909-08-21
THE REBELS RUSE,
BY EuNIcE wINsoR.
copyright, 1903, by American Press Asso-
lot l

regiment or ConunentalS were placed
in Westchester county to observe" the
British then occupying New York.
Denton Woodwork, a bitter Tory, liV
ing near the patriot force, discovered
that his daughter Evelyn and one Of
the captains, Elderkin, had fallen in
love with each other Woodwork was
so Mortified at his daughter marry
ing a rebel that he decided to leave
his place in Westchester county and
take his family to New York city. The
evening before their departure Evelyn
and Elderkin met clandestinely in
wood near the house, then and there
plighted their troth and before part
ing arranged method of correspond
ence. The next day the Woodwork
family crossed the Harlem river. were
admitted within the British lines and
occupied their town house near what
was then and is now Bowling Green
> 1t was not long after their settlement
in their new quarters that Evelyn re-
ceived a letter from an intimate friend
of hers, living near her home in West
chester county. 1t had been sent in
with a number of others under flag
of truce. Her father, thinking that the
missive might contain some word from
Elderkin, opened and read it before
giving it to his daughter. 1t was writ
ten in a Woman's hand and contained
no mention whatever of the rebel cap
tain
Amelia Woodwork, sister of the
head of the family, was as bitter a
Tory as her brother and as deeply i'll
terested in breaking up the love affair
between her niece and the young rebel
captain. The evening of the reception
of the letter from beyond the lines,
when Evelyn was in bed, Aunt Amelia
concluded to do little detective work
Going into Evelyn's room. she asked
her if she would let her read the let
ter. Eyelyn's heart stood still; but, out
wardly retaining her equanimity, she
told her aunt where to find it, and
the old lady sat down by a candle to
read it. After trying for a long while
to discover some code in it she fell
asleep. When she awoke the candle
had burned down to the socket the
letter lay near the fame scorched, and
across it's face was the fragment of
a sentence that had evidently been
written in green ink-"That old cat,
your Aunt Am"
Indignation struggled with joy at the
discovery for a time: then the old lady
extinguished the candle and stole away
with the letter Evelyn was awake
and saw what she did. but did not dare
oppose her. Mr. Woodwork had gone
out to Fraunces tavern for Il tipple
and to learn if there was any news
of the military situation His sister
waited patiently till he returned, then
showed him the letter. To her sur
prise the green letters had disappeared
Now&> the ~6ld man loved his daueh-
ter. but didA not get on with his Sis
ter He looked the letter over care
fully, then toAd Miss Woodwork that
She might be Yin better business than
I in spying that She had in her mind
belief that she wou,Se~RfaES a dis
covery and suddenly 6wakeniiS BAD
seen the writing only through her dis
torted imagination. Then he ordered
her to take the letter back to Evelyn's
room.
Evelyn knew that something had
happened, but what. she was not sure
since her aunt kept her own counsel
Evelyn dare not destroy the letter for
fear of making matters worse She
left it in her writing desk, and a few
days later, when the rain was pouring
down and the air laden with moisture,
the old woman. rummaging i'll the
desk, came upon another surprise.
There was the letter. and this time it
was covered with pink letters. In
deed, she read 4 love letter written
across the other from Captain Elder
kin to her niece, in which he warned
Evelyn to beware of that old cat,
your Aunt Amelia"
Taking the letter into her own room.
she sat down before a warm fire on
the hearth, laying it on a table beside
her. She was rejoicing at the prospect
of convincing her brother that she had
been right after all. Then it occurred
to her to copy the pink words lest they
fade like the green ones. Turning to
the letter, what was her surprise to
Defeated again, she replaced the let
ter where she had found it. Thinking
to discover some means for bringing
back the secret missive, she went there
next day for it, but Evelyn had mean
while concluded to burn it.
A month later another batch of let
ters was sent into the British lines
and among them one for Evelyn from
the same friend who had written her
before. Unfortunately for the lovers.
it fell into Miss Woodworths hands.
Meanwhile she had confded her secret
to friend, a professor in King
name was at that time changed to Co
lumbia-college. The second letter she.
took to him. He heated it and mois-
tened it with no effect Then he tried
the application of chemicals. and a
solution of iodide of starch brought
out another love letter, this time in
blue.
Soon after this the British evacuated
the city, and Captain Elderkin marched
in with the patriots. Evelyn finally
overcame her fathers opposition and
married her lover. Then the method
of their correspondence was explained
The first love letter was written
with ink mixed with gum arabic and a
chloride of cobalt, making pink letters
which disappeared when the ink dried
and reappearing green under heat. 1t
again disappeared under cold and be-
came pink again when dampened. The
second love letter was written in rice
water, the ink of which, after being
brought out. will disappear forever,
DooO1o Nth obro,;c roncbitis Il