Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1910-02-16

How General Washington
Kept Information From
Reaching the Enemy.
By VIRGINIA BARROW.
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association.

At Dobbs Ferry, some thirty miles
north of New York city, Is a house
which during the Revolutionary wal
was occupied 10y General Washington
for his headquarters 1t is square
frame house standing In the center OF
perhaps half an acre of ground, and In
a niche in the wall separating the
premises from the road Is monu-
ment with an inscription stating the
fact that Washington worked there.
Indeed. in that house he planned the
Yorktown campaign. which closed the
struggle for American Independence.
One morning a girl of twenty stood
In one of the rooms on the ground
floor OF this building-they were all
occupied for offices by members of
Washington's staff-while young
man in the uniform of a captain sat
at the desk writing. When he had
finished he handed her a slip of paper
saying:
There is the pass. Janice. Remetn-
ber l am responsible that he vino
uses 1t is patriot and will give no in
formation to the British concerning
what he has seen here. General Wash
ington has no time TO attend to such
matters himself and delegates the is
sue of oil passes to me. l say this to
you because l know you TO belong to
Tory family, and l understand that
your sympathies are with the red
coats"
II shall send letter by him. re-
piled the girl, "to friend Of mine in
New York. He will not know what
the better contains"
Sweetheart" said the young man
impulsively, Il would not give this
permit TO any other living person than
you"
The captain was sitting in one of
| the front rooms of the house overlook
ing the Hudson river and the heights
beyond. But he did not see the river
or a sloop that was lazily drifting
down with the tide or the heights be
yond. He was thinking that he had
committed an objectionable error in
yielding to the persuasions of one h,
loved and risking possibly the very
cause OF american independence.
Presently he sprang up and went into
the Office of the commander in chief
Washington, who was studying a map
OF that part of Virginia bordering on
the Atlantic, looked up as the young
man entered.
General" said the aid, Il am fear
full of havin;; committed an error
what is it. captain?" asked the gen.
eral anxiously, seeing that Captain!
Stewart appeared TO have something
OF Importance on his mind.
Janice Arbuckle has asked me fot
pass for friend of hers to e.,
through the lines to New York !
have given it to her"
do you know who this friend @.
hers is?'
Il confess / do not, general"
Washington made no reply for few
moments. He appeared to be think
ing.
The Arbuckles are arrant Tories
1t has occurred to me only today thai
their hospitality to us may be to cover
some deep laid scheme to benefit oul
enemies. Go after this man and as
sure yourself that he may be safel,
: trusted to go through
81 will, general"
, Captain Stewart hurriedly left tn
office Of his command, and, going t,
q stable near by, horse was led on
to him. The captain mounted and ga
loped down the main road leading {
New York. He had reached a poin
= not far north of Spuyten Duyvil creel
the northern boundry of Manhatta
Island, when he overlook a citize
: trudgine along slowly. Stewart accos
ed him, asking him whittier he wa
going.
ITO New York" the man replied.
# Have you permit to go throue
the Continental lines?" asked the cal
=. tain.
THAT. / have" replied the pede
,f trian. II have the pass Of Gener;
Washington himself"
II LET me see it,
- The man showed the pass Stewa
had written and given to Janice A
buckle but short time before.
'This is indeed his excellency's pass
said Stewart, but / am instructed
see that no one passes our lines Wi
any communication upon his perso
/ shall have to search you"
The man turned pale. 81 have wi
me-" he said. "only a letter from Nj
tress Janice Arbuckle to a friend
New York. You would not examine
\ lady's epistle, would your
Stewart felt n twinge of shame
distressing the girl he loved. Had
not been for the change in the MAJ
countenance on being asked for papC
he might not have pursued the matt