Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1910-02-25

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


At Dobbs Ferry, some thirty miles
north of New York city. is a house
which during the Revolutionary war
was occupied by General Washington
for his headquarters. 1t Is a square
frame house standing In the center Of
perhaps half an acre Of ground. and in
q niche In the wall separating the
premises from the road 10 q monu-
ment with an inscription stating the
fact that Washington worked there.
Indeed. In that house be planned the
Yorktown campaign, which closed the
struggle for American independence.
One morning q girl Of twenty stood
in one Of the rooms on the ground
door of this building-they were all
occupied for ofhces by members Of
Washington's staR-whiIe . young
man In the uniform OF q captain sat
at the desk writing. When he had
finished he handed her q slip OF paper
saying:
There Is the pass. Janice. Remem-
Der. l am responsible that he who
uses it Is a 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 all passes to me. l say this to
you because | know you to belong to
a Tory family, and l understand that
your sympathles are with the red
coats"
Il shall ed letter by him." re-
piled the Ito a friend of mine in
New Yor' will not know what
the letter
..SweetNN the young man
impulsiveE - 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 heig' s
beyond. But he did not see the river
or a sloop that was lazSs5. rifting
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 he
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, II am fear
full Of having committed an error"
What is it. captain p asked the gen.
eral anxiously, seeing that Captain
Stewart appeared to have something
of importance on his mind.
Janice Arbuckle has asked me for
a pass for a friend of hers to go
through the lines to New York.
have given it to her"
hers So
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 that
their hospitality to us may be to cover
some deep laid scheme to benefit our
enemies. Go after this man and as
sure yourself that he may be safely
trusted to go through"
Il WILL general"
Captain Stewart hurriedly left the
office Of his command. and. going to
to him. The captain mounted and gal
Hoped down the main road leading to
New York. He had reached a point
not far north of Spuyten Duyvil creek.
the northern boundry Of Manhattan
Island. when he overlook citizen
trudging along slowly. Stewart accost-
ed him. asking him whittier he was
going
ITO New York" the man replied.
"Have you permit to go through
the Continental lines?" asked the cap
tain
THAT I have" replied the pedes-
TRAN 1T have the pass of General
Washington himself"
Let me see it
The man showed the pass Stewart
had written and given to Janice Ar.
buckle but short time before.
This is indeed his exeellency's pass"
said Stewart. but | am instructed 30
see that no one passes our lines with
any communication upon his person
i shall have to search you
The man turned pale. Il have with
me- he said. "only a letter from Mis-
fress Janice Arbuckle TO friend in
New York. You would not examine a
lady's epistle. would your
Stewart felt twinSe OF shams
distrusting the girl he loved
not been for the change ip
countenance on being ask
he might not have purS
further As 1t was
his commanders irJt
for the letter.
The man hesit;
said. Il protest
20 show a lette
by a lady. Pc
this demand
those chival'
examining a fauy
had IL not beeu tuf Tue
Washington exerted eTen when not
present the taunt would have prevent
ed the young man. vino was ehiyalrous
to fault. from OBTAINING the letter Of
a lady. and that lady the woman he
loved
s.Come back With me-" be said to the
man. land after referring the matter
to the general N chief you may 60 on
with Il for all me. ! am not person
LII i-4a.o.-soA In 1ha CORES Dondepce