Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1911-10-18
.APatriOt'S RuSe
BY CAPTAIN r. A. mitchell.
wv THEN thr war OF independence

NM came on. New York's popula-
w ton had changed from Il lot
of pipe Smoking Dutchmcu
10 comprise many people Of refinement
IL was then that that society In which
Alexander Hamilton aud Aaron Burr
shone ten or twenty years later was
forming. People had begun TO use sil
yer on their tables instead OF pewter.
and social dinAers were quite preien.
tious.
One Nicholas Van Schoonhoven.
wealthy citizen. built in his house In
the village OF Greepwich dong since Il
part OF the city or New York; II vault
in which to store his vnlua bic tab e
ware. II was located In the second
story in u hallway running past hiG
own bedroom. Van Schoonhoven was
patriot. and when In the struggle
for independence the British occu
pied New York he moved to Wes:.
chester county. some fifteen or twenty
miles up the Hudson river. within the
American lines commanded by young
Lieutenant Colonel Aaron Burr. Be
fore the evacuation he returned to the
city 20 be near his real estate. leaving
his movable va,uablcs in Westchester
county.
Edith Van Sch0onhoven while In
Westchester met ii young lieutenant
In Burr's regiment. Charles Robertson.
and the meeting had resulted in u love
match The separation when she
went back 10 the city was very trying
TO q pair OF lovers aged twenty two
and nineteen respectively. Though but
q few miles apart. they were still very
| far. Robertson stood the separation a
month. then. putting on a countryman's
clothes and carrying a large basket
containing butter. eggs and other farm
produce. he sci out for New York
At Kings bridge. a wooden struc-
ture spanning Spuytsn Duyvil creek
| and connecting Manhattan Island with
the mainland. he found the British
pickets. His farm produce passeC
him, and he walked to the southwest
ward. crossing diagonally what Is nov
Central park and made toward thu
Hudson lower down till he came e
the village OF Greenwich. AS he wa
crossing field where the Columbus
monument now stands one Peter OF
dershaw. a rabid Tory. saw and fol
lowed him. Unaware that he Wa
watched, Lieutenant Robertson Knock
ed at the door OF Nicholas Van Schoon
hoven. showed his basket Of produc
and was admitted. This Oldershay
saw and straightway walked down (
Bowling gre0n. where be found Ger
erai Howe. to whom he reported tn
fact The general sent a small troo
commanded by IL sergeant TO captur
the young patriot. whom he did nc
doubt had cone into his lines fcg IL
purpose OF sp:'iac.
Charles I.onetSon and Ecith Va
Schoonhoven were sitting together
the parlor. where they could look OF
on the hroa3 Hudson. when they sa'
q dozen redcoat troopers dash up sn
surround the house. For n moGel
:, | Edith was para iyzed: then. sudden
gathering her faculties. she seized h,
| lovers hard. ran with him upStai
and. opening the vault door. thru
him III. clUStng the door after nil
locking II ard putting the key in h
pocket Size was 100 excited to thlT
e Of his being sinuthsred. but fortunat
y ~ small ven,ilaror had been lie
&c over the door.
When the sergeant entered Ed
had recovered her eQuanimity SO
as to NEE; him with well feign
= look OF SURPRISE on her face and
vited him ~ search the house.
finding any one. ne left the premis
guarded by his men and rode TO &c
eral Howe. Howe. believing that I
j. lieutenar: YVES there. sent CAPITA
~ Sawyer with his company to relic
g. the sergeaa: and to take up his gu,
10 ters In the housc. keeping IT surrouI
20 ed