The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-02-22
A Message
1t Was Sent by General Washing
ton and Stopped on the Way
BY CENEVIEVE GOODMAN
By CENEWEVE GOODMAN


the Hudson from New York. but the
stronghold was given up, and Wash
ingtons next permanent stopping
place was at Morristown. Before leav-
ing the river the commander In chief
desired to communicate with General
Lee-the same Lee who afterward
proved traitor to the colonlst cause
and, sending for young private sol
der who had done some scouting for
him, gave him the message, written
on tissue paper and rolled into ball
the size of small pill. Herbert Bur
rage, the messenger, proposed to go
dressed as an ordinary farmers boy,
these precautions being necessary be-
cause he would need to pass over de-
batable ground, and the Tories We're
active In behalf of the British cause.
Burrage's route took him through
Elizabethtown, now called Elizabeth
and then but a small village. Unfor-
tunately or fortunately, as the case
might be, he had a sweetheart there.
Her father was an arrant Tory, and
Burrage felt that 1t would be very
risky for him to stop on the way for
a kiss from his girl. But when 1t is
a question with a lover between his
girl and danger danger is sure to win
Burrage on passing the Erskine farm
near the town, loitered near tll he
saw Molly go to the spring house.
Then, lodging behind trees and fences,
he went there himself.
"Why, HERBERT she exclaimed, as
tonlshed at the sudden apparition.
what are you doing heref"
Hush! I'm carrying message
from General Washington to General
Lee"
The girl paled. when men carry
messages between armies in war time
not In uniform aren't they liable to
be hanged if caught?" she asked.
trembling
"Well, in the first place. many of our
men have no uniform and this is not
exactly within the enemy's lines. |
nm chiefly concerned for the message.
l have taken great risk In coming
here TO see you, for If your father
knew my errand he would hold me,
and if he could get hand on the mes
sage 1t would go to General Howe in
stead of General Lee"
If Herbert Burrage had been an old
er soldier he would have known bet
ter than to remain in a spring house,
where he could be easily cornered.
~. aff nj ~
keeps her wits about her better than
the man. Molly realized the danger
and kept her eye on a little window
through which she could see the farm |
house. a short distance away. But |
even she did not think far enough !
ahead, for when she saw her father
coming 1t was too late for her lover !
to beat a retreat before being seen. |
Seeing her start up Herbert started |
too, and on discovering her father he
resumed his wits sufficiently to dis |
pose of the message. He took 1t out
OF his waistcoat pocket and put 1t In
Molly's ear. Then he waited for the
blow to fall.
The door of the spring house had |
been closed, but Molly threw it open
When Mr. Erskine saw Herbert Bur
rage, whom he knew to be his daugh-
ter's lover, he greeted him not unkind-
ly, but with surprise.
II thought you had enlisted" he
said to Herbert.
$50 did"
"Then why these citizens clothes"
Herbert made no reply-indeed, there
vas nothing to say.
1T is evident" said Erskine, that
you are on some business for the army.
must take you in. Go to the house.
II you make any resistance there are
those within call who will shoot you
down on my request"
Herbert, who, loath to injure Molly's
father, having transferred his message,
made no resistance. At the house he
was locked in a room by himself. and
several Tory neighbors came
IN and searched him. Not finding any
thing. they were tempted to let him
go; but, being convinced that If he had
no written message he at least had
verbal one, they decided to hold him.
The season was late autumn, but the
snow had q IT yet fallen in that region.
The moon vas full, and Herbert from
the window Of his prison room could
see far and wide. He knew Molly must
have been searched to determine IL he
had not transferred his message to her
and wondered If 1t had been found.
What was his relief and joy to see a
horse issue from the barn and by the
rider on its back and that
that rider was girl, Molly. He knew
her errand. She possessed the message
and was going to carry 1t to General
Lee.
The next morning Molly was discov-
cred to be missing, Her father saw
through the matter, divining that Bur
rage had carried message and that 1t
had been transferred to Molly, who
had carried it to its destination. He
rallied his Tory friends together, and
hey discussed the situation. 1t seem
ID that nothing was to be done but to :
hold the prisoner till her return. As
'or following her. she had doubtless
90 good a start.
When Molly returned and admitted
hat she had carried the message from
eliza BEETHOVEN. to what point she
would not say. after a conference
A.. IT. a. n :