Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1914-03-04
A Story Of the Great
Blizzard of
1888
By CHARLES CRAIG

caught. bew-iIdsrsd, and sank down
within reach OF safety. YET never arose
alive.
During the day 1, rebelling against
remaining longer imprisoned started
out to walk to the village. q mile Dis
tant. How 1 goE as far as did doa't
know, though | didn't get very far.
Between nv home and the town was
an old brick house that had been bulk
$50 years 1t had been eecugled til
six months before. when the ,enaats
left ii, shutting ii up with al the high
post bedsteads and ether cid fash
toned furniture Seeing this house
and realizing that | was battling 4
storm that was too much for lie. |
made for il, climbed the fenes-the
snow would not admit of opening the
gate-and after struggling over hun
dred feet up to the porch sank down
at the front door in a stupor.
Things were vague after that |
seemed to have forgotten that the
house was unoccupied. and. making an
effort | pulled myself up to reach the
brass knocker and raped. The door
was opened by a gentleman. and.
strange to say. he wore the uniform of
the Continental army. 1 saw many
persons moving about in the rooms
and heard the strains Of music.
bad night. sir" said the gentleman.
Come in and warm yourself"
"I certainly WILL / replied Il feel
very queer. am certainly benumbed-'
Fortunately some hot punch is just
being served 1t Is just what you re-
quire.r
He put his arm through mine and
supported me to a room with a side
board in ii on which was an enor-
nous bowl. from which a negro was
ladlIng out a stea ming beverage. My
/ conductor took one of the mugs and
handed it to me l put it to my lips.
but somehow couldn't taste anything.
I II was like drinking air.
/ y shall be happy to present you to
I my friends" said the man who had adj
[ rnftted me. I'VE are having a dance
I here tonight in honor of the officers
/ commanding the troops just arrived
and who are to be quartered In the
neighborhood"
1 All this seemed natural enough 1t
didn't strike me that there was any
thing remarkable about it. ! was
( taken up and introduced to ladies with
enormous wigs and queer cut dresses
I / tried TO say something. but somehow
! couldn't talk There were a lot of
men in Continental uniform and few
in citizens dress, the latter with
I yard or more Of white stuff wrapped
around their Threats. and rufiies stand
ing out from their bosoms-
a bad night for our boys at Valley
Forge" remarked tall man, who as
looked at him seemed to resolve him
self into General Washington.
az should say So" / replied. I'm
cold myself here in these warm rooms
What must be the condition of those
fellows living in huts or tents without
sufficient bianketsf"
Our conversation was interrupted by
the entrance of young man, who ap-
preached Washington and whom the
general received with marked favor.
who is THAR l asked of a guest.
THE Marquis de Lafayette"
The next thing / remember was see
ing the general dancing the minuet,
ing when his troops were freezing. to
say nothing of starving.
While he was engaged in the dance
heard a coiored servant standing at
the door announce in loud voice:
General Arnoldw
looked at the man who entered and
recognized-from portraits / had seen
Benedict Arnold. He went straight
up to Washington and tapped him on
the shoulder. Washington turned. and
the look of contempt and leathing on
his face was terrible to see. While I
was looking at 1t the view dissolved
before me. and there was a blank
Then | was In a room in which Wash
ington was talking and gesticulating
with an officer against whom he seem
ed to have very bitter feeling. asked
who this man was and was Informed
that he was General Charles Lee, who
deliberately disobeyed Washington's
orders at the battle OF Trenton There
We're high words between the two till
Washington slapped Lees face.
The sound of the slap dissolved into
a voice that sounded in my ear.
Hello. Wake upy'
was violently shaken and slowly
came to a realizing sense that was
I on the porch of the deserted house
thoroughly benumbed. Two men were
trying to arouse me. They shook me.
hammered me. lifted me to my feet
and held me there In spite Of my desire
to sink down again.
/ had been at the door but a few
minutes. Two men who had walked
behind me saw me turn into the de-
serted house and. realizing that II.
would be unsafe to leave me there. had
followed me on to the porch. As soon
/ as they had restored NV circulation