El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-03-21

] the British occupation. There were
three of the Shippens girls, all pretty,
all cultivated, and all magnetic. Heart
and soul their sympaLhles were with
the British. OF all the men who paid
court to pretty Peggy, none was more
devoted Unan the handsome major John
Andre, who danced diyinely, who
wrote poems to her eyes, her hair and
her lips, and made sketches of her
some of which are still preserved
In Love With a Tory.
Never had PHILADELPHIA been gayer
than during the British occupation.
Never had il known such an entertain
ment as the MiSchianZa which Andre
planned. Ostensibly in honor of sir Will
liam Howe, but more for the delight of
the women folk. 1t was a water car
nival a tournament, masque, a com
edy and a ball all in one 1t was hello
on the estate of Joseph Wharton. at
Walnut Grove and fronting on the
Delaware. Twelve knights and II
squires appeared in the tournament,
each knight and squire selecting the
lady of his choice for whose favor he
would do battle in the lists. Andre wore
the cOlors of Pretty Peggy
The open favor Margaret Shipper
found in the eyes OF Benedict Arnold
was displeasing to many men and Wom-
en- of Philadelphia, who had suffered
discOmfOrts and indignities owing 10
their devotion to the patriot cause.
Some were unWise enough to voice their
displeasure to Arnold. Criticism made
Washington Responsible.
Washington was responsible for max
ing Arnold military governor. No more
unfit appointment could have been
made Arnold's best qualities were
those that won distinction for him on
the battlefield. In any position requir-
ing tact he was sure to blunder. II,
some things he lacked even common
sense. While not quarrelsome, he had
a rare faculty for making enemies. He
was impulsive and wilful but kindly,
and never could understand why 50
many persons took offence at things he
did and passed unnotlced gross acts
committed by others:
Head over heels in love with the
pretty Tory, Arnold took no pains to
hide the fact Instead, he glOried in
it. The staunch Continentals were
scandalized. Arnold resented their
sour looks and their gossip and pro-
ceeded to give cause TO them to think
worse OF him and say more about him.:
He spent money lavishly on enter
tainments. Apparently it die not mat
ter to him that the patriot army was
malt starved and half clothed The
entertainments were to dazzle the
woman he loved and make her fOrgfet
the man who wrote SOnnetS about her
and danced so well with her. Fine
entertainments are necessary to make
a pretty woman forget a gay, lively,
clever sweetheart in favor of one
older and possibly doomed to limp for
life.
how Arnold got the money he spent
so freely. There had been charges
against him in connection with his
Canadian campaign. There is no
reason to believe he personally was
dishonest in the affair, but he had not
kept his accounts straight He was a
better soldier than boOkkeeper.
The Wedding and Honeymoon.
Arnold ignored the gossip and pro-
ceeded with his love making The
glrl was shy, as girls of her age are
likely to be, but that only made him
the more pressing. At last she con-
scented and they were married early
IN April 1779. Two weeks before the
wedding Arnold bought fine old
country estate called Mount Pleasant
IN Paramount Park. This was to be his
country home His town house was to
pc the old Penn Mansion, which had
been built by governor Richard Penn.
grandson of William Penn.
The marriage was as great an af-
fair as Arnold could make it. but some
ssIIuroy Old patriots refused to attend.
marriage only seemed to increase Ar
nold's love. Nothing was too much for
MIN to do to show devotion to his