Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1914-11-06
HOWtheM Message
Was Carried
A Story For independence
Day

By HUNIcH A

What KIN or a storyT
"why, a Fourth Of July story, q
course We'd like that best"
But my dears. the Fourth Of July
IL made a holiday 20 celebrate the r.
suing Of the Declaration OF Independ-
nee. The only story appropriate 70
such a day would be a STORY Of the
times In which It was passed, involv-
ing some episode connected with the
efforts OF Our ancestors to maintain
tho stand they had taken. Now, I
wasn't born tln nearly throo4quafters
OF a century after July 4. 1T78s Nths
day on which our nation wal born
"But my grandfather was still living
when / was a little boy, just about the
age of Sammy there. and ne had lived
when the war Of the Revolution was
being fought and had taken part in It
himself. BE often told nj stories Of
what happened In those days. and one
Of them especially impressed me.
"You must remember that IN J776 all
Of the American colonies were grouped
along the Atlantic coast. Most OF the
territory extending to the Pacific
ocean was a wilderness, and much Of
It had been explored. The ter
ritory Of the colonies may be e01npaF-
ed to a bird with outstretched wings
The northern wing was the New Eng
land colonies; the body was New York.
New Jersey and Pennsylvania; the
pOu'hern wing was the colonies OF the
south. Through the body OF the bird
ran the Hudson river, which. with
Lake Champlain, formed the only prae-
ticable route to Canada.
"After the battle Of Bunker Hill at
Boston the struggle between the Amer
leans and British was principally for
the possession Of the Hudson river.
Washington. after the battles about
New York city, went to New Jersey.
where he was between the two wings
OF the bird.
IL have taken pains to explain this
to you that you may understand why
Washington spent so much Of the time
ne was commander in chief Of the
American forces In New jersey and
why 80 much Of the fighting was done
in that state. Besides. the story l am
going to tell you took place there.
when Washington hrBt went to
New Jersey he took position at Hack
ensack with half the army, leaving the
other half on the other side Of the
Hudson north Of New York city I'M
der command Of General Charles Lee.
Ua,hN.aAna haNAw mnnwfnnnA ebaN FNnn-
eral Howe, commanding the British
forces in New York. wa intending to
march southwark through New Jer.
sey, decided to order Lee to cross the
Hudson and join him that he might
oppose HOwe's nov with a united
force.
my grandfather was a sergeant In
the ranks Of Washington's army. He
had done some successful scouting for
the commander during the lighting on
Long Island and afterward on Manhat-
tan Island and by his daring and
adroitness had gained the generals
confidence as a good person to carry a
message. He sent for Abner-my
grandfather's name was Abner Jones
and told him he wished him &c carry
a message to General Lee.
IL have no doubt that Abnev was a
very daring youngster-yOungsters are
usually fearless-but the sequel prov
ed that his daring was akin to reck-
lessness. The message he was to car
~ was a very important one. and It
was very important that he cOnfne his
attention to It alone. He had but ten
miles to go to reach the river and no
great distance to reach General Lee
OF the other aide, but II was Over de-
batable ground. and he was Fable 70
meet small lots OF British as well a.
American soldiers.
Washington gave Abner the order
for General Lee written on tissue pa
per and rolled into a little ball about
the size OF a pea. In case ne was cap
tured with It on him he waAfto swal-
low It for II the British general should
know that Washington was Intending
to have Lee Join him he would doubt
less take measures to prevent the juno
ton.
"Abner concluded to walk TO the Hud-
son dressed as a farmer. WiCh a pitch
fork on his shoulder. he trudged along.
meeting an occasional British or Amer
lean trooper. all OF whom passed him
without especially noticing him. AS he
proceeded he thought how he should
cross tho Hudson when he once reach
ed 1t, and here Is where his reckless
ness anne In, though that recklessness
had a spur. which was love for a pref
~ girl. On the west bank Of the Hud-
son lived Deborah Goodwin. the daugh-
ter OF a prominent British sympathixer.
Abner could trust Deborah. but II her
father should know that he carried a
message from the commander in chief
and Mr.. Goodwin could get 1t he would
send It at once TO General Howe at
New York. On the other hand, Abner
thought that Deborah might ind a way
for him to ross the river.
"Abner persuaded himself that he had
better go 70 the Goodwin house. being
influenced by a desire to zee hia sweet
heart In truth. he should have avoid
cd any Tory house al he would poison.