The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1916-03-03
! General
+ Wasl1ington's
T Wedding Present
I 1t Was We'll Earned
+ n vy,g,u Ann nj ALTMAN
By WILLARD BLAKEMAN

York and New Jersey became the
principal Revolutionary backgrounds,
though the final issue was decided IN
Virginia New Jersey was the central
state, and it was there for great por-
ton of the struggle the commander in
chief, General Washington. was pres
ent in person.
One morning-it was the winter aft
er the one in which the Americans suf-
fered so severely at Valley Forge and
the cause of American independence
was at its gloomiest point-a young
soldier stepped up to the sentry pacing
before the door of the Morristown
headquarters. and, being stopped by
the sentry, be said that he had been
ordered to report in person to the com
mander in chief Passing into the
house, he was directed to little room
in the rear of the building used by
the general for his office. Entering the
room, he found Washington writing at
his desk. The general turned. The
and said:e
General. | am Private George Mar
cey."
"Ah! You are the man Captain Ham
ilton tells me is familiar with every
hill and dale in this region. l have O
mission for you, but one on which
cannot order you, for you will have to
go in disguise and if captured will be
hanged for a spy. Are you ready tc
assume the risk"
Il am. general
Every well. There is in Elizabeth
town Tory named Tracy. His daugh
ter, Catherine, is stanch patriot
She has given me valuable informa
ton of the enemy's movements. but
for a month past nothing has come
from her. | am anxious to know il
any trouble has befallen her, and II
Is important that continue to receive
the information she has been sending
me: Go to Elizabethtown, find Miss
Tracy and bring me whatever word
she may have to send me. Take the
road from here to Orange, and from
there proceed due south to Elizabeth
town. You will find the Tracy home
on the outskirts of the town in the
direction of your approach. You will
find no great force Of British troops al
Elizabethtown. but they doubtless
have outposts from New York there
Go, and success attend your efforts"
That the general realized the dan
ger into which he was sending the
young soldier was manifest, so he
grasped his hand at the final words
Then Marcy left his commander. who
resumed his work.
An hour later Private Marcy. dress
ed as a countryman and carrying a
basket of winter vegetables on his
arm, was passed out of the American
lines by Captain Alexander Hamilton
of Washington's staff and proceeded
on his journey. Reaching point now
called Summit, from which he could
look down on the lower ground, he
paused to view the scene before him
then descended to Orange, where he
obtained refreshments at the tavern
Meanwhile q violent snowstorm had
set In, and, travel being INSTRUCTED
he resolved to await its abatement
That night bowling wind piled the
snow In drifts and rendered progress
doubly difficult.
ceased, and the sun came out, though
without warmth. Marcy struck on;
for Elizabethtown, but few miles
distant, reaching the outskirts abou'
II o'clock. Approaching the Trac!
house, the young man knocked at the
door. A negro servant answered thi
summons, and Marcy asked If an!
one would buy his. vegetables. Mar
cey, seeing young lady In a living
room, pushed in there and began tt
solicit trade. When the negro went
back to the kitchen Marcy asked ii
the girl was Catherine Tracy and be
ing informed that she was made him
self known.
Miss Tracy till then had not had any
information for the general since he:
last communication. But the night be
fore some British officers were stop
ping at her fathers house, and she
had heard them asking about the roads
and distances to Trenton. From these
inquiries and other data dropped by
the officers she judged that consider
able force was to be moved from New
York to some point southwark, prob
ably Philadelphia.
Now, if Marcy had returned imme-
diately to General Washington with
this information all would have been
well. The region round about Eliza
BEETHOVEN was not occupied either by
the British or Americans, and he would
have had no gantlet to run. His trou
bic was he found Miss Tracy so attrac-
tive that he was lOath to part with her
He made an excuse to himself for not
hurrying away that the snow was SC
deep and his coming through IT had SO
fahgued him that he needed rest be
fore returning.
Catherine was expecting her father
for dinner. so, Leading Marcy to the
barn, she pointed to the hayloft. to
which he went and secreted himself in
the hay. Returning to the house. she
provided meal and took 1t out to him
Unfortunately, though she exercised
caution to escape the notice of Dinah,
the negro servant. Catherine w. sec,
by her. Dinah YVES shocked t. see b..
young mistress give evi,ieH e Of liar
ing a common hUck5tEr foT lorel
She said nothing to Catherine, but il
her heart she was turning over tht
prospect of a misalliance.
Tracy came home to dinner and went
away again after it was finished. Soon
after his departure Catherine went to
the barn and proposed to Marcy to
take him in her fathers sleigh part
Of the way on his return journey. He
accepted the offer rather from desire
for ride with the girl who had