The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1916-06-27

It any OF the Smdu SK1rmlSHeS
that occurred after the surren-
der of CORVALLIS and before the for
NAL declaration of peace in 1888. The
last battle was of the nature of a duel,
and it happened on the day the Brit
ish evacuated New York, says Youth S
Companion.
The great day that was to see the
last of King George HIS regiments
leave these shores finally arrived. The
British army was to board the ships
that lay in the harbor. Washington
and his troops were waiting at Kings
bridge and McGowan's Pass to take
possession of the city Immediately on
their departure.
Maj. William Cunningham, the Brit
ish provost on the common, gave one
last look about his office, tossed the
key on the table and went out into
the sunlight, slamming the door be-
hind him with much unnecessary VIC
lence. His Infamous reign was over.
There were few forms of cruelty that
he had hesitated to practice on the
luckless Continental prisoners in his
charge Among the mildest was the
contamination of their drinking water
by throwing rubbish into the well, and
the appropriation and sale of their ra-
tions for his own profit.
The friends and relatives Of his vic
tins were flocking back to the city
triumphant, and it behooved Major
Cunningham not to linger. So he left
the prison, turned into the common.
and crossed it to gain Broadway. He
strobe along, muttering curses under
his breath At the corner of Broadway
and Murray street something caught
his eyes, He stopped, hesitated, then
turned aside and fastened down Muir
ray street.
What audacity! What monstrous
audacity!" he thought. But it was
like that rebel spitfire, Mistress Day.
He would teach her one final lesson.
He reached the Day house, which
was a tavern near Greenwich street,
opened the gate, and shook his list
at the Stars and Stripes that fiuttered
from a tall f1agpole, as if waving a
triumphant welcome to the Continen-
tai troops.
WrathfuIly he seized the halyards,
and began to pull the flag down the
pole. There was something about the
action that soothed his ruffied feelings
He would at least take back to Eng,
land with him one captured rebel ban
az
Mistress Day.
From her kitchen that patriotic
woman heard the creaking of the pull
ley on her flagstaff. She tiptoed to
her front windows and peeped out
She knew the major only too we'll
and she determined to prevent this
final outrage She few back to the
kitchen and seized her broom.
In the meantime, with his back to
the house, the major was hauling
away vigorously. A few more jerks.
and the flag would be within his grasp.
Bang! His hat suddenly flew off, and
went scuttling down the yard. In his
establishment he continued to pull me-
chanically on the halyards. Bang!
Whack! The major saw many times
more than Is stars, and the powder
flew from his wig in all directions. He
dropped the rope and turned about.
"Womanl Do you realize what you're
doing?" he roared. The broomstick
was in the air again, and the major
lodged. Whack! 1t struck him
squarely across the bridge of his nose,
and the field at once became ensan.
guined.
The bleeding officer now began to
take hasty counsel with himself. He
was late for the embarkation, the
American troops would soon be upon
the ground, his hat had received an
irreparable dent, his wig was in the
widest disorder, his regimentals were
stained with marks Of the bloody af-
fray, his head was yet spinning from
contact with Mistress Days weapon.
He decided that discretion was the
better part of valor and fastened to
the waiting ships.
"A day will come when the only bat