The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-02-17
General
;Washington's S
Wedding Present
Il Was Well Earned
Nv WILLARD BLAKEMAN


,1ncipal Revolutionary backgrounds.
,hoprh the final issue was decided In
r,rcinia New Jersey was the central
soto and it was there for great por-
.on OF the struggle the commander in
.h,ef General Washington. was pres
ent in person.
One morning-it was the winter aft
- the one In which the Americans suf-
,ered so severely at Valley Forge and
tho cause of American independence
vss AT its gloomiest point-a young
.oldler stepped up to the sentry pacing
hofore the door of the Morristown
hsodquarters. and, being stopped by
the sentry. he said that he had been
ordered to report in person to the com
mander in chief Passing into the
house he was directed to n little room
IN the rear of the building used 10y
,ba general for his Office. Entering the
roam. he found Washington writing Il;
bis desk The general turned. The
roun. man Saluted, stood at attention
and said;
General. | am Private George Mar
cey
"Ah You are the man Captain Ham
Iton tells me is familiar with every
bill and dale In this region. | have "A
mission for YOU, but one on which |
cannot order you, for you will have to
20 In disguise and If captured will be
hanged for spy. Are You ready To
assume the riskT"
Il ann general"
Very well There is in Elizabeth
town Tors named Tracy. His daugh-
Ter. Catherine. is a Stanch patriot
She ha~ given me valuable informa
r0n vi the enemy's movements but
tH month paSt nothing has come
4aM lr. ! am anxious 10 know IL
aat .olblc has bcfaiien her, and it
rant that | continue to receive
'i ton she has been sending
Ga EliZahcthtown, find Miss
r3., aad bring me whatever word
lIt have TO send me Take the
a oHl here to Orange. and from
rUa due south to Elizabeth
win find the Tracy home
arts o. the town in the
sour approach. You viii
force of British troops M
but they doubtless
% from New York there
-.eeSS attend your efforts
W acsa! realized the dan
4 watch he was sending tho
was mani!est So Ii,
=. 'd his hand al the final words
II Marcy left his commander. VIII,
rsmnad hrs work
40 hour later Private Marcy. dress
ed as countryman and carrying II
basket OF winter vegetables oil his
arm was passed out of the American
Iihes hy Captain Alexander Hamilton
q NaShington's staff and proceeded
on his Journey. Reaching a point now
called Summit, from which he could
look down on the lower ground. ht
paused 70 view the scene before him
then descended to Orange where b,
obtained refreshments at the tavern
Meanwhile II violent Snowstorm hao
SET n and. travel being obstructed
he resolved TO await its abatement
That night a bowling wind piled the
snow in drifts and rendered progress
doubly difficult.
The next morning the wind haC
ceased, and the sun came out, though
Without warmth Marcy struck out
iof Eizabefhtown, but few miles
Instant reaching the outskirts abou
Il o'clock. Approaching the Tracy
muse The young man knocked at tn,
uoor \ negro servant answered th'
summons, and Marcy asked if an!
ohe would buy his vegetables Mar
eeS seeing a young lady in Twins
nom pushed in there and began tC
sVleit trade. When the negro wen
gasA 70 the kitchen Marcy asked il
ue SlFl was Catherine Tracy and be
ms informed that she was made him
self known.
Miss Tracy till then had not had any
Iip'mation for the general since he
~ communication. But the night be
'o'e some British officers were stop
tIs at her fathers house, and sh,
-au uoard them asking about the roads
~ Instances TO Trenton. From thes'
injuries and other data dropped by
w oHcers She judged that consider
"e lorce was to be moved from New
~. 'A 70 some point southwark. prob
soy Philadelphia.
"' Marcy had returned imme
eiy to General Washington witt
- - information all would have beer
seA The region round about Eliza
asL,oWn was not occupied either by
nlltlsh or Americans, and he would
- Ave had no gantlet to run. His trou
~ ~ was he found Miss Tracy so attrac
Nv p.e That he was loath to part with her
laue an excuse to himself for moi
a'As away that the snow was :,
e., ana his coming through 1t had 81
f91ed him that he needed a rest be
tHrp rnff,-,. -.