Year: 1863

Of our tale Captain Henry, of the United
States army, arrived in nl.ewistown, and took
up his lodgings in the best hotel. He was
gentlmanly and courteous in manner, and
had brought letters Of Introduction from
Sii James Craig, Governor Of Canada, TO
Colonel Seton and ono or two more gentle
men near the town, who seemed TO approve
of all the proceedings of Great Britain.
A dinner had been given, at Seton Hill, to
him, ut which some toast had been pro-
posed which Mr.. Meredith, who was one
of the guests Indignantly refused to drink,
and expressed his surprise at the temerity
of those who proposed them. But Colonel
Gofton, who was possessed of considerable
tact, aud who was ably seconded by the
captain. succeeded in making his noble and
truthlulminded friend believe they had
been offered in Jest but, as those who
were Of tho opposite party. and who felt,
M freemon should, the insults heaped OIL
their country began to look Oh Captain
Henry with suspicion he did not again
visit the Hill.


In his perambulations through the town,
which were frequent he had met with
Lazy 0Lear, and soon found he would be
tit tool for his purpose and, on the morn
ing of the picnic, had sent that worthy to
apprise the Colonel that he wished q pri-
vate interview with him that night. He
had left his hotel that morning, and was ta-
ken, with his baggage, over to Queenstown.
For fear of attracting observation, Lazy
O'Lear was to bring boat over for him in
the evening, and after his conference with
the colonel was over, was to row him back
again, We have already spoken of that in.
terview but we have not told the reader
that, when the gallant Captain returned to
the governor, upon opening his portman.
teau to deliver his letters, he found in their
place two or three soilcd handkerchiefs
On whom to rest his suspicious he did not
know. Lazy OLear rose to his mind hut
ie had not travelled far after parting with
him, and had met with many other persons
and stopped at several places, so, as there
! was nothing ever heard of those letters.
the governor and he both thought it advis.
able to let the matter rest.


| Upon the declaration of war with Eng.
land, Lazy O'Lear had been among the
most clamorous of the peace party; but,
when General Van Rensselaer's army had
taken up their quarters at Lewistown, he
had changed his politics, but not suddenly


lilo was always seeking to argue with the
othor party, and would appear as if their
arguments were 80 convincing that he could
not withstand them, and eventually lrdS
conrinced of the necessity of war He
now became great patriot, sold out his
stock in trade of kettles and pans to Il par.
ticuar friend of his, called Ashman or Red
Ashmsn-a sobriquet tho good people of
Lewistown gave him, IA his hair was red
His whiskers, which he wore large. were
red his face was red his hands were red;
the only shades of white visible in his
person were his eye.lashcs but | should
not say they were visible, for he tried as
much az possible to hide them under q pair
of spectaclcs which, as no could not see
through, he was obliged to try and look
Orey which caused him to walk with his
head much in the van of his person. After
the disposal Of his goods, Lazy obtained
the rank of a sergeant in the militia Ser
geant Lazy O'Lear," il was certainly not q
very high rank but, as he observed to his
friends, he was only ambitious to do his
country service, and he thought he might
do as much in his humble grade as if he
were IL general. But it was rather singular
that, though he had deserted from Colonel
Sefton's party, ho still appeared on good
terms with that gentleman but he never
was seen going to Seton Hill in daytime.
He had been made the bearer of dispatches
several times to General Hull, when Van
Rensselaer, received them from headuuar-
ters, with orders to forward and, on each
occasion, was detained by Hull to go on
some secret mission, in which it was more
than insnuated to the officers that he was
employed by Hull as a sort of spy on the
British and that there was no one so well
calculated for it as himself having such q
correct knowledge of the country.