WIMUM" JCkristmas Numt^r

VOL. VII. NO. 5a

CAPE MAY. N. J.. THURSDAY. DECEMBER 19, 1907. TWENTY-FOUR PAGES

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America’s Most Memora-ble

Christmas. Bf KOBCKTUS LOVE.

tCopyrtrhl. 007. by Roberta* Lot*.] T HE mast memorable Cbristmaa In American bistort wns that of 1770. the day on which Wash Ington crossed the Delaware. As a matter of fact. Washington and bin army crossed the Delaware four times durln* that same month, bat It

math In the way of a daylight surprise the morning after Christmas, knowing that the jolly Germans would be more or less demoralised by their bibulous manner of celebrating the annlrersary. Washington's troops at Newtown were chiefly New Englanders. He had about 2.100 men and twenty pieces of artillery. The weather had turned much colder toward Cbrlstmaa. and on the afternoon of that day a chill storm of snow and sleet began, lasting through the night Washington's troop* marched to McConkey's ferry In the snowstorm. UcConkey's was a river side Inn on the New Jersey bank o! the Delaware about nine miles abort Trenton. The boats pferlously hidden by the Americans that made rlrld history. The picture of “Washington Crossing the Delaware.” framed as a colored chrooo or a black and white print has been fa pillar to two generations of Americana. But bow many of oa know Just why. bow and where Washington . crossed the Delaware, what bearing that movement bad upon the destiny of America, who painted the famous picture from which the familiar chromos are mada and where the original oil painting may be seen today} Driven from Long Island and New Tort across “the Jerseys.” Washington's defeated and discouraged army was pursued closely by the British un der Cornwallis. Washington reached Trenton Dec. 2 and began preparations for crossing over Into Pennsylvania. Collecting all the boats be could And be sent bis army across the river on the night of the 7th. following with the rear gnard the next morning. Joal as Cornwallis, as the historian leasing puts It “came down, with great pomp and parade, to the opposite shore.” __ Cornwallis expected to And boots and cross the river, capture Philadelphia, the capital of the struggling colonies, and end the rebellion In'Short order. But the wily Washington bad destroyed all the boats which be cnold not hide ae~tbe Pennsylvania shore for - his own future use. The British general therefore decided to wall until the river frosa. so that be could cross on the lea. Mild weather prevailed for a fort- i

il POM. <iso.ll. Urtro.W. 10™. rlvar. the enemy also pooling detach Hr , r „„„ of n „, Mn ,

meats at Important points on tbe New

the west the other to enter the town from the north. The commander Instructed all his officers to set their watches by hla. so that the attack might be made slmnltaneoumly at every point It was 8 o'clock when the en emy’s outposts were encountered and driven In. firing from behind trees and fences as they ran. Colonel Hull had been up all night with other officers, carousing and playing cards at the bouse of a Tory. Though the attack was made three boars later than bad been Intended. It was still practically a surprise. Ball buckled on bis sword and gallantly tried to rally hla demoralised forces

the u

bad taken flight

and escaped. Knox bad planted bis cannon to sweep the principal streets, and the attack from all points -was furious. Colonel Ball fell mortally wounded, and a little later be sur rendered his sword to Washington The American commander took nearly a thousand prisoners, with many stands of arms, cannon and other equipment. The victory was complete Cornwallis deferred bis trip to England, remaining here to surrender to Washington at Yoiktown Ova years later. The next day Washington's army recrossed the river, taking the Hessian prisoners to Newtown. On the 29th. bis forces Laving been Increased by tbs arrival of other troops, be made the passage of the Delaware for the fourth time In a mouth, reocrupytng Trenton an til forced to retire to Princeton by

•a of Cornwallis. In cross-

ing nnd n-rrosslnc the river nnd fighting the battle of Trenton Washington lost only seven men. Two were killed, four were wounded and one frozen to

death.

The famous pletnrr “Washington Crossing the Delaware" was painted 1851 by Einsuuel 1-eiHr.r. who w born In Wurttemberg In 1810 and died At Washington In I XUS. having settled permanently In America. Leutxr painted several other .American historical scenes. Tb* 'Washington plctnre. an Immense eanvas to which no primed rspmdnctlon can do jnxtlee. now bangs In the Urtrn|MilItan Museum of Art. New York ritj, where It may lie free of charge by any A merles n patriot —or by any HessUn or British visitor, for that mailer The great painting was presented to the museum ten years ago by John 8 Kennedy It Is a 'matter of rongratnlatlou that this artistic representation of an Inspiring Incident roonreti-d With Anieriea'a most historic Christinas now belongs practically to the i-eople of America, one

and all.

Where Balls Ring Undergreuna. Near lulelgh. In Nottinghamshire. England, llirrr Is a valley said to have been caused by an aarthquake several hundreds of years ago. and It Is now usual on Christmas morning for old men and women to tell their children aad young friends to go to the valley, stoop down and bear the bells ringing merrily la the ruin* of th* church un

dor th* ground-—Tlt-Blta-

Strang* Christmas Superstition. In north Germany a i-crson must not spin during the twelve nights of Christmas lest he or she should walk after death, nor after sunset on Saturday, for then mice will eat the work. If It la desired to have money and lack all the year round, one must not fall to eat herrings on New Teal's day. nor If yon wish to l<c lucky must you rock an empty cradle or spin salt wantonly or croaa knives or point at the store If a dirty doth U left on the tabic over Christmas night It will make the angel* weep. If yon point upward to the rainbow It will'make the angel's feet bleed, and If you talk of cabbages while looking at the moon you srill hurt the feelings of the man In It.—Tlt-

Vaeationa aa Cbrlstmaa Presents. In a letter to the employees of the Bourne mills of Fall River. Maas., announcing the regular prullt sharing dividend on Dec. 24 last. Treasurer Georg* A. Chase said: “The hoard of directors has unanimously authorized me to announce to you the ex:>erlinent of a vacation week In August. 10117. The mills will close Aug. 21 nml reots-n Sept. S. thus allowing you ten days of rest and recreation. In lien of regular pay you will get an extra dividend on yout wages, payable Just before the vacation. to the amount of SO per cent of the average weekly wages." This promise was faithfully kept.

Hidden Gifts of the.... Christmastide. By ALOYSIUS COLL. tCopyrtxhl. tan. by Aloyslus CoU.) T HINK you. my little baby boy, That the gifts are all for you— Tho picture books and th* painted blocks ■ And th* soldier mon in bluof But what of tho joy in mother's heart When she eew you dance for glee. When you wok* to se* th* candloo bum On th* boughs of tho Christmas tree? Y OU dapped your hands and you laughed aloud Whon you found th* littls plow With th* exon team that jogged en

But what of tho silent tenderness That stirred In mother's breast When you drove th* exon to th* be In th* twilight hour to roetf

* Whon you saw that th* little train Would rattle down th* carpet track And then run back again But what of th* golden train of thought That follows your baby fact

Waablngt£p. with a portion of bis army, was encamped at Newtown, a llttlo northeast of Bristol. Pa. The British garrison at Trenton consisted of abgut 1,VB Hern lx ns and aoiu* British light horse under command of Colonel Kail, a gallant He*-

stan officer

The rapture of Philadelphia seemed so Imminent that by aflrlce of General Putnam. In eommand there, the Con dDents I < ungreas retired to Baltimore The situation was highly critical Th* time of service for which vmost. of W. ehlr.rtoo's men bad enlisted would expire within ten days, and antes* money eon Id le bad for their payment few of them would remain In the field Many rtrlrrn* who bad eapuuhrd the patriot csu*c tiers me discouraged and area! over to the enemy Cornwallis eras so pop sore that the “rehela” were no their 1**1 legs and the war prae (p.-lly over thsf he wrbt to New York with the Intention to sail for England

Washington fait that at blow taint lie otrack The

he shown that the Americans still bad light In them Timid citizens in their homes must be snermraged by a dam castration of patriotic valor and military proweaa Accordingly Washington planned attacks at several points,

along the river, hot be could

dace some of his snhordlnsl inander* to co-operate with him. Thof could not croa* the (Ivor, they aald But Washington could and did B* proposed lo gu orm. and give Ike Hsa

river was full of floating

Colonel Glover nnd bis tlsbenuen soldiers from Marblehead did not mind that. They knew how to guide boats amid cukes of Ice. These Maasacbnaetts tlsbenuen were placed' In charge

of the boats.

The plan of Washington was lo reach Trenton by S o'clock In the morning and esteb tbe Hessians sleeping oil tbelr Christmas potations He counted upon getting «U* whole army across by midnight. Owing to the delay caused by tbe Ire and tbe storm It was 2 o'clock In tbe morning when tbs boat load of Iwtrolta reached the aey shore. Uy 4 o'clock the force farmed ready for t!*e march I Trenlun <'monel lleury Kuos brought over hla rannoii on the flattXMts. with burses to |>nll tbe pis

along tbe road.

General Washington crossed the i er a little before midnight. Th# mate* of Mr^onkey'* house ware pi practically all night brewing Mg rnma of hot and steaming punch, wb tbe cold and weary Condneutal offle drank with eager seat It Is rein that early In the morning boors Wa tngton himself stepped Into tbe

QUEER CHRISTMAS PRESENTS. gome of th* Things Found by th* British Doad Letter OfRss. During the ten day* preceding Christmas about 190,000 parcels are bandied every twenty-four hours 1-y British postoffice officials, or approximately 1.750,000 for tbe entire ten days daring which tbe rush lasts. Tbe contents of many of tbe paresis are. t# say tbe least, somewhat curious, soys tbe Pictorial Magazine. A hamper of lire leeches, for Instance, seems s strange sort of Christmas gift So does an artificial leg. Yet both of these were among the parcels “treated” last Christmas. Another long coffin shaped box excited suspicion on account of the odor emanating therefrom. On opening It. however, nothing more dreadful was found than a young alligator In a dormant condition. Another evil smelling hamper was found to contain no fewer than 800 dead mica, while yet « third Inclosed a defunct puppy consigned for postmortem purposes to an eminent surgeon. Christmas presents of live animals are constantly being sent through the post notwithstanding the fact that tbe practice to strictly prohibited. Pigeons, rabbits, white mice, rats, ferretm. silkworms. lizards, snakes, guinea pigs and even on one occasion s pet lamb have all been dealt with at some pe-

150 live frogs, and a short time before twelve healthy young adders wen dloro ve red In an Innocent looking hamper which was supposed to contain poultry. Boms of the Inclosuras are daddsdly sarcastic. Of this class was a two foot

Christmas present for Johnny. For outward application only. To be well rubbed In.”

KING HEROD’S ROOSTER. Tbe Legend of BL Btsphon, First of th* Nob I* Army of Martyr*. Ever slue* that first Christinas eva tbe cock baa crowed all night long on tbe anniversary to keep away evil spirit*, for tbe cock to a holy Mid and a knowing one. Tbery to a pleasant tale of him and BL Stephen, tbe first martyr, whose day to Dec. 26, dose by hto dear Lord's. BL Stephen was King Herod's steward. it seems, who served him in tbo kitchen and at table. One night aa be was bringing In the boar's bead for hto

t down tbe bug* platter and i

“What altoth tbeer cried tbe king wrath fully. “Do yon lack mast or drink that yon would desert my aarrtce for another's?" neither meat nor drink,, but the Child that to bora this nlghBH greater than all of ua. and him only wlU I ear**.” That to aa troe.” quoth Herod, smiting tbe table with bto fiat “as that this "• piattarabi

that be mad* hto soldiers o Ida th* walls of Jerusalem and t him to death. And this to tto« jo why onto this day BL Btsphea M the patron of atooscuttars.—Abbto

i-d