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Subject: Excerpt Of History
Date: Tue, 20 Apr 2004 16:47:58 EDT
"Baron von Steuben and his party were enroute from New England to York,
Pennsylvania, where Continental Congress was in session. There were inns and
boarding houses along their route to accommodate the weary travelers.
They stopped at an Inn not far from the frontier of Connecticut. It was in
Worcester County Massachusetts, they had been told the landlord was a strong
Tory. It had been decided to avoid the place, at all cost if humanly possible.
A violent snow storm developed that evening and it was impossible to travel on
and they were compelled to seek shelter.
They had been correctly informed, the landlord was truly a king's man. He
strongly stated, " We have no meat, no bread, no drink, no eggs, no bed, etc."
In vain he remonstrated and begged and remained inflexible. The Baron at last
became enraged, his patience was sorely tried. He finally exhausted all his
German oaths in a violent rage. He demanded his servant bring his pistols. Upon
pointing the deadly weapons at the innkeeper, who now was half scared to
death, the Baron shouted, " You have bread, meat, eggs, milk, drinks, and beds?"
The answer was in the affirmative. They were accommodated immediately in fine
style. Even the horses had the best of stalls in the barns and plenty to eat.
The Tory innkeeper was pleased to accept Continental money when reimbursed
for his trouble."
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