116 



THE BOROUGH OF THE BRONX 



Captain Hale's guard interceded, and a light, pen and paper, 

 as well as a Bible, were given to the condemned prisoner. 



The Captain passed the night writing. One letter he in- 

 dited to his mother, another to his sister, and a third to his 

 sweetheart. What happened after he finished his writing we have 

 no means of knowing, but it is likely that he devoted the rest of his 

 time to prayer. 



Courtesy of D. Applcton £ Co. 



Nathan Hale Monument in City Hall Park 



At daybreak the door of the cell was opened and Cunningham, 

 accompanied by a file of guards, entered. They found Captain 

 Hale ready to meet his fate. To Cunningham the patriot handed 

 the letters which he had written, and as a dying request asked 

 that they be forwarded to his family. Cunningham read the let- 

 ters and in Captain Hale's presence destroyed the last message of 

 a man about to die. When asked later why he had done this, Cun- 

 ningham said: "I did not want the rebels to know they had a man 

 who could die with such firmness." 



