Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1863-08-07
DOWN IN DIXIE.

!, mand of a picket down in the Shenandoah
!, Valley, gradually became aware that there wa
!, very pretty girl in the habit of passing
e quite promiscious" while he was on post.
Very pretty girls indeed were all three 0
: the Miss Jeff's. Dark hair, bright of eye ant
: keen of wit, they knew the rules of coquetry
} from Alpha to Omega better than they die
their prayers, and took an interest in observ
ing their practical effect
Their family lived just inside our lines, and
were neutral-that is to say, they had two
brothers with Ashby, and used to sell meals
g., a., in Virginia, generally means whiskey)
to our officers and soldiers at about ten times
their real value, all the while wishing this
horrid war would cease"
Our young friends natural modesty having
been overcome with great difficulty, he speedi-
ly became quite intimate, not to say gallant,
with the young lady and her other two sis
tiers.
Why shouldn't be? He had not seen a
white female in three months who had not
scowled or spat at him, but one-she threw
brick-a sort OF thing which though amusing
at first, grew tiresome by repetition SO when
he met two good looking femenines who did
neither, he was fascinated
Though he took his meals at their house.
lat 80 cents each) and made himself generally
agreeable to the best of his ability, our ser
geant never forgot that he had command of an
unusual large picket, sent out purposely TO
give timely warning of an expected raid on the
station, aud never left the road without post
ing force too strong TO be cut off by caval-
ry dash before an alarm could be given, and
would not leave his men alone after dark for
all the beauty Of Virginia
After declining several invitations TO pass
the evening, few days before the tiEe of his
return be received most pressing invitation
to bring his men and partake o: dinner pre-
pared by the Miss Davis.
''They had behaved so gentlemanly so un-
like the usual coarse mercenaries, that they
really must accept of our hospitality. And you
will come know"
Who could resist such speech, accompani-
ed, as it was, with blush and look which
would have brought Gen. Wool on his mar
row bones?
" But l cannot leave the road unguarded
My orders are"
80, never mind that. Isn't the road in sight
from here2 Why can't you leave one man and
bring the rest up? There is no danger iu the
middle of the day to be so much afraid Of
This is Northern courage, is it?" with a snuff
highly derogatory to the aforesaid Northern
production.
OF course, it was the old story of Sampson
and Delilah and this speech, with little
more wheedling, produced acceptance of
the invitation and the sergeant, after taking
short leave of the family in the parlor, and
long and affectionate one of Miss JEFF on the
stairs, effected retreat
"Flattering. isn't it that she should take such
an interest in me, he soliloquized. but then
to ask the men. I'm blessed if can see thr'o
it any how" And then he fell into brown
study from which he was startled by whis-
per.
"Massa sergeant"
The sergeant started, looked around and
half drew his revolver, but seeing nothing but
juvenile darkey, cnsonsed in an angle of the
worm fence, he thrust it back again.
"Hello, Nick, you imp OF darkness he cri-
ed, recognizing one OF the house servants of
the Jef7s upon whom he had bestowed small
favors
'Step here, Massa sergeant. Don't let no
one see you, and 1 will tell you somefn."
A long and anxious confab ensued, inter-
spersed with considerable cursing on the part
of the military gentleman, at the end of which |
the sergeant took his way to camp instead of
the post, and in a study far browner than that
from which he had SO recently emerged.
At precisely noon the next day, look into
the dining room of the Jeff's would have dis
closed the sergeant, and with one exception,
Z the entire picket under his command, sitting
at the table and their arms stacked in the hall,
making an onset before which the dinner van
ished like chaf before the wind.
One hour passed.
Suddenly steps were heard on the piazza.
"Don't disturb yourself" said one of the
young ladies, going to the window cts only
some of the niggers."
Il WON'T replied the sergeant, with ten
der glance
The steps came on the stairs-up them; the
ladies looked uneasily around, but the sergeant
never stirred There was a stir in the hall,
followed by sudden rushI Iof shut 25 of Ash
by's cavalry, who made their entrance in utter
disregard to the proprieties of life and the
presence of the ladies.
"You may as well give yourself up quietly"
smiled the sergeant's conquest TO her adored
and his followers, who were consulting in the
corner to which they had retreated. "My
brothers always treat their prisoners well, and
we have your guns -
"Well, darned if ever saw such perfdy'
cried the sergeant, throwing his hat from the
/ window In a rage.
"Give me five minutes to collect myself
Lieutenant" said the sergeant, turning to the
commander of the troop "and I'll tell you
what I'll do''
'Al right, my boy-take six" returned the
young lady's brother, in the most good natur-
ed manner, sitting down and pitching into the
dinner like a half starved dragoon, as he was
an unceremonious examaple, which was i'm
itated by his followers,
Five minutes passed; tramping was heard
outside.
"Darn those hosses,' exclaimed Lieutenant
jeff with his mouth full of corn bread and
boiled chicken. "There's no guard there
Tom, go down and see if they're getting IN.
htched."
Tom filled his mouth with the same article,
picked up his carbine and started to go out
He looked back as he reached the door.
Keep me some fodder, Lieutenant. l am
What the duce is
Bang.
Blue wreaths of smoke circle into the room
and sluggishly roll upward. Tom pitches
heavily forward with bullet through his
brain, never more to. rise, while several files of
the 298th regiment emerged from the smoke
and walked over him. their muskets at a
charge and at the same time, each of the
pickets at the other end of the room produced
Ia