, 1864-02-21
Qhifagu Griblfne.
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 81. 1861
VVIPPTMG THE WRONG WOMAN.
4 Sn.tr,, Of Tic ChfxaIrF of1sust Tenn

<A ossee.
W. cut the sutlotned gamo ut cross pur.
roses lrrm Mr.. TroN bridges new noveI Of
!.Cudjo's Cave" A brief preface will make
IL intclligiblc- When secession Was first
iuaug1lrEtcd in East Tennessee, many loyal
1Dcn, who had been for months privately
drilling that they might fight. IT nccl should
be, in defense ot the Union, were Obliged to
leave their homes and take refuge In the
mountains. Among these was l. Eell-to-lo
farmer. named Sta krid.e, d man Of somc
intutncc In the com mEnity and One whom the
confcderatcs W. re especially anxious t. ar
nst- by adsois espionage 1hsy became con-
ta1nif;, :,!d the more interruptions mnons
them conceived tho chlyalrous idea Of whip
ping Mn stachridgc until She revealed the
hiding -plnce Of her loyal mate. Wherefore
not: None OF them would hesitate to whip
:. slave woman who rebcl.ed, and the wife Of
an incorrigiblc "union ehr.eiser' could
ErIdly expect q lighter doom.
Near to the StackTidgc fl1m lived Widow
Sprowl, rnbid secessioniat, whose only son
had teen outlawed for some act Of violence
under the old government, but Was welcoM-.
cG to the service Of the new, and honored
: with commission in the confederate army.
He WAS In command in the vicinity, and sent
two Germans Of his company, who might lie
orders, to pay Mrs Stackridye the humane
visit to which we hare referred. Now it
Glanced TINT tic good woman Was absent
-. from home, having gone out to call upon d
Gciglbor, mot Mrs. 6pr0w1) and during her
. absence the captains mother, intent upon
), borrowing provisions from one who, under
L tie circumstances would hardly refuse to
/ lind, knocked twice at the door, and, meet
i ing no response, pulled the hospitublr latch
+ string aud entered the empty house:
= Her l1st feeling was that Of resentment.
: What right lad Mrs Stackridge to be absent
Z. hen she came to borrowy As she explored
tie pantry and closets, hoWercr and became
: convinced that she Was absolutely alone in q
wcll-provisioned m.house, her couatcaance
lighted up with smile.
~ can bor1y what ! want 5eet exac'ly as
: well as If MIS- stackridge war at 'home,''
thought the widow And She proceeded to
Of meal, borrowing The pan with It "rn
tctch home the pan, y said she, - when I do the
mea1,'' exposing her crsggy teeth with II
grim smile ''lf don't before, I'm afeared
Mis- etackridge II hat to wait fort . con.
May us well tcke boz aud all. Bring back
the bog when do tho coffee Wish could
End some iob.cky somewhars-wonder whar
they keep their tobacky!''
Now, the excellent creature did not indulge
iu these liberties without some apprehension
that MrG. stackridgc might return suddenly
and interrupt them. Perhaps she had not fol-
lowed Mr.. Stackridge to the mountains.
Perhaps she had only gone Into the village
10 DIV ElQcS 1Qr OGT EElluEIu3 tk W N*44A w -
n:ighbor. III she should come back and
Ictch INC ut it,-why, then III tell hey I'm
only Jest bor1yir, and sec what ele'n do
about it, The Prop'ty Of these yer durned
Inion ehriekcrs is all gwine to be confiscatcd,
ind / reckon l may rs well take my sheer when
lean git it. ThnY's paper o black pepper,
and I'll take It jest aB tits. Ihar's Q jar o
lump butter,-wish I could tote jar and
all.-have souac Of the Jumps on plate any
low.
81. rcgrettng that she had not brought two, M Or
or larger one, when q handsome, new IN
rail, haDging in the pantry, caught her eye
-stBeen wnntin' jest such pail as thnt, TINS
long while!' And she proceeded 10 ILL that
also. Just as shc was putting the cover or,
fo. dear me! What shall ! do? Nit
, should bc Mr.. Stackridge! But it can't be
him! II it's only MIS- staeGridge OF onc }. q Of
to mnfsc fuss, for they're Union n-shrieker=,
and ny. sons q caPting in the Confederate
Thrmp, thunp, thump e-loud knocking at
any, it's visltors2 Who can i be? She
set down hcr pail and basket. ss I'll act jest
as If 1nd a right here, n1yhowl'
She WINS heeiiat1ng, when the string was
pulled, and two strnngers, stout square built,
and dreessd IN Confederate uniform entered.
"Mrs. stackridge? eaid they In heavy leu
tonic accent.
-stammered the widow, trying
to hide the guilty. basket and pail behind her
ekirts- "What do You want Of Mis- Stack
ridgeT
One Of the strnngerg said to the other, In
German, Indicating the pluuder: This Is The
woman. She Is getting provisions ready to
send to ler husband In the mountains
s'Let us see what there is good to cat, said
the other
Mrs. sprowl, although understanding no
" word that was spoken, perceived TINT the
borrowed property formed TIE theme Of thei1
With extreme politencss, as the Germans ap'
preached the provisions.
q Tank ye," Eaid they, finding some bread
and cold ment. And they ate with appetite,
exchanging giances, and grur'ing with salts
40, take all you want,n said thc widow,
tsYou'fe welcome to anything there ie In the
house, Tn shore-adding, within herself
~ am so glad these soldiers have come
Now, wllnteser Is m'ssins' Will be LAID Il
@You de lady OF dc house s'' said the for
!::iss' !kIisss' hsip yoaSselvss" smiled the hos
HYou Mrs stackridge:', 81 they inquired, mor|
aYea; take anything you likc,'' replied th'
widow.
- " mere Your uubUauu
..My husbapda nv -poor dear husband
He has been dead thesc"-Ehec checked herself
remembering that the soldiers took her fol
Mrs.. Stackridgc- If she updecefved them
then they To5ld Know she had a9 bcen e stealing
and smiled" No! He was here Inst night
He was SEEN You take desc tings to HIN
mp In dc mountain
would you like some chccscs" sad th'
embarrassed widow: .....,,
Ne To t1nSt O
Mrs Sprowl returned to the pantry II
order to replace the provisions she had 50
generously given away, and prepared to De
-. part with the basket and pail; Inviting th
guests repeatedly to make themselves quilt
at home, and to take whatever they couli
"Wait' said they. Each had a knee on th'
floor, and one hand full Of bread and checs'
They looked upat her with broad, compla
cent, unctuous faces, smiling. yet resolute
And one, with his unoccnpicd hand, lale
othe1 detained the pail "You will tell III
where IL your husband" sald they.
40, dear me, don't know! I'm a poo
lone woman, and where my husband Is cam
consaivc, Tn shore"
HYou Will tell us where is your husband
repeated the men; and one Of them, gcttin.
upon bis feet, stood before her ct tho door.
don't know whar, and don't keer," cried II
widow, excited. There was something Il
the stolid, determined looks Of the brother
she did not like. "Hc's 3 bad man, ny
Stackridac is. Tn gecessiontst myself
Yon nre welcome to everything in the hons
only let me go now" -,
|'You will not CO." said the soldier at u
door, "tiu you tel Us. We come for dat"
On entering, they had placed their musket
in the corner. The speaker took them, an'
handed one to his comrade. And now th
:. widow observed that ont of the muxzle G
each protruded the butt-end of small COW
hide Each soldier held his gun at his side
and lay.ng hold Of the said butt.end, drc'
out the long taper belly mud dangling lash e
the whip, Ike blAck snake, by tho neck.
Tho widow 4creamed. st1ts An q mistake
Let INC 90. mint Mrs. Stack1idge!"
Nothing so natural as that the wife Of th
noto1ions Urionist should deny her !ndcntit
at the sight Of the whips The soldiers loo1
ed ut each other, 1nuttered something In &c
,man, smiled, und replaced their muskcts.
The corner.
"You teu us where is your husband; (
else we whip you. Dat is cur ordcrs." I'll
they said In low tones with mild looks az
with calmncss which was fdghtful. I'll
= widow snw that she had to do with MIC
who obeyed orders literally, and knew
mercy.
~ hain't got no husband l.. nin't ~
=. Stackridsc- Tn poor lone E1dder, tR
Jest come over here to boT1y few thing
and thnt's all ,...
ave unterstan. You cay shuEt now &
are Mrs.. etackridge: Now you say not.