The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1865-03-18
THE FEDERAL. CHAMELEON.
An Interesting S7sesi, Of Scouting
Strategy.

One eveninr. about an hour after the sun
had gone down, a couple Of stout men
dressed in soiled rebel uniforms, each hold
ing in his hand good Austrian rifle, tapped
at the door of small frame building, near
the c. road. in Virginia.
The knock vas answered BY an old woman
whose face was almost concealed By the
tangled masses o: her gray, uncombed and
dishcveled hair.
And what 10 vca want. heah?' she ex-
claimed. as Le- deep set ewes flashed on the
twomen. Il havn't he smaIles; hi; Of Johnny
cake in the house, 10 ot.r V, iur II vas all
sNo, no. interrupted one Of the soldi-rs,
we don't want ;-ay,HIHg to eat: but We want
you to telL-us. auj hat ia quick time, to',
whether or not. you've seen q light but strong
looking slip OF i r.ar 20 10y here Of late.
Dressed III blue and carryin= asoube bar
relied rifle added the oher-
Hevl hey" crr-l the har. Hitting her
hands. and speaking IN sharp. auErE y.ice
if We hain'f interrupted ne. recon Won j a
herd me spaa,, u. HIM before uov-. a. H. was
the yerv man who came here and bought all
nv cakes. :, was -gsal twy hours ag1 and
(Which way did le 20 after he LEFT you"
inquired both men eagerly
Before | answer tl., question Won must
tell me who he Is said the old woman SIgi!
the curiosity natural u Ht' stN-
He's celebrated mon scout "h"m we
call the Federal Chame.sJn, because he
changes his uniform 50 Often Sometimes 1t
Is i.Ue, other times graz. anu Nt HAS e. -.
been seen wearing the "i5--.at vL q" 90
farmer lie mas sa"t more O. 'u- men una"
Is pie .saut and ". have rowing commission
4-,,,, n.,r 1,i.a' ..tt . l..T- after HIM
and captur, n.-3, IL "e can, e-'..e' "e'-i ..
aHv: Ana nov Is We ny ei.ie1 - o.
continued the >lta'er = H-'i1 -'hi"ii';.'E'
We demand l-'.t YOU answer "u' l"es-''"'
and - ..,
pe'h.-1 - -
Pie'Il"o 'o''-> - - 49,. q.
SPEAK 70 = ''-'i'' .--' ''
-, ro.'ie' Gu - ~,
the so'dit' u" l. ''''.'..
Larin ID Is "'', ''is "''! - ,----''
:" e.i, l'1'"ll.9 '-''. -" r
not, S.lid t"e ".i ""'ii''.'' 49,
" ..At i -H'i- 10 ,'- " -- -' ---'- ~
Cd --..r. .-.-,. ,..--,.l -.
mere -'t = 49,, W - -.
cl't.ty s"E!eAe' '"e '''.S: "e'y'.t ~'' %
snail answer my question Dr'I'" -" 21, .
single word ont %. me- Nv, 'ne"' no" i"r
IS your camp from here lE4 no" man! men
have YOU IN and around IL : intend ID carry
your fellows some coru-ca,..=, d V SEQ, and
wan, to know the nnu1cr Gt mouths lhat !
have - COO. iet.
oh, N 'ha. case 5.ii l,e rs2ei, d9 not
see any reason why / sho-.dn satisfy you.
Our camps. then, are abort i've ID .es from
here. near the cross roads and orr number
NAV be abort five rhousaui'
That will To- cried The Old woman with q
grin of satisfaction YES that viii do and
now are YOU sure that the man who came
here to buy = supper isthe 1le you are "f.cr" "
We are sure 0t !, FOR although We have
never seen the mans face. we'd know him by
his double barrelel rifle as nobody else IN The
Yankee ARM carries a weapon o. that kind
.Ay.av. rs the rigLt one then, sal the
hao. .Itter h. had finished and paid for his
meal. he saws 70 ne. Friend, | 4hOud Ike
20 pu. ID her. for tie night If YOU have no
objections But IS | dlG not Ike the idea Of
accommodating u Yankee any more than
could help told him there WIS no room for
him. as | expected visitors before MANY hours
well then saws he. ca8 vgg tell me Of .
place where can pass tie night little com
tort;thly? You see, he added, looking
toward his big apujiebarre.ed rlt.,, don
like tn caInn out. as !, Looks Ike RAIN and
this piece might be hurt ~ II. Know Of
no place. ! answered short Of !p-r ml!"s
from here, IN an old barn which IS tight
enough. | think, 70 keep oil the rain -Four
miles Is = pretty lyug distance said lie, aGd
as | have been trampEg about considerably
to-day, ! don't feel much Ike carrying tbs
l,4T 81, -TFr4rr.- % his ---tgs;I