Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1868-01-24
CHAPTER ".

The Soldiers Home on Cary street.
corner Seventh. was. in belLum times,
dreary and almost as desolate looking
as the Libby prison; and the regime
was not different, except in the single
respect that the enforced inmates of
the Home were recognized as Con-
tederates in grey, a little recreant In
their duty, perhaps, while the inmates
of the Libby were Yankees in blue,
and the hated and hating enemies Of
the Confederate cause. Zoe I-f
Lula when she entered, found her.
self among gang of rough men,
crowded into large upper room, and
lowering above the mass and evelop-
ing all, was a dense cloud of villain
Gus tobacco smoke, distilled from a
hundred odoriferous pipes.
The sole occupation of all seemed
to be an effort to excel in the cursing
line, and oaths the most horrid, and
anathemas the most fearful were ban.
died about from one to the other, in.
ter3perSed by roars of laughter, and
Jeers In chorus, as the door opened
and new conner would come tumb.
ling in, adding his own to the general
jargon. 1-aG
Lula sought out retired seat, and
drawing her disguise about her face
sat dreaming. Cute Jim had given
her the cue to the part she should
play, and she would play it, so help
her God She planned anew, and re
solved to extract good from the seem
ing outward events of the morning
Her lover, Maj. Glover, was a prison
er at the Libby; she, in the selection
of the guard for that place, might bt
detailed. She recalled the remark
of the guardsman who picked her uE
that the men were wanted to take the
place OF ne regular troops ordered
to the front.
Again her heart beat quick, and of
the two conflicting emotions, hope ant
fear, hope was uppermost again in he
breast. '
"Fall in here men, who haven
given your names, came ringing from
the other end of the long hall, where
suddenly appeared a Confederate Of
icer in full uniform, regulation swort
at his side, and pistol in holster.
"Fall in here quick, | tell you.
And to the roll of drum the mas
began to squirm and take shape i
the form of struggling line Of in
fantry, without arms.
The enrolling officer surveyed th
line for a moment, and again thur
dered:
"Front facer'
The movement appeared to. b
satisfactory, and the officer prepare
for the next command:
/" Count off by twos." And the ez
plosiye monosyllable went off fror
right to left, rattling down the Ion
line: "One, two-one, two," dyin
away at the farthest end in timi
chirp. "one, two."
"Now give your names to the cler
as he passes down the line; and an
man who gives false name or a fiji
titious command will be sent to Castl
Thunder if detected. ~ .asz ca.
/ Lula's heart throbbed away dow
when the register apprs|aed he
nearer and nearer. He ss0od befor
her, book and pencil in hand. 1t wa
: Lula's turn. 99foagail aasi4A 4 s.
/. Your name ?" .o 4afea gts
q Michael Meredith" toH
Hospital convalescent 2"
"Yes." .oa g9 5I'
And the clerk passed on down th
line. as+ y
The was another roll of the drum
and " Michael Meredith" was anon
the names called for the prison detail
The file was counted off. equippe
: with arms and blankets, and given
command OF the post sergeant, and j