The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1870-01-18

sight for the rain bad exposed the
limbs, and the crows bad mangled
them, she procured d coffin and labor
ers from Winchester aud had the rc-
mains decently inferred III the Gene
,ary there at her own expense, Then
site addressed letter to bis friends
giving them the information which
she possessed, and they subsequently
recovered the relics, thanking God and
their unknown benefactor
We heard nothing further from the
Lieutenant for months We eventual
~ learned, however that after a long
period Of such careful nursing, varied
only by the weekly errand Of Mrs Van
Metre to Hsrper's Ferry for letters and
supplies, the prudent Doctor At last
gave bis consent that Bedell should at
tempt the journey home. Armed now
with pair Of Sanitary crutches, he
doubted not that be could make his
way, il be once could reach the Upion
lines. But the officially Of getting TO
Harper's Ferry cost him much anxiety.
Though at various times forty gueril-
las together had been in and abont the
house where he lay, the watchful care
Of his protector had thus far kept them
in ignorance OF his presence. T is
journey however, was likely to prove
even more difficult TO manage At
length one OF the toddy-drinking neigh
bors, while relating his trials and loss
es chanced to mention the seizure by
our troops, OF a pair OF his mules
months before, and the fact that ne
gro had since seen them in the Mar
tinsbnrgh corral. A happy thought
struck the Lieutenant /; he at once as
sured the old gentleman that If he
could only be placed what there was
left of HIM in safety at the Ferry, the
mules should be returned. The prom
Sc might perhaps be considered rash,
seeing that Mnrtinsburgh was twenty
five miles from Harper's Ferry, under
n different commander, that it was very
decidedly unusual to restore property
seized from the enemy for government
use. that tie chattels were probably
long ago far up the Valley, and espec-
tally that BedelI could not have, in any
event, the faintest shadow Of authority
in the premises. But the old man
jumped at the offer aud the bargain was
struck,
II was decided that Mrs. VanMetre
sho'd accompany the Lieutenant home,
both for his sake as he was yet months
from recovery, and for her own, as she
had now lived for years in unwonied
destitution and anxiety, while quiet
comfortable home was thenceforth as
sured to her by her grateful ch rge un.
til the return of peace and who knew
if she might not in some way regain
her own husband, as she had restored
another's
SO the the party was made up aud
the journey commenced. The Officer
was carefully hidden in a capacioui
farm wagon, under an immense heaI
Of straw, and though two maraudinG
parties We're met during the day, thu
cheerful smile OF the well known jolly
farmer disarmed suspicion. The es
cape was successful. The clumsy yehi
Gle drew up before headquarters a
Harpers Ferry, and Bedell, saluteC
once more by sentinel as he doifeG
his hat to the flag he had suffered for
headed the procession to the General
room. .~
The unique party told its own STORY
The tall Lieutenant, emaciated, stag
gering on his unaccustomed crutches
the shrinking woman, timid in tn
! presence Of authority though so heroi
in the presence Of death, and the ok
Yirginisn aghast at finding himself &C
tually in the lions den, but with th
burden Of an anxious longing writer
on his wrinkied face, each characte
SO speaking, the group needed onl.
this simple introduction " General
this man has brought me in, and want
his mules
General Stevenson, warm hearted
and sympathetic, comprehended th
situation at once. He made the part
seat themselves before him aud tell hin
all their story. He fed them at his ia
bic and lodged them IN his quarters -
He ielegraphed for special leave Q
absence for the officer aud secured fre
transportation for both ham aud BIZ
friend, aud finally, most surprising o
all possible good-fortnne, he sent tn
venerable charoteer to M4riinburg, th
happy bearer Of message that secure,
tue restoration Of his long-eared quad
rupeds.
On the next day the Lieutenant ant
Mrs YanMetre weat on by rail 4
Washington, where Of course every on
treated them kindly. aud gave them al
possible assistance When the pay
master bad i,eeu visited and ali prapa