Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1875-11-19
From the Kansas City Journal.
a SOIDIFRsS STORY.

asN N--A - -OANAs 49, - ~
tachment of cavalry up into the
Cache River country to intercept
some contraband goods that were
being smuggled through the lines to
the enemy. That country was an al
most inlerminable wilderness of
swamps and forests of cypress and
gum tree at that time, and was the
last place in America that anyone
would be supposed to choose
home. There were occasional spots,
however, of a few hundred acres
each, little higher than the sur
rounding country, that by much ex-
pense had been converted into hand
some and valuable estates, with large
and pretentious residences for the
wealthy owners, who, though iso-
lated from the busy world, were con-
tent to foregO some of its pleasures
for the peace and quiet seclusion af-
forded. Once each year, when the
cotton was ready for shipment, and
the little river was swollen by the
winter rains, a steamer would come
up to the plantations and take the
seasons product and the planters
family to New Orleans, where the
cotton would be disposed of and a
years supplies purchased. Then,
after few weeks spent in the soci-
ETY. OF the metropolis, they would be
carried safely back to the landing at
home. Thus the years were spent
until the children, who had been un-
der instructors at home, were far
enough advanced to be sent abroad
to finish their education.
1t was at one of these plantations
that the squadron was halted and
dismounted about daylight, with in
structions to surround. the house and
allow no one to escape. The Lieu
tenant then directed a Sergeant and
six men to go through the house and
seize any goods that might be con-
traband of war. The detail was
made and the men proceededto to their
work. Entering the house, the Ser
geant made the inmates acquainted
with the nature of his errand, and
assured them that all private prop
erty should be respected. When
the party ascended the stairs lead
ing to the second story, one of the
men, a young Prussian, who had
landed in this country just in time 10
enlist, remained below, and passed
into the parlor. Perhaps the single
occupant of the room, a beautiful
girl, may have attracted him, and
perhaps he didn't just like this un-
ceremonious style of ransacking a
gentleman's house, war or no war.
Anyhow, the squad got along with
out him, and came down, and con:
timed their search. All the rooms
had been visited except one, and in
to this went the entire party, young
lady and all. There were four large
trunks there, all of the same pattern
and entirely new. The suspicious of
the soldiers were aroused still more
when the young lady asked the
privilege of opening and displaying
the contents of them herself. The
request was granted, but each man
scanned the articles as they were
taken out, expecting the long-looked
for bolts of Confederate cloth would
be brought to light. They were dis;
appointed, however; there was moth
ing but what was evidently intend
ed for the household, and the last
trunk had been emptied of its con-
tents-not quite, for the Sergeant
noticed that the drawer in the lid
had not been opened and called the
girls attention to it. With slight
tremor of her voice, she replied that
there was nothing there but private
property, and she did not wish to
remove it. This attracted the atten-
ton of the men, who gathered
around, when the Sergeant again de-
manded that the search be made
Still the girl, who was kneeling by
the trunk, with her hand resting on
the lid, made no movement, but look
ed imploringly into the faces of the
soldiers. She was a beautiful crea-
ture, scarcely seventeen, yet with all
the grace and bearing of an accom-
plished lady. Before the Sergeant
could repeat the order or execute it
himself, the Prussian, with touch
of the hat and polite bow to the
superior officer, said: "If the lady
gives you her word of honor that
there is nothing there we seek, you
should be satisfied" Sword of hon
orl" repeated the Sergeant, con-
temptuously; ''honor among rebels,
indeed!"
There was free fight in an in
slant, for the Prussian dealt him a
terrible blow in the face, which
staggered him back among his COM
rades, who took sides about evenly
for and against the "Dutchman, !"
leaving it uncertain which would be
victorious, when the Lieutenant,
hearing the row, rushed in and quell-
ed it. In the excitement which fol-
lowed the trunk was forgotten, and
the party left the premises and re-
sumed their march. When the war
was over the troops were disbanded
at St. Louis, and the Prussian was
lost sight of for several years, until
the railroad from Memphis to Little
Rock was revived, when he turned
up civil engineer, and assisted in
locating the route. His name was
mentioned frequently in the papers
at the time, but when the road was
finished he disappeared; I saw nor
heard nothing of him until the other
day met lady and gentleman in
the cars, whose faces seemed familiar,
and which proved to be my Prussian
comrade and his wife, the planters
daughter, whom he protected in the
war. Then followed a long story of
how the railroad was located across
the plantation, and how they met
again-a case of love at first sight
and were married, and had made a
tour of the lakes, and revisited the
seminary at Cincinnati where she was
educated, and were on their way to
California.
"Well," said I, "you haven't told
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