The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1875-12-29
4 Soldiers Story.


Cache River country to Intercept
some contraband goods that were be-
ing struggled through the lines to the
enemy. That country was an al
most interminable wilderness OF
swamps and forests of cypress and
gum trees at that time, and was the
last place in America that any enc
would be supposed to choose a home.
There were occasional spots, howcv-
of q few hundred acres each, a little
higher than the surrounding country,
that by much expense had been con-
verted into handsome and valuable
estates, with large %pretentious resi-
Gences for the wealthy owners. who,
though isolated from the busy world,
were content to forego some OF its
pleasures for the peace and quiet Sc
clusion afforded. On ,e in each year,
when the cotton was ready for ship
ment, and the little river vas swol-
len by the winter rains. a steamer
would cove up to the plantations
and conduct the planters family TO
New Orleans, where the cotton would
be disposed Of and q years supplies
purchased. Then, after a few weeks
spent in the society of the mctropo-
lis, they would be carried safely back
to the landing at home. Thus the
years were spent until the children,
who had been under instructions at
home, were far enough advanced to be
sent abroad to finish their education.
1t was at one Of these plantations
that the squadron of cavalry was
halted aud dismounted about day
light. with instructions TO surround
the house and to allow no-one to es-
cape. The Lieutenant then directed
Sergeant and six men to go through
the house and to seize any goods
that might be c%ontraband to war
The detail was made and the men
proceeded TO their work. Entering
the house, the Sergeant made the
inmates acquainted with the nature
of his errand, and assured them that
all private property should be re-
spected. When the party assembled
the stairs leading to the second sto-
nv. one of the men a young Prus-
sian, who had landed i'll this country
Just 10 time to enlist, remained below,
and passed into the parlor. Per
haps the single occupant Of the room.
a beautiful girl may have attracted
him, and perhaps he didn't just like
this unceremonious style of ransack-
ing a gentleman's house, war or no
war. Anyhow, the squad got along
without him, and came down, and
continued their search. All the
rooms had been visited except one,
and into this went the entire party,
young lady and ali. There were
four large trunks there, all OF the
same pattern, and entirely new. The
suspicious of the soldiers were arous-
ed still more when the young lady
asked the privilege of opening and
displaying the contents of them her
self. The request was granted, but
each man scanned all The articles as
tkey were taken out, expecting the
long-looked for bolts of Confederate
cloth would be brought TO light.
They were all disappointed however;
there was nothing but what was ev-
identity intended for the household,
and the last trunk had been emptied
Of its contents-not quite, for the
Sergeant noticed that the drawer in
the lid had not been opened, and call
ed the girls attention to it. With q
slight tremor of her voice, she re-
piled that there vas nothing there
but private property, and she did not
wish to remove il. This attracked
the attention of the men, who gath
cred around, when the Sergeant
again demanded that the search be
made. Still the girl, who was kneel-
ing by the trunk, with her hands rest
ing on the lid, made no movement,
but looking imploringly into the faces
of the anxious soldiers. She was q
beautiful creature, scarcely seven
teen, yet with all the grace and
bearing Of an accomplished lady.
Before the Sergeant could repeat the
order or execute it himself, the Prus-
sian with a touch of the hat and a
polite bow to the superior officer,
said: "It the lady gives you her
word and honor that there is nothing
there to seek, you should be %satisf-
ed" Word of honor J" repeated
the Sergeant, contemptuously "hon-
or among rebels, Indeed !"
There was n free fight in an insatnt,
for the Prussian delt him a terrible
blow in the face, which staggered
him back among his comrades, who
took sides about evenly for and
against the "Dutehman," leaving it
uncertain which would be victorious,
when the Lieutenant, bearing the
row, rushed 10 and quelled it.
In the excitement which followed the
trunk was forgotten, and the party
left the premises and resumed 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 re-
vived, when be turned up as a 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 be
disappeared again, and l saw nor
heard nothing of him until the other
day ] me q lady and gentleman in
the cars, whose faces seemed IA
miliar, and which proved TO be my
Prussian comrade and bis wife, the
planters daughter, whom be protect
ed in the war. Then followed the
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 q tour of the lakes, and revisit
ed the seminary at Cincinnati where
she was educated, and were on their
way to California.
We'll" said /, you haven't told
me what was in that trunk"
1T was a pitcher full Of gold and
silver %eoin," said the happy Dutch
man, "bnt ] didn't know it till we
were married"