The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1876-04-14
some cases did good service to their

cause.
1t was a glorious day when one morn
ing I sailed from my quarters. Win
chester was full of gardens, and the
trees we're bright with birds, who sang,
unchecked by any fear of approaching
danger. Very leisurely I went to the
office of the commandment of the post.
Every thing was arranged according to
the usual military precision. The officer
was seated at his desk in his inner
room. Opposite him sat a stranger, a
beautiful young lady, dressed for a
journey, and who was evidently using
all her destinations to attract and hold
his attention. By her side was a youth
Unlocking officer in the Union dress,
who evidently was schooling himself to
composure. My suspicious were at
once aroused that he was not what he
seemed.
The appearance of the lady was very
striking. She was g~esticulating grace
fully as she continued her conversation
with our commandant. Over her hand
some face fitted bewitching smiles. But
there was a fixedness of purpose in her
manner, a calm ~composure, approach
ing at times to %sternness, that was not
altogether congenial with the buoyancy
and Hippancy of her general bearing
and speech. She was intensely earnest
in her appeals to the ~commandant, and
at times appeared to be tenderly and
coquettishly be~seeching a favor, which
he seemed to hesitate to grant.
The officer who accompanied her sat
silent in his chair, idly turning his cap
in his hands, and looking on the road
with such a strained expression that it
clearly proved him to be DESTROYS to be
out of headquarters and on a contem-
plated journey.
A horse and light Virginia carryall,
with seats for two persons, was stand
ing at the door, guarded by an orderly.
The curtains of the carriage were drawn
closely down and securely fastened.
The commandant at length rose from
his table, and, giving me an intelligent
glance, we passed together into an adj
joining private room. The moment we
reached it, he broke the silence.
"Supposc we hold a council of war.
This is new business to me. Here is
this young woman sent to me from
Harper's Ferry by the commandant
there, with n request that she be per-
mitted to pass our lines to the front.
She has been placed in charge of this
Union officer, whose papers and answers
seem all right, and her papers are also
straight. She is DESTROYS of going to
visit her kindred, with medicine and
clothing for the sick and needy Con-
federates among them. l have caused
the carriage to be thoroughly searched,
and find nothing at all suspicious there.
As an action with Jackson may be i'm
pending, my intuitions impel me to de-
tain the young lady till the battle is de-
cided. But my b~enevolence prompts
me to send her forward with her escort.
What is your ~opinion?"
"~That your duty as a soldier is para
mount" said l, respectfully. al feel
impressed as you do. Like you also l
feel the promptings of humanity, and
on that account would like to see the
young lady passing u lines but l can
not overcome the suspicion that under
her fair exterior she may be a Confed-
crate spy"
"That's the way it strikes me-" re-
sponded the c~ommandant; "but l find
that her papers, after having been ex-
amined and endorsed at Harper's Fer
ry, have been re-examined and re-en-
dorsed at Martinsburg. The gentleman
who is with her has the official Union
Commission. They both tell the same
story. I have examined the carriage,
and find nothing %coAtraband of war"
"My opinion is,"Iadded, "that this
handsome young woman herself is de-
cidedly c~ontraband of war;"
"She, is decidedly beautiful" re-
T sponded the ~commandant, quickly. He
was quite young, and might perhaps be
excused for saying it. "Doyou KNOW
he went on, she reminds me of a lady
= friend at home-an innocent, charming
creature, and one of the most elegant
women | ever saw"
g "Pardon me, commandant," said I,
=, feeling the gravity of the situation, ''but
we must not allow ourselves to put
r beauty against duty"
i "No, no." he replied, "by no means.
l am more inclined than we to detain