The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-07-31

Hour after hour heard the deep
= Iathedral bell. Had it not been for the
nope entertained, in common with the
colonel, of saving Fanny's feelings from
d shock, and her wifehood from sus-
picion, should have come forth at once,
and have made an end of my misery.
sometimes, as all around me seemed so
SUN tancied that the married pair had
quilted the sitting-room But felt that
Il tried to leave the house, watched as
| knew it to be, my capture on her door
step would compromise her loyalty.
lime moved like eternity. At last the
morning market wagons began moving,
I'M Inc dawn came peeping into my retreat.
mere was another violent pull at the
street door bell I heard the Colonel
rouse himself to answer it. 1 heard
fanny start up to her feet, while
coarse voice called out loudly in the
passage,
"What! up by peep of day, Colonel"
Yes; | had report to write up.
Claypole has left every thing in dis
order.'
!, " | thought I'd let you know, Colonel,
mat that spy we were talking of last
night is in the hands of the Marshal. /
was mistaken about his being seen about
this place. The police got on the track
OF him last evening, and took him at
that nest of secession, Mrs. Charles
Garey's."
As the street door closed upon this
visitor, heard Fanny give suppressed
sob.
sThen he was not-himP" said her
husband, careless of grammar at that
supreme moment of reconciliation.
"No, no." she cried. "He said he
was poor prisoner who had jumped off
the train"
"Poor little Fanny! brave little FAM"
said her husband, and l guessed, though
| could not see, how he was comforting
her. "Let this be lesson to you not to
play with treason. Henceforward leave
it alone severely. You must be one with
me, dear wife, and such things are not
allowable in our position. Now go and
call Bridget, and tell her to get break
fast. 1 must get to the office early.
And, Fanny" he added, {" tell her TO
slip down the alley the first thing, and
tell Williams, who owns the dray, that
when he has harnessed up his horse for
his days work, l wish him to back up
to our side door. l am determined
to get rid of every thing that belongs
to my sister Fanny. I'll send her
trunk away. I'll clear the house of trea
son and secession. Tell Bridget that l
say so. 1t. may be warning to her,
love-"
In half an hour Bridget announced
the dray.
"Send in my Orderly said the Colo
mel, and see if you can see any thing,
around the corner, of the policeman. ="
AS Bridget was executing this order,
the Colonel entered the srore-room, and
closed the spring-lock of the trunk lid.
Have you the key of Fanny's trunk,
my loveP"
81 don't know"
"Give it to me-" he said, decidedly.
"Since your man is not the spy, share
your treason for this once, that hence
forth you may always side with me.
Ha! policeman" he added, as he threw
open the outer door of the store-room,
which opened on the alley, evil you
help the drayman and my Orderly to
get this trunk of my sisters on the dray?
She has been sent South, as you know,
and decline to keep her things. Yes,
suspect it may weigh over two hun
dred pounds. 1t is powerful heavy,
as you say. But that is the way always
with ladies'"
By this time I was ..hoisted on the
dray.
"Now, Williams" said the Colonel
to the drayman, "carry this trunk to
Mrs. Legrand's. She is friend of my
sisters, and a very Secesh lady. She
will no doubt know what to do with it.
Take the key, and desire her to open il
the moment it arrives. She must lind
the way to send it to Miss Fanny if she
thinks it necessary.
"Al right, sah," cried the voice OF
the negro drayman.
/ tainted, suppose for want of air,
and knew no more till | found myself
surrounded by Southern ladies in the
back parlor of house well known for
Southern sympathies and hospitality.
told my name and story, only admitting
the adventures of the night in Colonel
Lewis's store-room.
But how on earth did you get here
in Fanny Lewis's trunkp The drayman
left the trunk and key, with the message
that the trunk was to be unlocked i'm
mediately."
"Ah, ladies'" I cried, =" it is too dan
gerous secret. dare not breathe ii
into the ear of any one of YOU"
"But we know all kinds of danger
GUS secrets" pouted one fair lady.
81 have no doubt you do, and all
Dixie knows that you can keep them ;
but this one you must not ask me-"
81 declare l believe that Colonel
Lewis himself had something to do with
it."
"On my honor, ladies, never saw
Colonel Lewis in my life. What does
he look like, anyhow"
This question was never answered til
about six years later, when l was intro
duced to Colonel Lewis on Pennsylvania
Avenue. He took me to his house in
Georgetown, where l met both the Fan
nys. 1t is no disparagement to Mrs.
Lewis, nor is it base ingratitude, to say
that l love the Southern Fanny best,
for she has been my wife five years, and
Colonel Lewis is my brother-in-la~.-
Harper's magazine.
A