The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-07-28
PRISON ROMANCE.
.,,by and Castle Thunder in the
Hands of the linton Men.
A PRISONER OF STATE.


sDonsibiliiies imposed by General Pa'rlck
or6pr. I. for The ensuing eight months, was
!, poSjtion 10 know ~ much that mas
,,c,er been given to the public, much OF
roo, drama and tragic Incident hidden from
,bo caze OF other men. l remember now.
on the evening following my succession OF
Coiorcl ,)ydway. sat with that officer IN
my nriyate Office discussing certain matters
rciaiiye 10 priSOn.inauagcment, when an
ORDERLY opened the door ana announced
40 ladies Invent forward into the room
Tor no recerii0n Of visitors. TWO ienaie
G.,ur,s beavilv yelled, and dressed IN TIE
deenest black, met me. But the sombre
S,srh ala NOT suffice 10 conceal the hnc>t
forms had ever seen At the South. ana the
,.oirc of her no addressed me was one OF
,boSe soft, clear. mellow tones that most
characterize The true lady OF the Ola DO
I'VE wan, to see Judge Onld--he Is
prisoner" She. with some hesl'auon' eN-
81 cannot allow you that favor at inns
hour In the day." rather reluctantly IT,
piled. 800, nine, >,
There was indignation in the voice.
"Thc prison rules pre-"
y
Won have the pOwer-not for any other rea-
son. We are weak; you are strong. We
ak fsyor--nO. we demand a highland
Won aic pleased annoy us. Brave soldiers!
The scorner Of helpless women. Colonel
Ordwav, had expected better than this Of
YOU: but Yankees
You speak too hastllv," interrupted.
81 only insist that prison rules shall not he
broken. Come tomorrow before noon and
YOU shall have the privilege YOU ask. How
ever" continued. edo not charge my re-
fusal 10 Colonel Ordway; am not he"
Then, where j. hep | want TO see him
| did not ask for q Subaitern."
COLONEL ALBERT oRDwAY.
Ordway came forward from the inner
room and was about 10 explain that he had
been superseded q commandant Of The prl-
sons and that my aclioA was just, when
Of sudden there came a change in the
unfortunate visitors address. Her anger
seemed 10 have all passed, and sweeping
by me with an mir the superb bauShtl-
nc,S OF which | have never seen since
fOualicd, She threw back the veil that
lad been kept down in my presence, and
thick and fast came eloquent entrcatles
for interference ln her behalf. IL was
beautiful face. and such eyes! Ny officer
friend was vi,ihly affected by her appeal,
and could easily see that had il been mere
maiicr OF option he would have Joined his
voice with her'> in petitioning that her re-
quest be granted. A. it was. however, he
told her that the hour for allowing inter-
views with the prisoners was past. "Wait
until tomorrow" be added, "as Captain
sch0onmaker advises, and you shall then be
allowed what YOU ash
DO you promise this, Colonel Ord
way :"
"Captan SchoOrmaker has promised it,"
De answered. land l pledge you that he
will keep his word.
She babe him goodbye, and as She pass
I'd me near the doorway OF the outer Of
ice down came her heavy veil-ihat mark
Of di.resIcct TO The Federal which southern
women most delighted TO exhibit. This
lsdv had departed from an almost universal
rule in her conversation with Colonel Ord
way, wherefore was altogether unable 10
surmi.e. Later, however, learned.
MARRIAGE BELLS.
The next morning she and her compan-
ion put IN an early appearance, and so did
Colonel Ordway. a guard brought down
the prisoner they desired to see-Judge
Oud. II Virginia. These two ladies were
the early DAYS Of the war. In 1862 they
lad been arrested in Washington as south
ern spies and sent under guard to New
England village. and there held in arrest,
being under parole TO make no effort 10 es-
cape, ard pedging 10 IN nOwise betray the
reason OF their detention. 1t was choice
between this parole and Vermont Jail.
They were connected with the first families
Of The South.
Ou!d had only been recently arrested Be
fore the war he had ranked a. the leading
lawverof Virginia, and been foremost among
those who had championed the cause OF
the ConiedCracv. Throughout the war he
had occupied the position OF Rebel Com
missioner Of Exchange. 1t
was soon after my pleasant experience 10
accompany the Judge one afternoon TO st.
PaHfs Episcopal church, where Jen. DAVIS.
worshipng few months before, had been
stricken by General Lees dispatch an
n0uncng that the lines were broken
about Petersburg. But this visit had
not 10 DO with war or wars Ca
lamities. There Was wedding party
and the bride was she who had visited
ne en- that 10Th day OF June and turned
from me to Ordway, and be it was who, adj
Vancing with her 10 the altar, became her
end in Just this; and later Mrs. Ordway
was frank in her admission that her meet
ing with Colonel Ordway was case OF love
al lirsi sight. That gallant officer had adj
mitled as much on bis own account long
time previously. "That was the reason"
she coyly acknowledged, &" threw back the
veil 10 him that | kept down before every
other northern man.
Colonel OrdWay and | had been fast
friends; he was model man. even as he
was model soldier.
On the evening OF july Il, 1860, ! went
down 10 the old Richmond Theatre, and
was iniaested in little love comedy,
when, suddenly, IN the midst OF the first
act. my attention, with that Of the greater
part OF the audience, was attracted by the
canking Of a sabre down the aisle. 1t was
not customary for any OF the troops in the
city - wear side-arms, and thus the equip
ncnis Of this man eYinced that be was from
anOlber point. He marched-atlended by
an Ordcry-dirCci e. General Terry's box,
on The let OF the ball, and a moment later
q SIAN officer approached me with instruc-
lions 10 come 10 the same place. |
obeycd, was introduced 10 the strange
officer. and by direction OF General
Terry followed my newiy-made acQuaint-
ance from The hail. A carriage was await
ing Us at The door. and il was not long be-
fore we were put down at the headquarters
Of General Terry-tbat residence which a
few years previously the State OF Virginia
had presented 10 Jeff. Davis as a token Of
esteem. Entering a private room my COM
paniOn said 10 me:
Captain Schoonmqlpr I coma direct lv