Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1880-07-22
tFrom Harpers MagazineIl,
CLOSE QUARTERS.
YOU'RE hiding rebels in the house
Wiout the leave o. me-" y.t,.--

Scottish Ballad
l am Georgia gentleman, and served the
South during those four crucial wears which
one side calls ''our late struggle for independ-
ence, and the other stigmatlzes as as "the re-
belllon." In sklrmish before Fredericks-
burg was taken prisoner, and was sent North
with squad OF fellow misfortunates to Point
Lookout. Thence, after while, number of
US were transferred to Fort Delaware Dur
Ing the journey, while the train was running
at slack speed, about fifteen miles from Bati-
more, managed to jump off of it. | took
the leap literally In the dark, not KNOWN g
where was going to land for it was growing
dusk, and the day was the I'd of February.
There was snow upon the ground, and slip
ped as struck the track, rolling over and
over until brought up in snow-drift below
steep embankment, and saw the lights of
the receding engine flashing round curve in
the road. As soon as could rally my wits,
! gathered myself up, and turned my face
toward Baltimore. .,..,t,t &, ..,I, r..i ,1t..a,,
Alter walking a few miles saw the hazy
glow that hangs at night over large city.
| had never been in Maryland I had no
acquaintance there. / had no money, and
felt faint for want IF food but knew that
Baltl more was sort of outwork to the South
ern Confederacy, and that l was likely to
find aid and sympathy amongst it's women :;
|
clear OF any men met, as most Of those who
favored the Confederate cause had gone al
ready into the Southern army -~
| AT Point Lookout | had observed several
letters directed by some of our prisoners to
Miss Fanny Lewis, 1874 Reade Street, Balti-
more. AS walked on I kept repeating this
address over and over. l had no idea who
Miss Fanny Lewis was nor, for that matter,
had my friends at Point Lookout, though they
were in the habit of addressing her, according
to the prison etiquette, as "My dear Cousin. :"
They only knew she was a charitable lady who
sent boxes of good food and cast-off- clothing
to the prisoners, while they in return made
rings for her out of their coat buttons, and In
laid them with mother-ot- pearl cut from their
shirt studs.
entered Baltimore toward the east, and
presuming on the universally of that great
law, westward the course of fashion takes
its way, walked OH until l found myself
about half past nine o'clock, in what seemed
fashionable quarter of the city. Presently
| reached church-a Roman Catholic church
| presumed, from the cross upon its front
and l observed that several ladies who came
cut OF it had prayer books with gilt crosses in
their hands. l knew we'll enough that the
Roman Catholic population of Baltimore was
Southern to a acomaan, and almost to man.
L followed these ladies, and contrived to stop
them without frightening them. / conclude
they felt was gentleman by my address,
and were not influenced by the clothes philos-
ophy. l asked them to tell me the way to
Reade Street. They gave me clear but brief
directions. l raised my hat and walked on
striking into shadow whenever I could, and
fearing the glance of policeman | made
my way to Read street, and pulled the bell of
1874. 1t was house standing in garden a
little back from the street, and an alley ran
along one side OF the lot. An Irish servant
girl answered my summons. That was a
good omen. Irish servant-girls were all SYM
pathizers in their way
''Can l see Miss Fanny Lewis for q mo-
| ment?'
"No; Miss Fanny's sent off -gone away.
The masters come home. Maybe our other
Miss Fanny would do for we. ....
'Let me see her, said
She opened the door of sort of library or
side sitting-room turned up the gas and left
me there. looked at my torn clothes, my
Drowned hands, my haggard face, and un-
shorn beard and hair; for there was large
mirror over the fireplace. A stood waiting,
l wondered what impression should produce
on that other Miss Fanny when she came.
Presently the door opened. A small blonde
woman entered. She was about twenty-five,
with very pleasant face. She looked as
frightened as felt myself to be- Closing the
door carefully, she came up close to me, with
| out word.
| 'Who are your" she said trembling.
| Madam" answered, 81 am Major Dan
gerfield, of the Confederate service / know
Miss Fanny Lewis to be lady very good to
our poor fellows at Point Lookout l know
nobody in Baltimore. come to ask your
advice and protection" And told her MY
| story.
"Oh!" she cried, 81 am the wrong lady !:
| you expected to see my sister-in- law You
have run yourself into the greatest danger.
| My husband, Colonel Lewis. has just received
staff appointment here, under the major
| general commanding in Baltimore. He does
not allow me to have anything to do with
treason or disaffecton He is Federal off,
cer'
Il beg your pardon, madam l said, taking
| my hat; II will go away at once"
mo, no." she cried, wildly, running to
the window as the bell rang. ''It's too late
hear my husband That's him on horseback,
with his orderly. He has only been in Balti-
more few hours, and Fanny was sent away
South before he came. &c in there-quck!
| she added, as mans footsteps sounded in the
hail.
| She opened an inner door, and entered a
| sort OF large closet Or store room. It had no
| window, but was lighted by kind of fancy
| lattice-work at the top of the partition that
divided it from the sitting room. Besides the
door through which l entered, it had two
| others. l softly tried them both, and found
them fastened The place was sort of ante
| room, now used as a store closet 1t had
shelves in it, and trunks and packing cases,
broken articles of furniture, linen laid up in
lavender, and ladies dresses hung on pegs. 1t
was lighted by a glinlmer of gas from the sit
| ting-rnOm ...t
My darling Fanny !"' said voice and I
| heard kisscs-kisses as natural as if the man
had been Sentherner and not blood thirsty
| Yank, whom was bound to hate, to iniure,
| and despise. ,I ss.....ss,-- ......f
'Why. what's the matter, love ?" I heard
him say to her 'tHave you had chill
You, are trembling all over. You look--I
don't know how you look What is it, my
sweet FAM"
''Notning. What could it be P' she an
swered but l. knew from the trenble in her
| voice, that she was unused to deceiving the
colonel. | think. too, that he probably per-
ceived that something lay concealed under
| her nothing, for he did not press her to say
more. He sat down, and think he drew her
toward him. 1895 81 af4' % @ 7
This is comfortable" he said 'ssThis is
| home. This is better than campaigning. l
have had worrying day. Claypole" q judg-
| ed that was his predecessnr) ''has left every
thing in disorder in department and that bust
ness OF Fannys has annoyed me beyond meas
ure. 1t lays me open to suspicion, and have
had local politicians at me all day. How Fan
ny could have been SO indiscreet, So unnindful
OF what is due to my postion! She seems to
have been forever doing something that hover
ed, to say the least Of it, upon the verge of
treason. hope, my Fanny, you have had
nothing to do with her proceedings" 7'a3 r.
I t'No, no, indeed u cried his wife. vehement.
ly,l with an accent of sincerity. II have al
| ways been SO very. careful, because" Here
she came to sudden pause. Il suppose the
recollection that she had Major Dangerfeld.
of the Confederate service, hidden in her store
closet, broke unpleasantly upon her She
added, in lower tone, and with different
accent, Il would not compromise you for the
world"
II wish Fanny had had the same considera-