Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1880-08-05

room
"Good evening. Colonel. Good even
ing, madam. | called to tell you, Colonel,
that theresa dangerous character at large
IN Baltimore-a rebel agent on secret
service-and the Provost Marshal has
given strict orders to secure him. If they
catch him, they will hang him-sure He
has been travelling as spy all through
our Northern cities, and is now on his
way back to the South with important
papers and information 1t was thought
he might have come here to inquire about
Miss Fanny. Has any such person been
here, Mrs. Lewis?"
No, sir" said the inexperienced
equivocator, with tremble in her tone.
Have you had no stranger here this
evening"" persisted the visitor.
The answer was inaudible.
"One word with you aside, Colonel"
he said, as he rose to go, drawing Colonel
Lewis outside the parlor door into the
passage. don't want to be disagree.
able TO Mrs. Lewis, but this between
ourselves) the policeman on this beat says
he saw man answering the description
come in this evening at your front door.
| tell you because you would not like a
domiciiary visit from the Provost Mar
shall"
Thank you, thank you. But | am
sure you are mistaken, Mrs. Lewis is a
lady of unspotted loyalty. If there be
any thing wrong, it is the servants who
are concerned"
Colonel Lewis" said the visitor, in a
stage whisper, :" | don't like to destroy
your confidence in Mrs. Lewis, but the
gas was lighted in your parlor before the
blinds were drawn, and the policeman
saw him with Mrs, Lewis standing on
the hearthrug. | hope you'll find it all
az right as you expect, Pm sure"
The Colonel walked to the front door
with his visitor, and came back into the
sitting. room. | knew that he was think
ing, There is no way of exit from this
room but by the door that | came in by
or the closet. She has the man in there"
These local politicians are both low
bred and impertinent," he said, as he
came back to her There would not be
a man with good coat on his back at
large in Baltimore, if all their denuncia-
tions were listened to. Fanny, he thinks
i'll of you. He thinks you would com
promise your husband. He says there is
a policeman watching our front door,
"Oh, Arthur" cried poor Fanny, l
love you so dearly, indeed | do, and per
haps you will not believe mel Oh, why
did Did he say they would be sure to
hang that man, that spy, if they arrested
HIM? ?"
"Yes, and most justly. A spy deserves
no mercy"
con but, Arthur, think of Andre" !.
well, Andre had no right to COM
plain. 1t was the fate of war. 1t was
the stern duty of Washington"
Eyes, dear, everybody says so; but
Arthur, have never been able to love
Washington since read that story. And
the men who gave him up-all women
always hate them"
This is childishness, my dear wife.
Would YOU rather have had West Point
taken by the British, Arnold triumphant
and rewarded, Washington condemned as
the trator?"
"No, no, of course not" she sobbed.
"Oh, Arthur, when | was child our cat
had four yellow kittens. They lived I'M
der the porch, and were very wild. But
one of them trusted me, and used to come
out to me, and | was holding 1t in my
arms one day, when our hired man came
TO me, all bloody, with his AK in his
hand; my mother had said they must be
killed, and he had cut off the heads of
the other three kittens, and | gave him
mine-I let him take ii. | wake up even
now, sometimes, at night, and remember
how cruel | was to that poor little
yellow cat. 1t seems something ike
murder"
Fanny, this is too foolish" said her
husband.
81 know it, | know it," she replied.
" But I really believe | should lose my
reason if | had to do the same thing over
again"
Fanny" he said sternly, "you forget
Yourself | must remember my duty,
whatever you do"
After this there was silence between
them. At length the husband said:
81 have long report to write tonight,
Fanny, and accounts to cast up. | must
sit up very late. My poor wife, go to
bed"
Yes, dear" she answered, submis-
sively. heard keys jingling in her bas-
ket as she moved across the floor.
Mo Fanny" said her husband, stop
ping her; " may want something from
the cellaret Leave me your keys"
"You will kill yourselfw with hard work.
Let us both go, love"
No, no, - said the Colonel "Go your.
self: you have headache"
f." No Arthur" she answered. off you
sit up, | will stay too
at is of no use, Fanny"
Still. | will stay here
If | am going to sit up" said the
Colonel, Il want my slippers
Let me get them" she cried, eagerly
" Sit down"
NO, I'll get them myself. They are
in the closet, know. Is it locked ? No