The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1880-08-19


the piece when gave her new ones.
Though I did not know it then, those
fatal straps of ruby steel had broken
the neck that day of Robert Lees army.
That time made row about it. ]
felt too badly to 60 into passion. But,
before the women went to bed-they
were all in the sitting-room together-I
talked to them like father. I did not
swear. had got over that for while,
In that six weeks on my back. But did
say the old wires were Internal things,
and that the house and premises must
be got rid of them. The aunts laughed
though was SO serious-and tipped a
wink to the girls. The girls wanted to
laugh, but were afraid to. And then it
came out the aunts had sold their old
hoops, tied as tight as they could
tie them, in great mass Of rags. They
had made fortune by the sale-I am
sorry to say it was in other rags, but the
rags they got were new instead of old
it was real Aladdin bargain. The rag
man had been in a hurry and not known
what made the things 30 heavy. I
frowned at the swindle, but they said all
was fair with peddler-and own was
glad the things were well out of Rich
mond. But when I said I thought it
was a mean trick, Lizzie and Sarah
looked demure, and asked what would
have them do with the old things. Did
1 expect them to walk down to the bridge
themselves with great parcels to throw
into the river, as had done by Julia's ?
OF course it ended, as such things always
do, by my taking the work on my own
shoulders. I told them to tie up all they
had in as small a parcel as they could
and bring them to me.
Accordingly, the next day I found a
handsome brown-paper parcel-not so
large, considering, and strangely square,
onsidering-which the minxes had put
together and laid on my office-table.
They had great frolic over it. They
had not spared red tape nor red wax.
Very official it looked, indeed, and on
the left-hand corner, in Sarah's boldest
and most contorted hand, was written
"Secret SERVICE" We had great laugh
over their success. And, indeed, 7
should have taken it with me the next
time I went down to Tredegar, but that
I happened to dine one evening with
young Norton, of our gallant little navy,
and very curious thing he told us.
We were talking about the disappoint-
ment of the combined land attack. I
did not tell what upset poor Schaffs
horse; indeed, do not think those navy
men knew the details of tho disappoint-
ment. O'Brien had told me, in conf
dence, what have written probably for
the first time now. But we were speak
ing, in a general way, of the disappoint-
ment. Norton finished his cigar rather
thoughtfully and then said:
"Well, fellows, it is not worth while
to put it in the newspapers, but what do
| you suppose upset our grand naval at
tack the day the Yankee gunboats skittled
| down the river SO handsomely 2"
"Why," said Allen, who is Norton's
best-beloved friend, " they say that you
ran away from them as fast as they did
from you" z.--s-.s
"Do they?" said Norton, grimly.
eff you say that I'll break your head
for you. Seriously, men, continued he,
"that was an extraordinary thing. You
know was on the ram. But why she
stopped when she stopped knew as Lit
tie as this wineglass does ; and Calender
himself knew no more than !. We hai
not been hit. We were all right as {
trivet for all we knew, when, skree she
began blowing off steam, and we stopped
dead and began to drift down undel
those batteries. Calender had to tele
graph to the little Mosquito, or what
ever Walter called his boat, and tn,
spunky little thing ran down and got III
out of the scrape. Walter did righ
well if he had had monitor under hin
he could not have done better. o
course we all rushed to the engine
room. What in thunder were they a
there? All they knew was that the,
could get no water into her boiler.
"Now, fellows, this is the end of th
story. AS soon as the boilers cooled of
they worked all night on those suppl
pumps. May I be hanged if they ha
not sucked in, somehow, a long string c
yarn and cloth, and, if you will believ
me, wire of some woman's crinoline
And that French folly of a sham En-
press cut short that day the victory c
the Confederate navy, and old Davi
himself can't tell when we shall haY
such chance again"