River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1880-07-01
A VIRGINIA ROMANCE.
what Came of Shaping Cavalry
Captain Across the Face.
PHILADELPHIA Sunday Times


what Came of Shaping Cavalry
Captain Across the Face.
Philadelphia Sunday Times.
Driving from the White Sulphur
Springs, w. Va, to Lewisburg, pleas
ant village situated on plateau 1000
feet above sea level, and which nearly
equals in grazing qualities the far-famed
| Kentucky bluegrass region, became
much interested in our driver, loqua-
cious old man, who had passed life
of sixty-five years in the immediate
vicinity. Like many of his kind he seen
better days, having filled the position OF
major-domo in one of the first fun i
lies of Virginia Int least he said so, and
his general department and conversation
went far toward sustaining the allega-
ton. His knowledge of the country and
| its inhabitants was good while the local
| history appeared equally familiar.
''Do you see that old brick house over
yonder, Major?' he said. ''Wait till
we get on this hill-top-there now, do
you see it? Well, away back in the
war times Col. Tilford lived there; the
Colonel, of course, was away with his
regiment. but his family and slaves
were there all the same Now, at that
time some Yankee cavalry were en-
camped right near Lewisburg, and be-
ing pretty hard pushed for grub, forag-
ing parties secured the country at all
times-night and day, fair weather and
foul-there was no rest because of them
The slaves were in mortal fear of these
fellows, for if they didn't bring down
the butter and ham and eggs, why the
troopers would pretend to slit down their
ears-not meaning really to do any
harm to the niggers, but just to make
them work faster.
Toward the close of an afternoon in
October a company of this cavalry, I'M
der Capt. Beamish, rode into Col. Til
ford's plantation. Having been out all
the afternoon without success, they
were not in a very genial temper, and
with a great many explosives told the
slaves they hadn't long to wait; that
they must have so many hams and so
much smoked beef; with chickens, but
ter and milk-all in twenty minutes. |
believe everything was furnished to
their satisfaction; at all events the sol
diers moved off As the distance to
camp was short, Capt. Beamish, who
was very young man and fond of hav-
ing little fun, thought he wo;ild stay
behind ana pay his respects to the fam
lily. He had just entered the dining
room, made his bow and was commenc-
ing to say something about the fortunes
of war compelling him to do that which
he would not be guilty of otherwise,
when Miss Tilford, who had dish
cloth in her hand, let him have it right
across the facet 1t was the funniest
sight you ever saw. There was the
Captain wiping his reeking face and
clothes, and the girl laughing as though
she'd never stop. Mrs. Tilford said:
Have you any shame left, to be going
round robbing defenseless women! If
Col. Tilford was home, somebody
would have been shot for this insolence.
Madam, said the Captain, if you are
in real need of that which we have
taken, | shall Immediately restore it..
And he was as good as his word; in a
very little time his men had not only
brought back the provisions, but APP
ologized to Mrs. Tilford for the annoy
ace they had put them to.
During the stirring scenes that were
constantly being enacted, we soon
ceased to think of this little episode in
the great struggle, and the chances are
it would never have been thought of
more had it not been revised last sum-
mer by the appearance in Lewisburg of
party of three gentlemen from the
North. They came over from the
White, rs you're doing now, and want
ed to be driven to Mr. Randolh's place;
one Of the older gentlemen knew Mr..
Randolph very well, he said, having
been a roommate at college with him
Princeton College, / think-years ago.
You know how it is when two old cron-
les meet after lapse of years; first
they don't remember one another, then
they slap each other on the back and
say: "You look younger than forty
years ago"
"Anybody could tell from such
meeting that Mr.. Randolph would not
let them off that night No. he said,
were going tohave alittle party tonight,
and while you and sit on the porch
discussingsome very excellent Madeira,
which, by the bye, was imported by
my grandfather, the young men can
have chance to compare some South
ern beauty with that of the North, and
I think ours will pass muster. In the
meanwhile, if not too tired, perhaps you
would not object to a short ramble over
my grounds
"Well, the party was a great success,
I've understood; the ladies looked well
and all seemed to be having good
time. After one of the dances Capt.
Beamish for he was one of the North
ern mem, was talking to a group of
ladies about the changes since the war.
The White he said was then a cavalry
barracks, and then the people are so
different Then he told about lady
slapping him in the face with a dish
cloth-he could not remember her
name All admitted him to have been
badly treated, all but the handsom-
est lady in the room, Miss Tilford who
said: at just served you right Capt.
Beamish was SO much incensed at his
treatment that the next day he called
on his old foe; offered himself, was ac-
cepted and married, all in two weeks.
Chats the way we do things down
here, Major; what do you think of it?
A RUSTIC'S MISTAKE.