Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1880-07-22

THHHfhiI1 -'IIl T'4 N H7EHiI 20
WHOLE NO. 1902

agent was supposed to be. Meantime my
In the empty Saratoga trunk my position was
| inexpressibly cramped and painful. was
perfectly conscious that the slightest noise /
made would be heard by the husband and
wife in the sitting room. and was unwilling
to disturb any hope the latter might entertain.
that was gone. My plan was to wait till
che was out of the way, and then place my
self at the disposal of her husband.
Meantime solemn silence seemed to set
tie on the house and all the neighborhood.
My nerves had become so excited that could
with difficulty keep myself from uttering in
voluntary cries. Hour after hour heard the
deep cathedral bell Had it not been for the
hope | entertained, In common with the col
onel, of saving Fanny's feelings from shock,
and her wifehood from suspicion, should
have come forth at once, and have made an
| end of my, misery. Sometimes, as all around
me seemed so still fancied that the married
pair had quilted the sitting-room. But l felt
| that if l tried to leave the house, watched as l
knew it to be, my capture on her doorstep
| would compromise her loyalty.
Time moved like eternity. At last the
| morning market wagons began moving, the
dawn came peeping into my retreat. There
was another violent pull at the street door
bell. heard the colonel rouse himself to
answer it. heard Fanny start up to her
feet, while a coarse voice called out loudly in
the passage.
What up by peep of day, colonelp'
Eyes; had report to write up. Clay
pole has left everything in disorder"
II thought I'd let you know, colonel, that
that spy we were talking oflast night is in the
hands of the marshal was mistaken about
his being seen about this place. The police
got On the track of him last evening, and took
him at that nest Of secession, Mrs. Charles
Garey's."
AS the street door closed upon his visitor,
heard Fanny give suppressed sob.
"Then he was not-htm? said her hus-
band, carelessly of grammar at the supreme
moment of reconciliation.
mo, no." she cried. "He said he was
poor prisoner who had jumped off the train"
Poor little Fanny brave little Fan ~ said
her husband, and guessed, though | could
not see, how he was comforting her. "Let
this be a lesson to you not to play with trea-
son. Henceforward leave it alone severely.
You must be one with me, dear wife, and.
such things are not allowable in our position.
Now go and call Bridget, and tell her to get
breakfast. must get to the Office early. And,
Fanny" he added ''tell her 10 slip down the
alley the first thing, and tell Williams, who
owns the dray, that when he has harnessed up
his horse for his days work, wish him to
back up to our side door. / am determined
get rid of everything that belongs to my sister
Fanny. I'll send her trunk away. I'll clear
the house of treason and secession. Tell
Bridget that say so. 1t may be warning to
her, love-"
In half an hour Bridget announced the
dray.
"Send in my orderly" said the colonel,
land see if you can see anything, around the
corner of the policeman"
AS Bridget was executing this order, the
colonel entered the store-rOOm, and closed the
spring lock of the trunk lid.
'Have you the key of Fanny's trunk, my
love?"
II don't know"
"Give it to me" he said, decidedly. 'Since
your man is not the spy, share your treason
for this once, that henceforth you may always
side with me. Ha! policeman, " he added, rs
he threw open the outer door of the store-room,
which opened on the alley, Twill you help the
drayman and my orderly to get this trunk OF
my SISTERS on the dray? She has been sent
South, as you know, and decline to keep her
things. Yes, | suspect it may weigh over two
hundred pounds. 1t is powerful heavy as
you say. But that is the way always with
ladies'"
By this time was hoisted on the dray.
'Now, Williams, said the colonel to the
drayman, 'carry this trunk to Mrs. Legrand's.
She is friend of my sisters, and very
Secesh lady. She will no doubt know what
to do with it, Take the key, and desire her
to open it the moment it arrives. She must
find the way to send it to Miss Fanny if she
thinks it necessary"
call right, sab, cried the voice of the ne
gro drayman.
tainted, suppose for want of air, and
knew no more till found myself surrounded
by Southern ladies in the back parlor of
house we'll known for Southern sympathies
and hospitality. l told my name and story,
only emitting the adventures of the night in
Colonel Lewis's store-room.
''But how on earth did you get here in Fan
ny Lewis's trunk ? The drayman left the trunk
and key, with message that the trunk was to
be unlocked Immediately"
''Ah, ladies'" cried, sit is too dangerous o
secret. | dare not breathe it into the ear of
any one of you"
''But we know all of the dangerous secrets"
pouted one fair lady.
II have no doubt you do, and all Dixie
knows that you can keep them; but this one
you must not ask me"
Il declare believe that Colonel Lewis
himself had something to do with it..
''On my honor, ladies, never saw Colonel
Lewis in my life. What does he look like
anyhow.
This question was never answered till about
six years later, when was introduced to Col
onel Lewis on Pennsylvania Avenue. He took
me to his house in Georgetown, where met
both the Fannies. 1t is no dlsparagement to
Mrs. Lewis, nor is it base ingratitude, to say
that love the Southern Fanny best, for she
has been my wife five years, and Colonel Lew
is is my brother-in-law.