Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-04-06

selves in the house, while the men were
put in the stables and empty negro
quarters. All was hustle and confusion.
My heart lay like lead in my breast.
Not only did fear for the Federal Off
Ger (for by his uniform / knew he was
an officer), but what would grandfather
think of my harboring an enemyg
True, I did not believe my grandfather
would have turned wounded man from
the door, even Yankee: but he surely
would deliver him up to the authorities
after he recovered.
81 could not get a word with NAM
my. Apparently serene and calm, she
went about preparing food, arraying the
table, waiting on every one. Only once
in passing me she whispered:
"sYou's too white, honey. Done We
be feared; it's all right
"Well, the long afternoon wore away,
and night came. The soldiers were very
much exhausted, for they were on a
long march, and they soon prepared for
rest. As the rain fell in torrents, and
no enemy was known to be within fifty
miles, l suppose they felt more secure
than usual; at any rate, they stationed
but few sentinels, and, long before
midnight, all about the place was quiet,
except the storm, which ragged furiously.
| lay on lounge in the room with my
| grandparents. Liza and mamma slept on
the floor in the same room. [ did not
know how it was with nanny, but, las for
myself, slept little, dropping off once
Or twice in doze, to wake in fever of
fright. How glad was when daylight
came l can not describe, and yet I
dreaded it. What might not the day
bring forth? Breakfast was got ready,
and, just as the officers were sitting
down, a soldier came in and announced
that one of the horses was missing, and
no trace of it could be found. My heart
rose into my throat. [ was waiting on
the table, and for a moment | grew
faint.
81 recovered myself, however, and
kept on as if [ was not interested. The
officers, apparently, attached little i'm
portance to the information, and finished
eating before making much inquiry;
but then there was quite commOtion.
The missing horse was one of their best,
and had been taken, with all his
accoutrements, from under the very
eyes of sentinel. There was no track
ing him, for the heavy rain, which was
still falling, had washed out every trail.
1t was very mysterious; and, after much
swearing and wondering and Intellectual
searching, the troop mounted and left
us, the soldier whose horse had so I'M
tremendously departed riding behind a
comrade.
t'After they were gone grandfather
instituted an inquiry, but with no result,
other than to mystify himself. Nanny
told me afterward that Ben got the
horse with little trouble, as the sentinel
was sound asleep, sitting in the barn
door. Did not even move, Ben said, as
the horse passed him. That he led him
piece down the road, and then Mars
Captain got on and rode off, slowly for
while. sBut I Spec said Ben, she
hurry some arter dat.
ga day or two afterward, Ben, find
ing me alone in the kitchen, took from
his pocket and handed to me small
package, saying:
ss'Miss Nellie, Mars Captain tole me
gin that to you, and tell you keep it fur
him, eos it was his mothers, an, if he
lib, he cum arter it when de war ober.'
81 opened the paper, and found this
ring" holding up her hand, on one
finger of which she wore a plain gold
circle.
"You know that winter virtually
ended the war, and that with spring
came peace. My grandfather took to
his bed when he heard of the fall of
Richmond, and died, they said of fever
but have always believed his heart was
broken. He had lost one son in the
beginning of the struggle, and, with the
news of the defeat of our armies, came
the tidings of the death of another son
his eldest, the hope of his old age. 1t
was more than the poor old man could
bear, and heonly lived few weeks.
My grandmother bore up bravely, and
tried in every way to cheer the rest.
Aunt Emily's husband came home, and
removed her and the children to New
Orleans, where he intended going into
business. Uncle Tom, grandmother
only sou, returned, haggard, broken
looking man, totally unlike the hand
some, light-hearted youth who had rid
den so gayly away from the home, four
years before.
"During all this time we heard moth
nanny and I-of the soldier who |
had left us that stormy January night. |
We often wondered what had become |
of him. felt doubtful whether he ever |
had reached his friends, in his feeble |
condition. But NANNY was more |
hopeful. She insisted that 'he had lots
of pluck, an a mighty good boss. Pend
on it, Ben picked fine one, honey.
Some O. desc fine days he be arter dat
ring
''In April came to US, as to all the
world, the terrible news of Lincoln's
death. l never saw any one more
shocked than Uncle Tom He daolarad
no greater calamity could have befallen
us, and seemed bewildered, and unable
to comprehend why it had been allowed
to happen.
"sIt seems to me- he said to grand
mother, God does not take much notice
Of us poor wretches now
"Dear old grandmother, as usual,
was our comforter. To her loving, rev.
erent heart God was always good, and,
no matter how deep were the waves of
IL IL |