The National tribune., 1882-04-01

with the bones of Mrs. Floyd's game
| chickens.
The war was in progress, but the country
about Abingdon had known but little of its
worst phases. On the east, west, and north
contending hosts had met in the shock OF
BATTLE but up to the period to which this
story refers no hostile gun had reverberated
among the hills of Beaver Creek, and no
oiue-coat had visited the place except as
prisoner of war. But the invasion of East
tennessee by General Burnside, in the sum-
mer OF 1868, drove the odds and ends of
Buckner's command before his advancing
army far up into the valley of the Upper
tennessee They came upon the peaceful
inhabitants of Western Virginia Ikea cloud
OF grasshoppers They ate up every green
thlng, and did not stop at that. Meat-houses,
chlcken-houses, granaries, and corn fields
were emptied of their contents as if by magic.
In the course of time wandering forage
tram parked for the night upon the prem
lses OF Mrs. Floyd, and that same night
CAME by special invitation, the commander
OF the department of West Virginia, GEN
eral Sam Jones, to spend the night at the
hospltable mansion of the widow of his old
friend. On descending to the breakfast
room on the. following morning sight to
move the stoutest heart presented itself to
the eyes of the gallant general. His hostess
was in tears She was inconsolable. Through,
broken sobs she related to her sympathizing
visitor the story of her wrongs. The ma
rauders had taken all her corn, but that was
nothing; her meat, that was a baeatelle,
money could replace these. But her precious
chick 's-the beautiful legacy of her de-
parted husband-could never be replaced.
Ihe Vandals had not left even an egg with
which she might hope in new generation
TO see reflected the symmetrical proportions
and glossy plumage of the loved and lost.
All the chivalry of the soldier was aroused
at once in the breast Of the general by the
sight OF woman in distress, and as she re-
lated with quivering lips how the quarter
master, when he found that his supper and
that OF his companions had been made upon
such rare and costly viands, had offered to
pay for the chickens at the rate of paltry
three dollars Per dozen, his anger was stirred
within him twenty-five cents apiece for
chickens worth twenty-five dollars each.
An hour later I" a solitary horseman might
have been seen" vending his way towards
Abingdon. A casual observer might have
noticed nothing unusual in his handsome
features, but beneath calm exterior the fire
OF grim purpose was smouldering. Call
ing his adjutant, he dictated an order and
moment later the clattering hoofs of horse
rapidly ridden by an officer were heard on
the road leading in the direction of the Floyd
An hour later came deputation
Of citizens to headquarters. A prominent
preacher, Rev. Mr.. Hutchinson, an
army chaplain, had just been arrested and
placed IN jail, in company with quarter
master and number of wagon drivers. They
asked for his release. The general could not
be moved. Mrs. Floyd came and plead for
The libertyof her spiritual shepherd. The
general was inexorable. He had been i'm
pElsoned for stealing chickens; he had ac-
the olfense, and he should be
like the rest with weeks impris-
in the county jail. And it took
special order from the war department to
-aleaca him