The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-01-31


as the cars sped along, which was at last ended
abruptly by the conductors cry: Efingham;
twenty minutes for supper; ST Louis passen-
gers take the next ear forward"
Sorry to leave you, sab, said Cauldwell as
the two gentlemen left the cars; but go on
to Mississippi" And after hearty meal
Cauidwell gave his new acquaintance an un-
usually cordial goodbye as he returned to the
Cairo car. while Adams took the Vandalia line
for ST. Louis And for some miles, as the di-
verging trains few over the prairie, each
unused thoughtfully Of the other.
.Strange,n thought Cauldwell, "that
should be SO drawn TO a total stranger / have
cer4ainly met him before He appears too
young to have been IN the army: and if ] did
not meet him there where did i hear that
voice Why did not learn his name?
But Captain Adams knew his man. he had
seen him before, and he well knew where.
/" But could Colonel CauidWel be, indeed, the
brother of Miss GenevieYe? / must ask the
'0ld Philosopher Charteryale VIII, ofcourse,
know, as they say he knows everything. But,
then, he is her uncle, ] think, and Of course
he knows
Cauldwcll was mistaken. Seth Adams had
not been too young 10 be a soldier in the war
for the onion. though he was still not thirty
years old. When he entered the service as a
lieutenant OF engineers he was not vet eighteen.
though from his tall well-deyeioped and manly
appearance. no question had been raised as to his
age. AT the time Of this incidental meeting
with Colonel Cauldwell, Adams was sufficiently
changed from the youthful soldier of 1862 TO
account for the colonels failure to recognize
him. And when Cauldwell looked upon the
robust man six feet in height, with moustache
and flowing beard. and expressing in voice and
manner and entire address the calm confidence
Of assured manhood. he failed to see that he
was that Young lieutenant Of the Union army
TO whom he owed the highest possible obliga-
fi0n. Nevertheless, he looked upon the fine
figure. the fair skin. flowing light-brown hair,
and large cordial, honest deep blue eyes Of
Adams with an admiration which il was u OF
wont 10 extend 10 any man. But the voice it
was which impressed him most lie had,
indeed. heard that voice fifteen more years
ago; and il afterwards haunted him from its
unexplained familiarity when he heard it
upon the train. But there are voices which
strike US with familiarity when heard for the
first time; when we curiOusly wonder when
and where we heard them before And such
voice had Adams.
Captain Adams was now civil engineer, had
assisted in the construction Of the great steel
bridge AZ St. Louis, and was proud TO have held
even q subordinate position in that wonderful
work, where the great river had been beaten
upon his own ground and the vast piers had
been sunk through thirty yards Of Mississippi
mud To the solid rock. And now, when his
train had reached East ST. Louis aud he-for
certain rcasOns-was crossing the Father of
Waters upon the steam feTryb0at, he looked
down toward the great steel arches which were
seen 10 spring from pier 10 pier, prond TO feel
5iIat he, TOO, had wrought in this grand triumph
Of engine ring even though his place had been
subordinate one 1T was 6 o'clock at night.
= round moon was coming up over the Aneri-
can Bottom, and throwing a silyery radiance
81.
eastern aspect Of the greatest trans Mississippi
city. steamer was rounding out from the
crowded landing, and went whizzing By, down
through tho bridge piers and away. Others at
the wharf were ringing their bells or blowing
their deep-toned steam signals. while above the
city itself the gaslichts from the streets and the
beams OF the rising moon c0Inmlngied IN strange
glamour III the overspread canopy Of smoke.
Arrived al his hotel, be went to his room,
wrote the following note put dispatch-stamp
on the envelope, attached a small package 10
the note and took il himself 10 the hotel clerk
70 be sent out by messenger-boy in the morn
ing:
PIAsTERs HousE, p. m. Tuesday.
DE- y. CaARTERvAIE. Hermitage,
Near Sbaw's Garden
Nr Dl-kR SIR: ] examined the tooth Of the
EephQs Amerfca5s7ss IN the natural history rooms
at Chicago tins morning, in careful comparison
with yoIr specimen. and have no hesitation in
saying that your fragment belonged TO the extinct
AitsrIeal elephant return your interesting fos
sl herewith and viii thank sou for line
lNnoNlecgsng the receips, as il is too valuable 70
lose
II occurs 10 me 70 ask II your young lady friend
wllom frs, INC; ~ yoBr house, has relatives in
11lssiss fs1l aliuce. Of course 10 Miss Eaaidaell
Your friend, SETH adams
By O'Clock next morning this nete-which
SO reseIabled woman's letter, with the most
important item in the postscript-was at The
Hermitage and IN the hands OF Dr. Charter
Mo-
home play prime parts IN this narrative and
the rga5cT VII lind j. 10 his interest 10 accept
AZ introduction now.
william Chzrtervale was born at Cincinnati.
oi English parentage, about 1910, and at the
era oi our story was nearly sixty-seren years
Old Hestudied medicine and graduated IS soon
as ne was OLD enough; Was a great student. not
only of his special department. but OF general
science ln al lis phases, aud Of literature and
tlie aIts- Hungry fo- knowledge. he sought 1t
Ia counuess ways, and 0iecsJed al the vast
mas which be aevouEed. At the breaking out
ol the war for the Union he left his extensive
practice at ST. Louis where he had arculnn-
latcd a fortune and went into the Union army
rs a surgeon. At the close Of the war be bniit
1or himself thai large and beautiful home Ia
tac SUBURBS Of st. Louis. known As The Her.
mifAee.7 and gave himself up almost wholly
20 scientific pursuits. Genial. kindly. courte-
ous e aii, isrDearing and universally tolerant
tAp |-a tls-11j4i AS MS afiEDQS delight
Cd 90 cali hiln) was esteemed BIZ all who knew
him Personally. he was Of medium hcight
and somewhat robust: head large with alum
dance II nowing bat not curling3 dark brown
haiE, now toached with gray; forehead high
and broad, with large blue-gray eyes looking
out from under prominent brow. and face
70 matcA-i iAey never wore a fr0wR
SHcb Nas the master Of The Hermitage And
as the .nan, SO was his home and its appoint-
1nents and surroundings. Out doors-fraits.
toHers vines, arbors weli-cropt swards, grassy
banks and pleasant walks: inaOors-besides
domestic apartments and farniture-llbrary
consergaterles. cabinets Of fossils and recent
shells. ART room. and a weil-siocked laboratory
with 20 end nf philosophical instruments and
miscellaneous curi0sities. Nor were any of
These things for mere show. DIR. Charteryale
was familiar with them all. IN the laboratory
was inl microscope. and I'd the cupola at the
top Oh the great stairway. good six-inch tele-
scope. the instruments forming, as the doctor
was fond cf saying, the outpost sentinels of
BuIBsll knowledge"
When IL. Chartervaie opened and read the
Dote which Captain Adams had dispatched to
him Oh the night previous, he smiled as he
turned 70 his little black-eyei sister to whom
De lad always coniided al family affairs aud
handing the letter to her, said:
The small end Of this letter is the heaviest ;.
"oh, said Annie: . il IS from Captain adams.
knew he would take pleasure ia making The
investigation FOR YOU"
tsA-t.e- l,f hn .i...t \. Ia