Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1884-01-17
A SOUTHERN MAIDEN,
The Way She Treated a Northern
Officer.
Chicago News.

[Chicago News.
Tell us about your Southern maiden,
Captain"
Its nothing to tell" said the Captain,
blushing slightly. On their way from
soldiers reunion knot of old cOmrades-in-
arms had dined at the same hotel and were
enjoying their cigars and swapping stories
with equal relish. IF you will have the
story" continued the Captain, II submit"
"We were in Georgia, marching on vic
toriously, and was detailed with hand
full of men to seize, Search and held
place, half farmhouse, half mansion, it was,
that lay near our line Of march, and was
supposed to contain something cOntraband;
l never knew what, for my orders were
simply to take it, search the place, stay
there two days looking for whatever might
turn up and then rejoin the command.
The place seemed quite deserted at first,
but as we neared the house an old woman,
regular Aunt Dinah sort of contraband,
came out and met US below the steps.
"'Wha' you uns want? she asked suspi-
ciously. oh, we just come to make you
visit replied, as dropped off my horse.
"'Done better sgo long Nobody amt
home and we's not detainin' now
without paying much attention to the
old wOman's talk, stepped upon the porch,
and though she tried to detain me, pushed
her aside and put one hand against the
half open door, and received shock that
will last my lifetime. Slam! The door
was jerked wide open, and right against my
cheek was placed the muzzle of big navy
revolver, and as 1 saw the trigger jerk and
the hammer fall said my prayers very
quickly, for thought it was all up with
me, it was done so suddenly 1 tell you,
when that hammer fell with dull thud,
and nothing happened for second, it kind
of stunned me. Then l grabbed the revOlv-
er, and for the first time realized that it was
girl that had tried so desperately to shoot
me. She struggled viciously, and l am
afraid l hurt her a little, but thought she
might have better luck the next, shot and l
was not quite ready to die then. She was
very pretty, but she did hate Yankees, and
some of the abuse she heaped upon me
really stung me, for l hate to be abused by
any woman, and especially by pretty,
high bred, dainty one as she was. But the
abuse was not the worst. had barely
secured the revolver and freed her from
my grasp when she picked up a pail of
dirty water. with which the black woman
had evidently been scrubbing, and just
doused me with it from head to foot. 1t was
horrible. Dirty, soapy water in my eyes,
face and beard, everywhere, all over my
uniform, and trying to run down into my
boots. And then the woman laughed at
me so scornfully that for a few minutes,
while l was getting clear of the mess, l
ii into ko hn haH
made both women prisoners. When l
finally recovered my temper | made plain
statement of the case to them. told the
young lady-Miss Honey, the woman
called her-that, while | did not wish to
harm them in the least, they should
both be kept prisoners, unless they prom
ised not to make any more such unpleas-
ant attacks upon any of u.s. They finally
promised, but would neither of them speak
to any OF us, or do the slightest thing for
US as long as We were there"
That's not all, captain" broke in a
friend there's much more. Two years
after the war l was down in that country
buying lands for some northern people.
The place looked just the same as when l
was there before. Mr.. Temple had re-
turned from the war minus an arm, and
honey was nursing him. Their slaves were
all gone except that same old woman, and
they were having hard rub 10 get along.
Temple had land wanted and l bought
it, after taking my time about it, and
Honey is my wife now, l promise you
fellows that if any Of you raid my Dear
born avenue home now you will receive
much more gracious reception than l did
the day took possession Of that southern
hnmen