The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1888-06-09

IN i"t 9CPiioiu iN'Ni, anu 'Sif DtN
case it was. Occasionally, when troops
would come into the neighborhood, |
would mount my pony, and ride over
10 their camp and ask 10 have a sur
geon come and see him. Between the
surgeons and my nursing we got him
through the crisis. | nursed him for
six weeks. Then he became GONZALES
cent, and it was very nice to have him
sitting up in an armchair on the We
randa looking SO pale and handsome
| used to sit by him with my work,
and he seemed so gentle and so patient
not at all like he appeared to me
wheu l first saw him riding back to the
barn to 'presf the horses-that l began
to feel sorry he wasn't one of our own
men instead of being nothing but
detestabe Yankee.
On day while was sitting on the
veranda beside him, sewing, he SAID:
"NIiss Molly are you still holding my
horse as hostage2"
"Yes. Ours haven't come back yet"
"Don't you think you could let me
take him when | get well, if | should
promise to go and find your horses,
aud have them returned?'
"I'll see about that when you get
we'll"
He'd been talking already about 60
ing on to join the army, but didn't
think him we'll enough, and didn't mean
to let him go. He couldn't very well
60 without his horse, SO | wouldn't let
him have it.
"What hostage do you require in
token of my appreciation of your kind
ness since I've been sick" he asked.
"You haven't anything to leave. Be-
sides, I've done very little, I'm sure u
He thought moment. Then he
said, somewhat sadly:
eyes there's one thing l can leave
only ore. I'll leave that with you" )"
l couldn't think of anything he had
except his revolver, and | was sure he
wouldn't leave that. 1t wasn't appro-
propriate. l waited for him to tell me,
but he said nothing about it then.
AT last he was well enough to go. AT
least he thought so l didn't. He was
still as weak as kitten, but l saw how
anxious he was, and l didn't oppose
him any longer. So one pleasant morn
ing, when the air was soft and the roads
were dry, l told one of the colored boys
to bring the captains horse round from
the barn.
The captain stood on the veranda
ready to mount and ride away. His
blanket and rubber poncho were strap
ped behind the saddle, just as he had
left them, and his horse was so anxious
to be off that the boy could hardly hold
him. The captain took my hand in his
to say good-by, and looked straight
into my eyes. l lowered them to his
spurs.
you're good GIRL" he said. I'll
not forget your kindness"
Oh, would have done the same for
any one.'
Any one1"
Any one."
Then l asked myself: What did l
want to say that for?
81 leave you the hostage l spoke of, -
he said, "but it is very poor return for
so much Kindness-a mere bagatelle. P"
l could have bitten my tongue off.
He was going to make return-to pay
for what had done for him.
you'll find it," he added, 'if you
have the shrewdness to guess where it
is"
With that he gave my hand pres
sure, and looked long and steadily into
my eyes. Then he mounted his horse
and rode away without once looking
back.
As soon as he had gone l commenced
to think what he could mean about
leaving hostage. l was sure he
wouldn't offer anything very valuable.
He must know | wouldn't like that ;
but thought he might leave some little
trinket for me to remember him by. |
ransacked the room he had occupied,
looking into bureau drawers, into closets,
any place the ingenuity of man could
find to hide anything. l even looked
behind the pictures hanging on the
wall. Then | went all over the house
from attic to cellar. Not thing could
l find. Then l recalled his words, "It
you are shrewd enough to guess where
it IS, and went all over my search again.
At last l gave it up. ga pretty way to
treat me-" l grumbled, latter taking
care OF him so long p 1 vowed that
if ever l should see him again he
should tell me whether he had really
left anything and what it was.
j: x x
News came of terrible fighting at the
front. Stragglers, broken-down horses,
mules, wagons, ambulances from which
now and then a ghastly face would look
out, kept gong by day after day fol
several days. The yard, The barn, the
kitchen, were full of men. The first
day they drank up all the water in the
we'll Then regiments marched by al
most as fast as when they were making
| their forced march south. They passed