The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1888-12-07
CHAPTER EIL

Oar ancc5tor5 u7ei to chuclilc hugely
over the joke Mrs. Glass pcrpctrated in her
famous "BOols OF Cookery" when she an
nounccd that you mu15 catch your hare be-
foro You proceed % cook him, and Harry
found himself in much the same position as
tho worthy matrou's readers. He must
fret catch his hare. And the hare in qucs-
ton proved 10 be Of such q shadowy char
actor, that after two days hunting he was
compelled fer tho present 10 give up tho
pursuit
OF course he at once left Mrs Platts
house Hc felt like a dIscOrdaut clement
in the homc-circlc, for 10 i3 not very pcas-
ant thing for man u 8it at the samo table
18th ladies' whose son gad brother he is de-
tcrmincd TO bring 20 tho gallows.
But, though no learned many particulars
concerning tho widows son, who was de-
carcd By several who know him TO be no.
torious scoundrcl, who had been drummcd
out OF the regiment in which he had en-
listed, and was now supposed 10 have
drftcd utterly to the bad, ho could glcan no
tidings OF his present whereabouts. No one
had seen him. No one wanted 10 see him.
So Harry went bac'; 10 ms regiment at
Harpcrs Ferry without bringing the
scoundrel TO justice.
Then the cry was "Shcridan," Brave,
gallant, dashing Phil was 10 lead the troops
10 victory So under this renowned Gen
oral they turned their faces once moro
westward along the Shenandoah Valley. 1t
was hot work for the cavalry Little Phil
kept them well in advance, exploiting and
developing the enemy; but for tIac not
closing with him IA delay which caused
Grant somc auEicty, for hn Camc in person
20 see how matters stood, but was so salts
fed with his lioutcuancs perfect prcpara-
tons, that ne won't back TO hls post at
Petersburg.
But ono day the crisis came They wcro
near the quaint old city of Winchester and
struck the Confederate army at the ford Of
the river
"Thrco5 about, men, ,chargcr cried Colonel
Brewer who commanded Harry : regiment,
and the gallant squadron dashed hcadlong
on the foe, driving them back TO the very
verge OF the city. The infantry met the
Confederate cavalry, and their long line
never waycrcd But suddenly from behind
low wall uprosc the enemy four deep, and
literal sheet Of flame flashed on the strug-
Cling horsomCn, who fell back as best they
could, only to give place to the solid massE 3
Of Federal infantry, which moved steadily
on, driving AN before them. But in the
very flush of victory the gallant Brewer,
generous as hc was brave, poured out hs
life upon the battlefield. Harry stood by
his side whom the dcath-blow was dealt him.
Ithappcncd thus: \ man threw up his arms
to surrender an appeal that was never
mudc in vain to Brewer even as he
lowered his sword, shot him through the
heart.
This gave the command of the regiment
TO Harry.
In the days that followed they had many
n brush with Muscby's guorlias. who hov-
crcd round them, over ready to harrass thom
and impede their movements I'm fact be-
twccn Custcr's brigade and these Nirginiau
irrcgulars "a bitter vendetta existed, which
Cutallod deeds of relentless cruelty on
either side that the pen Of the historian
would taiu pass 10y in silence. Ii was moth
ing strange o. fluid u comradc dead ON tho
ground with % ticket marked Blood for
Blood ' pinned ON his coat; though il is
said that Noscby did acknowledge the sign
Of FrCcmlsonry, and many n man owed his
life 10 the fact that he belonged to tho
brotherhood.
The Union forces tried t) mako their way
90 ChurpttCsyillc, but found the gaps so
fun of the enemy that the attempt failed.
One day a man crossed the river, and
seeking audience with Custer, told hmm that
he was Union refugee, and that at the
back OF uCi rhboring hill was rebel sup
ply-train almost unprotected.
Harry was ordered 20 take his regiment
aud capture it lie crossed the fort and
rode n mile along the river bank.
suddenly ne pressed forward to speak "a
the guide, who WAS riding beside the adj
vance guard. As he did So, tho man
dropped from his horse ANA made a sue
cvesful dash into the wood, but not So
quickly that he could not recognize I'm the
fleeing peasant the figure of the trcachcr-
Gus Canadian, Alphousc LcCroiN. Instinct.
lively he halted his mon 10 retire. but a
whole brigade of the enemy was pouring
down the hillside 10 cut him on from TIC
ford
Custer saw his dilemma and advanced 10
the rescue just then colorcd man IN
rags and tDttcrs ran 20 Harry ana cried:
"DCro's a ford up &c ribCr, boss, not two
miles away. Clar 20 goodness, boss, is
| truc-Izc no lyiu,"
Forward! Trot 20 was the command.
And surely it was as the negro hai told
him. They reached the spot ia safety, goi
back 20 their own lines again, and moved
towards the east
Oh. the stern necessity of warl To pro
/ toc' the city ~ Washington. an tho faii
valley of thc Shenandoah must be stripped
/ and laid dcsolatc houses and barns burned
crops aud stores destroyed; till,as sheridan
himself said. III "A crow wants o. ilv dowI
7 the valley hc must carry his own provisions
with him." Harry Wuthrops heart ache,
! as he saw the ruin around him.