The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1888-06-22

cho'tciiiS SlDOCIirA DIT liiClH, AIICIi tliSy
must have been Indian or Chinese to
understand. Then more soldiers passed
theshouse from the south, tired, dusty,
grimed, some of them running, some
wounded and tottering along slowly.
All passed in steady stream behind
the forts.
Suddenly a horseman dashed up to
the house-he was all dust and dirt,
and his horse was covered with foam.
He threw himself from the saddle and
came up on the veranda.
Good gracious! the Captain.
Come away from here at once" he
said; our men are retreating; we are
going to make a stand behind the
works. You are directly in range.
Be quick! the fire is liable to open at
any moment"
Then there was a scramble to snatch
a few things. One took a lamp,
another a pitcher, another photo
graph album. 1t seemed as if every
body took the most useless thing to be
found. All except me were hurrying
down the walk to the gate; staid be-
hind. The Captain was trying to
make me hurry. He was stamping up
and down on the veranda and through
the hall, almost crazy at my delay.
"Come, be cuick!n he said, as sharp
as if he were the General himself.
"Captain-' | said, hesitating.
"What is it2'' he asked, impatiently.
"The hostage?'
"What hostage?''
"That you left when you went away;
[ couldn't find it. Must we leave itp''
lie looked at me moment as If he
thought had lost my senses; then he
burst into a laugh.
| never could stand to be laughed at,
and just then it was particularly OBJ
noxious. [ made up my mind that no
should tell me what / had hunted for,
and tell me then and there.
"Never mind that" he said, seeing
that / was irritated. "Save yourself
and it will be in no especial DANGER
"I'll not leave it, whatever it is,n
said, resolutely.
"Come come! this will be battle
field in a few minutes. =
Il won't stir a step until you tell me
what / want to know
"Nonsense!' he said, severely.
The more severe his tone, the moro
resolute became. | stood stock-stiIl.
"For Heavens sake!' he urged, be-
coming really frightened; the gunners
are standing with the lanyards tn their
hands ready to fire.
"Let them fre!'' / folded my arms.
A volley sounded short distance
down the line of forts to the west. The
Captain tried to seize my wrist.
"Do come" he pleaded.
"Tell me what was the hostage" l
said, stubbornly.
"Herep"
"Here.'
ono, no; this is not a fit place to tell
you that. For the love of Heaven do
came away!''
/ vowed 1 would conquer him or die
on the field
you shall either tell me or will
stay here till the battle is over.''
He looked at the frowning forts anx-
iously, then back at me.
"You must knowp''
Eyes"
"Now?"
"Now."
"Well, then, Molly dear, / left you
my heart
l stood as one who sees an engine
coming straight down on him, and
whose limbs are paralyzed from the
suddenness of the discovery. Merciful
Heaven! what had l done? What stu
pidity! The blood rushed in a torrent
to my cheeks; covered my face with
my hands.
"And now. sweetheart taking one
OF my hands from my burning cheek
and leading me away" if you're satis-
fed about the hostage, we won't stay
here any longer.
AS he spoke there was an explosion
in the forts, and it seemed as if dozen
shrieking cats were whirling over our
heads. [ almost wished one of them
would strike me dead The Captain
led me like a child toward the forts
through smoke and noise and confu-
sion. / didn't think of the battle that
was opening; | only thought how inn
modest he must think me, and that he
never would believe / could be so stu
pid as not to know what he meant by
leaving a hostage.
l have had to suffer all my life for
that one mistake. | never can have
my way about any thing; for when my
husband finds all other expedients for
governing to be failures, he Invariably
taunts me with having forced his secret
at the cannon's mouth. f. Il. Mitchell,
am Hu9,11o1.fc TITooEIof