The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1889-01-24
A TALE THAT WAS TOLD.
Written Specially for The SENTINEL

I'm married now''-yes and wss 60
ing away the next day. The Colo
nel's parole had expired and he was
going to leave, taking Jennie as far as
Frederick. You ~see, his regiment
was stationed near there. The city
had been raided several times and
there was danger even then, but they
were willing to run the risk for the
sake of being with each other occa-
sionally.
Well, child, they were gone. We
went living on in the same old way
and it was lonesome enough without
our bright, happy Jennie. Letters
came soon, telling us about the new
home and we were content.
But, in the New Year, little one,
came the terrible time. We heard lu-
mors of an approaching raid. ..Sheri
dan with his wicked men were coming
down the Shenandoah Valley to join
Grant and try to take Richmond.
They said Frederick would likely De
taken. Poor Jennie-poor little wo-
man."
"Why didn't she come back home,
Nathalie, and stay till the war was
overw
"Oh, my child If she had only
never gone away. can't help think
ing that even now.
Well, any way, letter came just
then telling us she was ill and wanted
some one from home. So l went to
nurse her and to bring her back. if
possible. left the hall that morning
and reached Frederick late in the af-
ternoon. You see, I went in the. car
riage and took old Jerry and ,r.Cely
with me. Jerry was to take the horses
back home and Cely wassto stay with
me.
There was great panic in Freder-
ick. The Yankees were expected any
minute, almost. All! it was dread
full time, dear child"
"But, go on Nathalie, and tell me
about Jennie quick-was she so sick,
what did you Go ?"
"Yes-yes, she had been very ill,
and the fright of recent skirmish,
the possibility of raid and the battle
that was to be fought in few days
were doing sad work for her. She lay
murmuring to herself seemed to
be waiting for Col. Carey, and they
were going back home. Her mind
wandered and then a scared look
would come into her eyes when she
would ask :: care they coming
you think there is time yet,
beg me, oh so piteously, to hide the
Colonel's musket.
Maria, her old nurse, told me how,
when Jennie was so i'll, she would
drag herself across the room to take
the Colonel's musket from its place
and hide it-only to take it away fol
a safer place.
"Why didn't Col. Carey have his
musket with him, Nathalie?"
Because when the Colonel was re
lieved of his parole instead of going
with the infantry he joined the mount
ed service and then he gave his trusty
mIsket, that he had used in the begin.
ming of the war, to his wife.
| I remember old Maria telling me
about her hiding it.
"Law missus, dar ain no place whal
dis ere niger ain done seed young
/; Miss put dat musket. 1 clare fo
+, gracious er she ain done look like 8
blessed angel wild her yaller hair 6
streamin' down each side NV her white
face. Night afore las when she com
to me and says-says she, MIRA, eff
doan' live till he comes, give him di.
ere musket. 1 charge you M'ria,-
and l 'clar eff aim done hid it whal
no Yankee never would guess to fine
it, but young Miss she has to hev' i
fotched and hid again."
1t was about a week from that, my
child, when hard battle was Tough
at Five Oaks. We heard there hae
been sharp fighting, and bloody work
The report spread like wild fire tha
the Confederates had been repulset
with heavy loss-killed, wounded ant
missing. We could hear no word O
Col. Carey and 1 feared the worst.
| While sat there trying to maxi
Jennie believe it would all surely b
right, one way or another, there wa
galloping through the streets-ma'
galloping-the Yankees rad takel
the place.
Poor Jennie, her strength was gone
! she lay in a stupor all that day he
poor sweet face was SO wan and pitt
ful. l sat by her all the time. Jus
in the grey dawning she reused a littl
and gasped, ''pray Nathalie" Iknel
down and prayed one of our beauti
full Prayers for the Dying" and whe
/ looked up and the new day was Dor
and our dear child had gore out int
the world everlasting-to meet hin
perhaps, thought.
eNathalia was the Colonel dead
had he been killed OF did he eve
knowY
"Let me go on, child. That morr
, ing some officers came into Frederic
|, and thought l would hear then
} Col. Carey was among the liying-tt
: wounded even-or if we'll, then the
) were together. While / was sittin
] there trying to decide what must |
] done, / heard tramping in the var,
) and how it comes back to me-
: can it be that il happened twent
: years agof
4 There was Col. Carey coming /
the path. How could I tell him
j God tell me howl whispered to M
Z self and went 70 meet him.