Daily Yellowstone journal., 1889-03-15

you are my wife. Do the only thing
hat will make me wish to save my
life-marry me nowp She pleaded
with him to go. mot unless you
promise to be mine" he said; and at
last she said YES" just in time TO pre-
vent his capture by a troop Of lurking
cavalry.
Several weeks later Bryant and
Laura were married in a remote part
Of the state, In the shadow Of the Blue
Ridge. Then Belle suddenly appeared
to depounce the proceedings; "Oh,
how I hate you'll" she said TO Bryant.
''You have lured my sister away from
home and her duty. A man who had
not he,rt enough to fight us, but must
destroy our family by makinga woman
love him, and she-my sister. l am
going to the nearest military post to
deliver you up as a deserter, that you
may be shot to death. That's what
they'll do to you. Then disgrace
will DO wiped out by your blood" II
was plain that the girl meant to do
what she said. So Laura and Bryant
drew her into the house and securely
locked her in one of the upper rooms.
"Now, Lawrence, you must hasten to
the other side of the line" said Laura.
~ will Join you in the north whenever
you tell me-" He started, and at the
gate met Peter Bassett, whom he shot,
for he had no mercy now. Then he
hurried on, soon to be overtaken by
Caucus with a letter from Laura, urg-
ing increased speed, as a party was be-
ing collected to pursue him. Guard
your life" the letter said, ''forit is my
life, my husband"
The journey was a long, tiresome
and perilous one, but at last it ended,
and Bryant and Caucus safely reached
the federal lines at Knoxville. -Four
days later they were in Illinois, at
Bryant's home. He Immediately wrote
Laura via Bermuda, and waited anx-
iously for six weeks, but received no
reply. II was now April Of 1864. The
blockade runners were often captured
or sunk; the letter service of the Con-
federacy was very uncertain. His
anxiety concerning his wife became
unbearable and he went 10 Nassau,
from whence he forwarded another
letter that he knew did not 60 astray,
for the vessel came back safely, and
the captain said he had placed the
document in the Wilmington post
Office. Again he waited anxiously a
month. Still no letter. He wrote TO
other parties and finally received word
to the effect that Laura was alive and
in Columbia, but that was all hat
could be a~scertained. About the same
time he received a letter from his old
chum, Tom Baxter, who held a staff
position in Sherman's army. II was
dated at Atlanta, and told him to come
ON at once, and he could probably soon
be taken very near to his wife.
He quickly obeyed the summons,
and a. soon as the trip could be made
his hand was grasped by Baxter, who
took him TO the chief Of Sherman's
staff. That officer said: "Mr. Bryant,
Maj. Baxter tells me you are an engi-
neer and should be very well &C.
quainted with most of the Georgia
railroads. Bryant replied, "Yes, ]
have assisted in building a good many
of them" The officer remarked,
''Then you should know how TO de.
stroy them" So he was assigned To
duty a. an extra ~aid-de-camp to Gen.
Wood, commanding the first division
Of Logan's corps. Then followed the
famous march TO the sea, and on the
10th of February, 1865, looking across
the Saluda river, Bryant saw again the
beautiful capital OF South Carolina.
He asked for leave Of absence and the
use of accompany of infantry to protect
Judge Peyton's house.
The general cheerfully granted the
request, and the guard arrived Just in
time to prevent the sacking of the
premises. But Laura was not there.
The family had gone into Columbia
for protection. Bryant reached the
town in the evening and sought his
wife without success. Suddenly, to
his horror, he saw that a portion OF
the place was in confagration. lie
FASTENED on, and soon reached the
Pickens mansion, which was rapidly
consumed. Then he heard a shrek,
and, looking up, saw a servant girl
holding a child and calling for help.
He rushed into the flames and brought
the child out. The mother soon came
to thank him.. At sight Of his face
she cried, Lawrence, and fell faint
ing in his arms. The mother was
Laura-the child was his own.-A. G.
Gunter In Glohe-D emocrat