The sun., 1889-11-07
STORY OF The WAR.

was lying in my bunk smoking
when l first met "Sunny Andrews"
We were quartered in a confscated
restaurant on the shore of Lake
Ponchartrain in the spring of 1864.
My >room looked out on the lake.
Absorbed in my smoke and contem-
plation of the bare-legged creole
scooping up an occasional crab in a
dip net, did not notice the stranger
until knapsack and rifle were
thrown on the bunk and fresh voice
exclaimed: "Pm ordered to report to
you for quarters, sergeant. He was
a handsome youth OF 18 years, above
the medium height; with good square
shoulders, g. bright, dark blue eye, a.
profuslon OF wavy fair hair and a.
clear pink and white complexion.
crawled from under my netting and
asked his name. "My name is Ed.
Andrews, but all the boys call me
: sunny" was the reply.
Further inquiry elected that he was
q member of my own company, and
had been away for some time on de-
tail. From the orderly sergeant 1
learned that Sunny" (his sunny
temperament had given him this ap-
pellation) was the son OF poor down
east clergyman, that his mother to
whom had been devotedly attached,
was dead, and that in speech and &C
tion he was as pure as little child.
"And," continued the sergeant,
"there isn't any man in this regiment
that has got the stuff in him that
Sunny Andrews has. Why, at Port
Hudson when he wanted to go up or
down the line he would hop up on tie
breatworks and trot along with the
Johnnies popping at him not more
than 200 yards off.
My acquaintance with Sunny
ripened rapidly into friendship. The
lines Of discipline were relaxed in our
little detachment, where we had but
asingle commissioned officer. Together
we spent hours in fishing on the lake
from a two-ton centre-board, captur.
ed from reckless blockade runner.
On one of these excursions we lay an
chored on the middle bar. 1t was a
terribly oppressive day. There was
not breath of air stirring. No luck
came to us. 1t was too uncomfort-
able for conversation, and dozed in
the stern sheets. l was aroused by
my companion saying, "Come, SER
geant, We must get out of this" A
leaden bank was moving up the
heavens, and fitful breeze was stir
ring the surface OF the lake. We were
setting sail when "Sunny" cried
"there's blockade runner and she is
ours" Less than half mile away
was a craft, the image of our own,
tacklng to get the benefit ofthe breeze.
Speedily we started in pursuit. The
strange craft took alarm at once, and
pursuer and pursued were headed for
the dim line of the Louisiana shore.
1t was soon evident that our craft
was the superior sailor. A series OF
short tacks, however, made with won-
derful dexterity, kept the stranger
beyond our reach until the dense
growth of the swampy shore was less
than halt o mile away. Her crew
consisted OF two persons, one q fe-
male, and we saw that her figure was
straight as an arrow, and caught the
clear-cut profile of beautiful head
from which a ripping mass OF jet
black hair blew out. The barred arm
was white as marble, but the grasp
on the tiller vas firm, and she execut-
ed her companions command with
the GOODNESS Of q veteran. The wind
died for an instant and then blew
hard and sharp from the north
straight into the heart of the purple.
ish blackness of the coming storm.
The helm of the chase was put up
hard. her sail was thrown into the
wind and she stood square across our
bows, Lying in the bow Sunny
Andrews cooked his rifle. Simultane-
ously the man disappeared from
sight but the girl clung to her post
without tremor of fear. "Sunny''
laid down his rifle and turned to me
with look that made him doubly
handsome. Something new and
strange had entered into his life. AL
the eagerness of pursuit was on him
as we stood about and dashed on in
the wake OF the speeding craft. The
latter struck the mouth of @ marrow
bayou not 10 lengths ahead, and as
we entered the channel "Sunny" drop
ped the sail. The desperate smugglel
sprang to the stern unheeding his
der. At that instant the tempest was
upon us. 1t cut through the trees
with giant strength, it caught the
hoisted sail; the jib boom struck the
smuggler with the force OF catapult
and the boat, saved from overturnine
by the catching of it's masts among
the trees, was dashed against the
bank. Our boat was also driven
ashore, and in an instant Sunny
was on board the prize. The gir
lay in a faint, her hand still clenche6
on the tiller, but the body of the
smuggler struck overheard, had sunk
beneath the troubled waters. "Sun
ny" lifted the girl ashore and soon re
stored her to consciousness, She ask
ed no questions, We brought an avn
!. ing from the boat to protect her from
the storm while we secured the boats
We knew that we must hasten, tol
the storms fill the swamps with It'd,
! forced from the lake, and night, be
fore its time, was coming on apace
We therefore started without delay
Sunny" acting as our fair prisoner
escort, and managed to reach th,
picket post in safety, though we wer,
drenched to the skin and had man,
. narrow escapes from falling trees ant
swollen streams on the way. Th,
station at White house was only
pier with one building upon it con