The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-05-30

did not knew how TO answer, for IA my
aaind subject wasa blank. My situation
as convalescensvasvoe agreeable to leave
room for care about tae futore, and had
thought Of my army belongings az all it
would have been to conclude that they were
slowed safe Ia some closet 20 be ready on call
The farmer xe22ed into the cottage door
nodding to the e3cer to follow, and, suppos-
ing that my conclusion was 60 be proved cor
rect, started TO follow them a1d change the
color of my clothes, for kaeE that was in
the hands of the patrol from the fort and my
holiday from soldering WIS over. Allie kept
her great tender eyes riTeted On me, wonder
and anxiety revealing something deeper, and
telling me that was ali IN al TO her. Clasp
ing both her hands n mine looked her frank
II In the face and saids <YOa are q true Vir-
gilman, and when Virginia Is once mere Union
viii come again" Vita my eyes and q
pressure OF the hands promised still more,
kissed her burning cheek aad hasten ed after
the officer and his guido
Everything owned had been buried deep
IN the ground; the farmer had done it to
avoid the prying suspicion OF INSCRIPTIONS
Secesh neighbors When ne dragged them
out the lieutenant eyed each piece to see that
they were parts of ons whole, and when I
stood up fully clad and equipped he said, dry
ly, "All right my boy; but this viii have to
be better explained some day"
went rapidly to my regiment, all the way
under provost escort. The two butternut
prisoners were convicted of desertion from
the Union army and sent to breaking stone
for the rest of their terms OF service. Our
4ba
that he had in his camp chest commission
for me as reward for bravery in front of
Richmond, but before I could qualify as an
officer the charge Of desertion made by the
provost marshal's Office must be cleared up.
How account for the time between my de-
parture from the fort and arrest by the pro-
vostl The patrol lieutenant kindly forward
ed the farmers statement with his indorse-
ment that the Virginian was worthy man,
but was politically on the fence and obliged
to be friendly to all kinds, even to renegades
and guerillas.
My colonel sent to the til Michigan to Sc
cure Allard's testimony about my losing the
path and the consequences OF that mishap;
but the answer came back that he had been
discharged the service of the United States;
present whereabouts unknown"
fingered In the guard house for weeks.
My case was published in the army and
was on the point Of yielding to the regular
course of justice, which to me would mean
eternal disgrace, when a stranger in civilian
clothes was admitted to my quarters. In Q
few moments identity was established to an
swer the points of law, and | walked out an
honest man with commission in my hand
The civilian witness had heard Of my case
by accident way out in the northwest woods,
had traversed q long wilderness route on foot
and incurred great expense TO save my SOL
dier reputation and honor after so noblY saw
ing my life in the swamps. He was the trav-
eler whom l had avoided on Hampton pike.
The tide had cut him of in the little orchard
peninsula that summer night and in his wan
behring's he had found me where had fallen
IN a fever chill, and then alone had dragged
me to the haven where | was finally nurSed
back to life.
The commander paused, somewhat agitated
and breathless, for the recital had been re-
ceived with an intense interest that reacted
on the speaker and made him all but elo-
quent After a short breathing spell he
tnrned to tie strange couple on the right and
said, Comrades, my story is recalled to me
at this time by the presence with us Of Com
rade Allard, of Michigan, and the true daugh-
ter Of Virginia. who, l am certain, is again in
the Union, for she is the mother of my two
loyal sons of veterans, and for nearly twenty
Eve wears my wife"