Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1890-05-17
A NIGHTS ADVENTURE.
Why Miss Julia Didn't Want the
City Attacked

The little incident in the war of the
rebellion that | an about to relate has
the merit OF being true, and-as a natu-
raj sequence, perhaps-will be BRET
To substantiate this latter statement, !
will at once begin my story.
After fighting through the fierce bat
tie summers of 1861 and 1862, our reg
iment was ordered into winter quar-
tiers near a pleasant city in the South.
Soon after we had settled down for a
good resting spell, our senior Captain
received orders to report with his com
mand at headquarters for provost mar
shal's" duty.
In a city of the size of the one where
our Captain was provo" his duties
were multifarious. He issued all passes
to civilians to go out of the city, regis
tered all permits to trade granted by the
General commanding, regulated the
hours Of opening and closing all places
of public resort, administered the oath
of allegiance, or took the parole" OF
applicants. He held a police court
every morning, opened a general intel
ligence Office in the afternoon, in the
evening received a report of the officers
of his guard, and later in the night gave
secret audience to his paid spies and
volunteer informers.
During the dav his mind was mostly
taken up in dealing with applicants for
passes. The greatestnumber who asked
for them were colored people, and as 1t
was very seldom that they wore found
abusing this privilege by carrying be-
yond the lines any thing ''contraband
of war;" they we're allowed to go and
come freely.
Among those who called on the Cap
tain quite often for a pass was a young
sprightly mulatto girl, a servant in {
very high-toned family living in the
fashionable part of the city. Mary, a.
the young girl was named, always pre-
faced her request for "A pass to 20 an(
see her friends in the outskirts Of thu
city, Just outside the provo guard, b.
the offering of a bouquet OF the flower
that were to be seen in every garcel
plot, or, as the season grew later, b,
bringing one of the superb magnolia
for which the city was famous.
The other staff officers used rather t
envy the provo those creamy-whitc
Acknowledgment blossoms, surround
ed by glossy, dark-green leaves, ant
they chaffcd him about Mary's decide,
preference for himself; but he took thei
iokes-as he did the 1owers-with good
natured indifference.
One day, however, as Mary handle
him her customary Offering he was see
to gaze at it more intently than usua'
and then to drop it into his desk, whic
he locked, and then to appear somewha
confused. The next morning he was a
cool as ever, and handed Mary the pa,
she asked for with a ST. lie and p~leasan
Eyes, certainly"
Some of the younger staff officer
noticing the captains curious care fC
the flowers, agreed that he-the quie
staid provo-had ian affair on foo
and they would have tried oind out a
about it, but during the mex few dal
there was a complete change in the di
position of the forces guarding the cit
and in the hurry and hustle Of carryir
orders here and there and in placir
some heavy re-enforcements that n
pectedly arrived, the episode of ii
magnolia was forgotten. And still, b
tween the reception of that flower al
the movements of troops, there was
intimate connection, which many yea
afterward the captain explained as fC
lows:
When Mary handed me the flower tn
day ! looked up to thank her as usu;
and was surprised to see her fro'
slightly and point slyly toward the biz
som. Then | looked at it more close
and saw that there were some charact,
scratched with a pin, | Judged
one OF the smooth green leaves. p
tending to admire the flower | manag
to make out the words; 'To-nigh'
eleven o'clock-walk up Blank sire
Say yes to Mary if you can come"
the impulse Of the moment | tossed
flower into my desk, WROTE Mary I
pass she asked for and as | gave it
her said: Eyes, certainly"
When / was alone that evening ] to
out the flower and re-read the MESA
Mary, ! knew, could not read or wri
SO it wasn't from her! The writing, /;
in fact the whole device was too delic
to DO a mans, so ! was puzzled. / '
o tvain enough to think that ! had mi
what would now be called q mash
any fair one, SO l concluded that
sender really meant business" "
the provost marshal.
Being a little lame from a wounC
the ankle, l always carried a stout ca
and with that and my pet pocket
volver / did not hesitate to keep the
pointment. .
1t was quite dark that night
walked up Blank street, and very qu
met no one for several blocks, and
wondering how far ! should have t
when l came to where the front gai
the yard to a handsome residence
partly open, and Mary stood in
shadow. recognized her in a MON
as she did me and pressing her fl
to her lips motioned me to follow
We quietly mounted the steps &c
front porch. Mary pushed open
front door. which was not latched, Z
followed into the hall.
Once inside it was SO dark | coult
nothing; but Mary grasped my arm
hurried me up a flight Of thi,
carpeted stairs. Reaching the Ian
in the upper hall, she whisr
Wait" and heard her glide ava,
Thunder" thought /. ''here's a
ty go! Here am ], the provo mar
in some body's home, without his
or knowledge! It's as likely as
that ] have given them a 'prote'
against just such an intrusion, a
have no excus for being here O.
that a pretty colored girl brough
Suppose ] am found here! Suppose
II But just then my thoughts we
terrupted by feeling some one-t
q Heaven, 1t was Mary!-take my
and lead me forward. Soon o doc
pushed opened and I found mysel
B sort Of library or sitting.room II
n saasae lamp On . sofa opposite