Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-05-29

SION. AIlcI lulAnAA@6 - 20
some hundreds of yards, l paused 70 %,
serve if any one was following us; ana
nerceiying no one, / called out, and we
an stopped: then reconnoitered; then re-
turned TO our camping place. The nre OF
dry wood was still burning in the chiily,
crisp air, and several hav rsacks ana
blankets, left in the rapidity OF retreat,
Law there undisturbed. 1t was evident
the enemy had not known of ouT where
abouts, and had passed on unconscious Oh
our presence. Toward evening began
to be resigned to my new situation, nav
inc the consolation of knowing that the
sanaration between me and my compail-
IONS would prevent the probability OF the
recapture or determination OF all OF US.
The fate of The Tribune correspondents
was at least likely, under existing circum-
stances, to be different. If Mr.. hicharu-
son were retaken, might get through;
if / were retaken, he might.
inst before leaving the ravine the
scout obtained some provisions Tor US
which we enjoyed after our long fast
We then started at breakneck pace
over the ridges, falling every few nun
5red wards SO violently that marveled
.ome of MS did not break our limbs.
Once my knee came in contact with the
root of a tree so forcibly that 1t seemed
shattered, and did not recover from the
soreness and laIneness occasioned by the
fall for days after.
About sunset our party was on the
summit of a ridge looking down into the
yalley where resided the girl who the
night previous had guided Dan Ellis and
ais companions by private path out OF
;he way of the rebels believed to be IN
the vicinity. For more than an hour we
sat there, watching the house in which
she lived, and seeing ten or twelve rebel
cavalrymen ride up to the dwelling ana
then depart in squads of two or three.
At dusk we descended through the val
lev cautiously, and met her at the APP
pointed place. mounted, and ready to act
as our guide. That girl. not more than
16 or II. belonging to one of the stanch-
est loval families in East Tennessee, was
known TO all the Unionists in the coun-
". She had assisted many true men out
of awkward predicaments and dangerous
situations. and had shown herself will
ing at all times to aid them. She had
often arisen at night when she obtained
intelligence of importance, and commu-
nicated it to Ioyalists some miles distant,
preventing their capture or murder by
the enemy.
Ellis had known her from childhood,
! and depended on her for information
whenever he was anywhere in her neigh
borhood. She had told him the proceed
ing night Of the presence of the enemy
and recommended the division of his
band. as pursuit was possible, assuring
him that She would guide the footmen,
as she would him, if they would be at a
certain place at a certain hour.
The girl, whose name | will not give
though | can state for the benefit of the
romantic that it is pretty one and would
sound well in novel-was decidedly
fair, intelligent, of graceful figure and
possessed of that Indispensable requisite
to an agreeable woman-a sweet voice.
| confess / looked at her with some
degree of admiration as she sat there,
calm. smiling, comedy, with the warm
blood of youth flushing in her cheek,
under the food of mellow moonlight that
bathed all the landscape in poetic soft
ness and picturesque beauty.
1t was natural that almost any man OF
gallantry and imagination should Idol
ize her under the circumstances, but
did not.
| gazed at her as l do at most of hel
sex. with the cold eye of art, and at the
unvarying angle of aesthetic criticism.
That scene was good theme for pic
ture. The girl mounted, and the centra
figure. with some eighteen men in hall
military, half civil garb. with bronzeC
faces and a certain wild appearance
travel stained, ragged, anxious eyed
standing around her in groups, listening
TO what she said in a low but earnes
and pleasantly modulated Tone
She gave directions as quietly anC
composedlv as a veteran commander il
the field. requesting us to keep some dis
lance behind her; saying that, if she wer'
halted. we should stop and lie down
! that, when all was safe, she would cough
and that. if she saw any danger, sh'
would sneeze to give US warning.
All ready, she struck her horse, I
spirited animal, and darted off at a pac'
that we pedestrians could hardly sustain
even running. Confound that girl
, thought. What does she rush along a
this rate for? | have not had much ex
perience in following in women's lead
and if this is a specimen, want no NOR
of 1t.
We were out of breath, all of us, an'
had fallen so often in our haste that w
: were suffering from numerous bruise
and abrasions, but she dashed on merci
2 lessly. dragging us after her
| l reached her side once, and told her t
| go a little slower; that we were greatl
] fatigued and that some of us must fal
| hopelessly behind if she did not chez
/ her pace. She drew in her rein unit
= those who had been nearly distances
/ came up. and then only walked her i'm
r,afie,,t sfqad for the remainder of tn