Passaic City record., 1891-09-19
NC CITY RECORD PAssAIC CITY SEPTEMBER 49, 1891.

walks. the windows, the housetops were
lined with exultant people. Men shouted
themselves hoarse; women waved then
handkerchiefs; the old flag flew every
where. many specimens of it, large and
small being brought out from secret
places where they had been hidden since
the war began. 1t was grand, a glo-
rious sight.
A seedy-looking fat man, who had fof
some months been keeping small huck-
ster's shop at Knoxville, stood on a dry
goods box as the columns marched
through the street and loftily harangued
the crowd nearest him:
"Ah, this is the thing, gentlemen and
ladies. Glad I am to have lived to see
this dayI l haven't dared to express nv
sentiments here before this day. 10 have
done so would have been to prejudice the
sale of my soap, starch, lard and candles
which, by the way, ! will continue to
sell to YOU very cheap for cash. But how
it does rejoice my heart to see this proud
display of the gallant defenders of ou1
blood-bought libeities 1t reminds me
of the bloody field of Shiloh. where l was
in the thickest of the first days fight, re.
ceiving many wounds; and General Grant
said to me at night: 'Ithuriel, how goes
the battle?' 'Doubtfully, General, l
said; but with the morrow's sun will
accompany you to the field again to do or
die for the cause we adore. The weight
of my character, the prestige of my name
shall always be given
Inc DauIaiIon passing as tnls cilma1
was reached, the orator was recognized.
Major Brandon nodded to one of the SER
geants, who left his place long enough to
cave in the sides of the box with the butt
of his rifle, and Ithuriel Nancy, soaring
higher and higher in the delivery of his
l impudent fiction, suddenly found his
great bulk rolling in the gutter, greatly
to the amusement of the crowd and the
soldiers.
The needs of our narrative compel US
at this point to part with Ithuriel Man
cey. He is, or was lately, leading pre-
carious, shabby, but always good-natured
existence in Cincinnati He is ever ready
to accept favors of any description, but
is chiefly desirous of those of a liquid
nature, with an occasional small coin, and
in return therefor he will hold forth elo-
places that he haunts as to how he,
Grant, Buell., Nelson, and a few others,
won the second days fight at Shiloh.
Mrs. Brandon was able to rejoin he1
husband speedily, and thereafter her home
was not disturbed by the war. In that
November occurred the successful defense
of Knoxville on which occasion young
Dan Baird realized his long cherished
wish of fighting with the soldiers. He
was III Fort Sanders at the time of tho as
sault, and behaved we'll.
Mrs Baird and her children, happy in
the return of their friends, and especially
of their benefactress, Mrs. Brandon,
thought there was nothing more on earth
- l, Int nd
a great JOY was in store for her. The
Majors wife had noticed that Captain
Butt Hankins was frequent visitor to
the house; but she was not prepared for
the announcement which the widow rather
diffidently made to her that winter, that
she and the Captain were to be married.
We'll, I heartily congratulate you,
said Mrs. Brandon, recovering from hel
surprise Il should think it would be
very good arrangement.
Il really hope SO, ma'am. I've always
known Burt; he was poor Wally's best
friend, and I've enjoyed his calls greatly
this winter But was astonished when
the man began to talk about marrying.
You don't mean it, said 1. why, yes,
do he said. 'What'll you ever do with
me and these children? Take good
care of you, of course. Nice folks; /
know you perfectly we'll, and can't make
any mistake about it. And 1 think it's
best not to put it off. An old bachelor is
apt to be an old fool, and some young girl
is always likely to make bigger fool of
him. Burt has dreadful taking way!"
As time passed, and the clamor of the
war swelled loud in the distance, Bran
don and his wife from this comparatively
peaceful retreat looked anxiously for
news from Smedley. Not until the sum-
mer of the close of the hostilities were
they permitted to look upon his face, to
grasp his hand again; and in the men,
time, they waited in anxious suspense.
The letters that he had promised came
not; but instead, vague reports that their
friend had disappeared from Vicksburg,
and that he had re-entered the Union
army. Often they speculated upon his
fate, and wondered what the next chapter
of his life would be.
He will give up that old folly at last,
said Brandon. "A man cannot always
pursue vision that mocks him.
Il read him differently" replied his
wife. He has determination and devo.
tion I tremble for him. If he does not
win her at last, he will miserably wreck
his life somewhere.
And the sturdy Captain, recounting to
Mrs. Hankins some of the stirring events
of the last two years, usually wound up
with wondering whether Col Smedley
was making a fool of himself yet ovei
that secesh girl.
The last chapters of our narrative will
relate what fortune still lay before the
man to whom these hearts were SO warmly
drawn.
CHAPTER XVII.
CHATTING IN FETTERs