Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-05-30

before which a sentinel walked. A s. s.
official appeared from below, announc le
that a Lady, Miss Mabel Chalmer, wished
to see him. He remembered the name
not common one-vividly. 1t was that
OF an attractive girl he had often met at a
friends house at home. She had an elder
married sister living in New York, whom
she had visited several times, and she was
SERIAL favorite there Lowell and she Lad
been very good friends; had had, indeed,
various sentimental passages, which meant
nothing, as she was considered desperate
hlrt and l'orthrop was not susceptible.
The winter previous to the firing on Sum
ter they had actually quarreled because
she was so violently southern and he so
ardently northern Could the caller posi-
bly, be she?
Lowell found that it was she, and that
she greeted him cordially. She was living
In Richmond; her father, brother, all her
surviving kinsmen were in the Confeder-
ate army, and, through their influence,
she had been allowed to visit the colonel
as former friend. They were allowed to
converse freely and alone. She told him
that hewould certainly be executed, though
she believed him innocent, unless he could
escape That is impossible" he replied;
Il have thought it all over. l am con-
stantly watched"
She had thought it over, too, and she had
formed plan, which was to bride the SEN
tlnel stationed before the cell, descend the
stairs quietly, and then take his chances
with the guards in front of the prison 81
have no money" he said. But l have"
she answered, and offered him a roll of
Dllls. She added that she knew a house in
town, giving the name and exact place-it
was the house of a Cnionist-where he
could go and be concealed until the excite
ment over his escape had subsidized.
lie did not understand this. He could
hardly trust her. her who was so intensely
southern in her sympathies, so fiercely in
imical to the north. He frankly said as
much. why should YOU he asked, do
all this for me? Why should you turn
against your dearest friends to help me,
your enemy? Why should believe you?"
She tried in vain to convince him. He had
refused her aid absolutely, when, in par
oXysm of feeling, covering her face with
her hands and bursting into tears, she
cried, in low, passionate tone, "Why
should do this? Because love your
Covering her face with her veil, and
pointing to the roll of bills she had thrown
on the floor, she walked rapidly out. This
he secured a moment before the official en-
tered to conduct him back to his cage
He no longer doubted Mabel-darling
Mabel he called her in his own mind. Her
last words had revealed everything, like a
flash of lightning, and his heart responded
completely to hers His life was now trebfy
precious. He owed it to her to save him
self if possible. Was it possible? He
would do his utmost.
He succeeded in bribing the sentinel He
was walking out ofthe main entrance Of
the castle on lowering, stormy night,
when the guard halted him. He ran at
once; be heard behind him the crack of the
muskeUs, and heard also the whiz of the
balls; but they struck him not, shielded by
the enveloping darkness. He sought the
place of refuge; he found it, and in a fort
night he was with his comrades in the
Army of the Potomac. The following April
he was among the first to enter Richmond.
Everything had gone well with him. He
seemed to have been protected by the
providence of woman's love.
The story is told. But for the benefit of
those who insist on demanding the super
| fluous, l may add that l dined only last
week with Mr.. and Mrs Northrop Lowell
(she is no less interesting now than she
was as Mabel Chalmerl and their two chill
dren, a son of nineteen and a married
daughter of twenty-three. 1t was pleas
ant social occasion. We recited many rem
| iniScences of the civil strife TO which the