Iuka reporter. (Iuka, Miss.) 1888-1894, 1892-04-21

anu WHtn bueY fMuuDteu 70 rue lDaCk
they felt like chatting him about it, Bui
you can't chaff Jesse Philips muqlh, and
never could The Confederates didn'I
care much about Florence. ALL, just
then, anyway, so dhey let the Federals
have it, aud did.nnt soon regarrison the
place. All the summer and fall a. 1868
the Colonel took occasional trips across
country, with tho ostensible object OF
\ seeing Billy Neal, e. ven continuing them
long after that youn man had got we'll
Il and gone home. II the army wasbusy
\ the Colonel was all contentment, but
when the troops lay around wnh-
out employment simply watching,
he would fuss for day OF
two and then annom iced that he was
going over to Florence to see Baly.
Nothing could break him of the habit,
and nothing could satisfy him when. he
reached the town but visit to that.same
kind-hearted girlwho had forgotten all
North, all South, IN thefgreater problem
of suffering men. He didn't talk about
her much, but his associates knew he
would give up one Of his coaLblack eyes
any day for the privilege of possessing
her. And it didn't seem unreasonablesto
expect he would win her. She received
him kindly, she treated him well; ,she
really appeared to love him.
The Confederates. .had been gradually
creeping back into Western Alabama.
They seemed to want the river and the
good towns up there, and Major Falken-
burg, who was in com nand of their forces
at Tuscumbia, sent aver the river and
stationed two compan les of men in the
town, meeting with No sort of opposi-
ton. The Union forces were imassed at
Decatur now, and all Through the fall
the two opposing forces0elaxei the rules
of war little and traded coffee and
tobacco, bread and meat, anvil such little
things as did not give comlJative aid or
comfort to an. enemy. Big, stories about
Major Falkenburg came UP to Colonel
Phillips's ears from the soldiers who
talked about the Johnnsss. and there
was no evidence wanting. that he was
big man where he was known.
One night in October, sis private in
the North Illinois Mounted Infantry was
swapping truck with Confederate, he
was informedtincidentally that the com
mander of the Confederate forces was
going to get, married.
"Who is your Major F ankenburg going
to marry2" demanded the. Northerner.
'sOh, Miss, Charity Blank, at Flor
ence. She's a regular stmner. No
nuther such woman in all Alabama,
said the admirng Johnny.
The information drifted up through
the various grades of loyal blue and
finally fell onA the ears of Colonel Phil
lips.
sFIres of Tophetl" ravedtthe Colonel,
ssshe shan't many him, with rising in
Election on the last pronoun, expressive
! of the unfitness of such fate for Miss
Charity Blank. But.whatsabout it'll He
had nothingttossay. He walked around
his tent and tried to'think OF something
else; tried to forget this, tried to see
some way through it, tried at last to
stop the banns.
The marriage was announced for
Wednesday night az s o'clock, and this
was Sunday. He fused around till he
got permissionA to 60 out with another
detail of 200 men, for 1t was well known
the Confederatts, were again in Florence
Tuesday afternoon he started, made a
mastery detour, and just before sun
down faced stpaight for Florence. He
struck patch of canehrake about mid
night, for the march had never been
abated for darkness. Here he hid his
men and there, they stayed all night, all
day Wednesday, and just at dusk they
crept out, six miles from Florence, and
pulled for the town. The surprise was
complete. It, still lacked an hour of s
o'clock, and when the rattle of musketry
which told of flying Confederates had
died away the Federals were In COM
mand.
They threw out pickets and surrounded
good portion, of the residence district,
particularly the home of old Judge
Blank, where Colonel Philips had often
visited. It wasn't as light asa house of
wedding ought to be, but the Colonel
dismounted and. knocked at the door.
Just what he meant to do nobody knew.
! Maybe be will tell by now. but, having
driven away thesdoughty Major, he had
little fears he tcould win the Majors
charmer.
Judge Blank himself answered the
summons at the door. His colored help
had grown too strongito work since the
Federals came down. He wasn't very
well dressed, and herwas good deal
frightened. But the familiar figure of
/ Colonel Phillips reassured him.
"Why, Colonel, he said, sis it you2
| Come in.
1T is /, said Philhpssgrimly going
in.
They entered the parlor'and sat down.
The Judge apologized for not appearing
in fuller dress, and after his apology was
accepted conversation tagged little.
There was nothing in the rather strained
relations Of Southern and Northern to
make them specially sociable, vet they
had frequently met on cordial terms, and
did SO again this time. But it soon hap
| pened that there was nothing more to
talk about. and then Colonel Phillips re-
vealed the secret Of is,preoccupation BY
asking:
ssWherc is Miss Charityi'
u ssCharity ~ said the father, little