The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1893-06-06
A BIT OF WAR ROMANCE,

LALoL10A q SdEu, ana am also q SOlQlor,
or was in the late war between the
States. I was a general Of a brigade
In the Union army, and saw some of
the romance as well as the reality of
war"
There was more reality than 70
nance about it, wasn't there?" quaried
the drummer.
Rather, smiled the soldier, 'but it
made the romance only the more de-
lightful. I remember on one occasion
when we were down in Georgia, l was
out n morning with a couple of or
derlies, riding along a hillside road,
which just ahead Of us met another
coming up from the valley. As we
rode slowly along I heard the sound of
a horses hoofs on the road below and
the clanking Of a saber. None of the
enemy in force was anywhere near that
locality, and I felt sure that some stray
Confederate was riding that way, and
we went ahead till we could command
a view Of the road below, and in a
~-1NCC % OSAAACNC4 CSJO OI1lCGl III q OIC&l4N
new uniform, bright trappings and a
sword came by on a beautiful horse.
He was a handsome fellow, and all I'M
conscious of his danger, was whistling
a merry air. OF course, we must cap
ture him, but how to do it was the
question at first, but we soon settled
on a quiet little ambuscade, and in five
minutes more we had him covered and
he threw up his hands. A more crest
fallen prisoner I never saw than that
young fellow, and I felt sorry for him,
but [ could do nothing but take him
along. We hadn't gone far until he
got next to me, with both orderlies
riding some yards in advance, and he
gave me q sign. recognized it on the
spot"
1--WE are Masons,' he said, and I
want to tell you my story. 1 know
I've got no business over here, prac-
tically in your lines, but I'm not on a
mission Of war, but one of love and
peace. You see how Pm tricked out in
all the best I've got-and he smiled
consciously and blushed-'and I ex-
pected to be married this afternoon.
The girl is waiting for me now, and
don't you think it is pretty hard On
her for me to be in this fix? [ had no
idea your troops were so near or I
should have slipped in the night and
got out again, but it's too late to talk
about that now. You've got me and
her heart will be breaking while I am
shut in some prison, and it won't be
much satisfaction to you"
by George" went on the general,
with moistened eyes, sit stirred the
blood within me as I listened to that
g~ood-looking fellow and thought of the
dear girl waiting for him.
"'Hold on a minute said I, there's
a turn in the road yonder, and when
the orderlies get out of sight if you are
willing to take a risk, suppose you take
it,
"He shook my hand silently and the
tears and smiles came together. AS
the orderlies turned the bend theyoung
man turned his horse and started back
down the road on a dead run. I gave
him a good start and then 1 banged
away at him with my revolver and
went after him, but I took the wrong
road at the forks, and my orderlies
came after me as fast as they could.
l guess we must have chased back
along that road for two miles or more,
but we didn't find that COMPOUNDED
rascal anywhere and the orderlies
never suspected that I had anything to
do with letting him get away. At
least, they mentioned it in my
hearing, and the general smiled.
What became of him at Iast2' asked
the drummer.
about four months after that I a
holding q town in Tennessee" con
tinuad the general, land in that town
was the rankest old fire eater I ave
saw. He was a courtly old chap, but
b~itterer than gall, and utterly beyond
reconstruction. He wouldn't speak to
a b~luecoat, and there were times it was
almost necessary to put him under
guard for his own safety. He was too
old to be dangerous, but occasionally
he talked so we had to threaten him.
One day I was almost startled out of
my wits by his coming into my head
quarters. He was white with sup
pressed feeling, but he managed to tell
me there was a lady at his house, a
very near and dear relative, his only
daughter, in fact, who wanted to see
ma tbot ovaDin0 Of = o'clock He had