Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-12-24

Ike "a comet.
shes going home" said Billy. sbut
we've sworn 70 meet again. Ia the mean
unae' old boy, I seek solace In the weed"
Anu ne quietly drew his pipe from his
ereast-pocket. But In the act he turned
deadly pale and trembied.
a the matter, Billy
Great God of heaven, that fend OF a
orders"
TERRIFIC RACE.
a gay man in distress is doubiy pa
thsttc, and ! held up Billy as he staggered
under the disaster Just as they held no
poor dying Mercutio. He had lost his
papers In an intrigue with a woman, and
having been more than once rebuked for
MS gay ~propensities. the case was all the
worse.
We must catch her" 1 cried. but sho
Is going like the wind"
oh her." said Billy between his
teeth, well go like the whirlwind."
And we id. 1t was a terrific race which
the fair Amazon would have won ex-
cept that she had 20 dismount 10 take
down three "draw-bars.' which she left
down. AT the third one, Just as she was
springing in the saddle, Billy came up at
fun speed and caught the horses bride.
There was a violent struggle, and then
Billy struck the horse In the flank and he
galloped on down the road, leaving the
indignant damsel standing in the ROAD
before the enemy.
Now. young lady. that envelope, or
III take It wherever II Is"
IN die first" was the defiant reply.
THE lady would be wise to remember
that she is taken in the act OF carrying
Information through the lines and is.
therefore q spy" said /.
III you are q mar OF honor remember
that l am a woman"
TN a man who has lost his honor and
you have H." was the reply.
Miss Helen was always beautiful. but
now she was superb as she stood before
US with flushed cheeks and flashing eyes,
the auburn hair loose and waving in the
wind.
Miss Helen" said Billy, taking off his
hat n bowling after the manner OF Sir
Charles Grandson. "as a gentleman [
humbly apologize TO the lady, but as an
officer I arrest the spy"
1t was near sunset now, and the boom
OF a gun in the distance announced that
the fort had saluted the first approach
of our advance guard.
Young lady" said Billy, inventing a
stroke OF strategy, you may tell by that
sound that our soldiers have invested the
fort. and so If you don't surrender that
BdHtl SVu may IAN iltO MOISt ldiuS IMAM
ours before morning, not TO mentor the
inconvenience of a night in the woods
without a femme de ~chambre. chaperon
or robe d~e-excuse me. / meant to say
supper"
Struck with this unexpected turn OF the
adventure Miss Helen bit her lip for a
moment. then drew the package from the
breast OF her riding dress and. disdainfully
tossing II on the ground, stood beating
her skirt with her whip.
A PRISONER.
You nave read this document" said
Billy. after opening the envelope and
might convey the information without
having the paper. Come, fair Helen, this
is my friend Achilles, and I'll be Paris
instead Of Charles OMallsy. Let us fly
TO Troy. that is. TO the safety Of the
Confederate rear, where we may renew
the broken pledges of the matinee"
you viii only be a prisoner in form"
] suggested. land it's for your own safety
you know"
At this our fair captive to our great sur
prise gave a convulsive sob. and sitting
meekly down on the side of the road drew
n snowy cambria handkerchief and sought
relief In the tears that make a pretty
woman in distress more formidable than
an army of Amazons.
We stood by like two stupid school
boys, worse broken up by this sudden
shower than the lady herself.
Vt last Billy said softly: you'll be as
safe with us as II we were your brothers"
cor your mother" ! suggested.
I'm afraid you'll catch cold sitting on
that damp grass"
Wen go and get an ambulance"
mo" sobbed the heroine.
Then I whispered to Billy that when
women got into such a humor it was bet
ter to wait quietly until the mood
changed.
Sure enough, after leaving the young
lady TO her grief for ten minutes she rose.
and slowly adjusting her hat and skirt.
said family:
I'm ready"
But when l led my horse up to the fence
and took down three rails 10 make IN
improvised horseback she said ruefully:
II will have to ride behind you" And
so we took our way 10 the Manson House
in melancholy procession TO make a sad
end TO cur gay matinee, as Billy called
II.
GUYED.
As we passed along the groups of SOL
diers going into camp the typical humorist
so familiar in the Confederate ranks gave
as what would have been called in later
times a guy"
Say, boys. dog on me. If that amt old
Manson's gal. Cap, you had ought TO
cotched her dad, that old Union cuss."
he prefers the gal" said another.
Hold on TO the Cap'n sis" cried a
third, IF the critter kicks up you'll fall
of sure"
And with such gibes as these we ran
the gauntlet, and finally brought our tear
ful prisoner 20 her kinfolk, who heard the
story with deep sympathy, petted and
consoled the fair victim, and babe US
good-night in mingled tones OF regret and
reproach.
The next morning at daylight when we
attacked the fort, there was not a living
creature in It except a cat sitting in front
OF one of the huts, with the peculiar Sc
renity tina only a cat can maintain
under such trying circumstances.
Billy handed the General the sealed
orders explaining that they were only to
be delivered after the result OF the at
tack on the fort. and he then narrated
the circumstances OF our adventure. The
General, or Colonel. as he was then. gave
a ntemptu grunt, and coldly re-
marked that;
cor course she hus sent the ID
Yankees the Information. and hence they
had gone down the river to join their
cavalry and overpower jenkins" (our own
cayalry-commmander). And he promptly
orders for the troops TO form in
column and move forward as rapluis as
posslble. The Colonel, who was after
wards a distinguished general. was then a
Young man TO command a brigade, and
was a fierce and headlong fighter. and he
now pushed the pursuit with intense
ardor. driving bach the rear guard or the
Fe.lerals, and frequently forcing them to
halt their whole column and deploy IN
line. But with the advantages OF the
mountain roads they continued the march
~ the main column until near sunset,
when In rear OF q de1le they formed line
with two batteries on a little mountain
snur. and after a series of desperate as
saults we we're forced TO draw on paaiy
discounted.
HIS HARD LUCK.
when Billy recognized his responsibility
for tae fasco his gallant and deoona,r
bearing vanished. and with clenched tseth
he rode TO the front and stayed there
until a welcome bullet took him IN use
and he fell down In the dusty
road. where our battery was being YER
rIbly pounded by q plunging hre. Wnsn
we TOOK him back and laid him among tne
Wounded under a tent-iiy. he family muir
-.unaa
cod fellow, we've had our last matinee.
hut It's hard luck TO be mustered out
.~.olI. d3aChnrCf.F |