Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1893-05-05

fied her W the turn ~ the fOfd, bo
yond which the shots had come car
fied her into the midst ~ the fleeing
troops. Down The road IN front came
2 trnd Of Federal cavalry Another
volley " slOtN ahd Major Browns
horse fell. ihfoWinR the rider into Tho
dust TbHe was no time to 10 loet.
Squirting her horse 10 the spot, Miss
Roby brought him 10 n stand directly
In front of the prostrato man. Tho
animal seemed 10 understand what
was required and braced himself fog
the shock Turning his wicked head
from right 10 left and showing his
savage, ivory teeth, the black stood
bis ground.
The girl. with face paled by tho
danger, yet features as firm ~ those
Of the leader Of the charging forces
sat erect and waited. Tho ranks part
cd and closed again, but they had
missed the man, who In aecond more
would have been ruthlesely trampled
to death. Before tho column could
wheel Miss Roby had dismounted and
was holding a white handkerchief
aloft as d fiag of truce At the com.
mand Of theleader two men came for.
ward, and the rest continued on after
the flying Confederutes.
This Is Major Brown OF the Union
army" said Miss Roby az the officer
came forward to where the major
was etill lying in the dust.
Major Brown ~ the sergeant ex.
claimed I'VE were looking for the
major" The soldier raised his su.
perior officer, wiped the dust from
his face and pressed the canteen to
his lips and was rewarded by seeing
consciousness return. Then the ma
jor stood up and realized that in some
way he owed his life to Miss Roby.
The troop returned, the men mounted,
and the major climbed into saddle
and rode on.
Cruel war came and desolated
Poinsett. The bursting of bombs
along the Mississippi and the roar of
cannon from the batteries shook the
earth, and black clouds Of smoke and
the scent Of burning powder were
often in the air. Colonel Poinsett
was brought home to die. Both his
sons fell at Antietam. The mansion
was burned one dark and rainy
night, and Mrs. Poinsett, with Miss
Roby and Aunt Nancy, sought shell
ter in a negro cabin on the planta-
ton.
Then Lee surrendered, and the war
was over. The war was over, but
the plantation was ruined, and the
proud Poinsetts were reduced to
straitened circumstances. Patiently
Miss Roby struggled to support her
mother by teaching in the village
school. Aunt Nancy took in wash
ing to help swell the family fund.
One evening in May, 1865, Miss
Roby was on her way from the post
Office and was passing by the ruins
Of her old home. This night she felt
that she could not bear to gaze upon
the monument to her misfortune.
When she turned into the path, she |
saw man standing by the tall chin. |
ney, left like a shaft of victory by |
the fiery fiend. Where the rose gar
den had been was a tangle Of black
ened briers and a mass of weeds. One
solitary rose was blooming, and the
stranger pluoked 1t and pressed it to
his lips. Roby knew that it was the
major. Her foot struck dry twig
that crackled with her weight. The
major looked around and came to her
with extended hands. The woman
stood unmoved.
"Do you not know me. Miss RobyT
the major asked as he paused with
his feet in the blackened embers.
II have not forgotten you. But
what brought you hereg"
you"
''Do you see the ruins of my homei
My father lies buried over there, and
both my brothers were victims of
northern guns" There was more
sadness than resentfulness in the
voice.
II, too, have suffered, though not
10 much as you" the major replied.
II have lost relatives and friends by
the score. fought ON the Union side
because / believed 1t was right, just
rs your father and brothers fought
with Lee. The struggle Is over. Let
us forgive where we cannot forget"
II was once your prisoner and
could not take advantage Of your
to wounded man to tell
you what i have again come to the
south to say. II you do not care to
listen, then ] can go away"
Involuntarily she extended her
hand, and the major grasped IL eager
y and carried it to his lips.
"You will let me take you away
rom this scene, take your mother
% a place where the thoughts OF war
will gradually die awayf
II will go, said Miss Roby. Both
,er hands were about the majors
neck, and her head rested ON his
,road shoulders for q moment. The