Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1893-07-04

fglEE)ys'sk.
~ am the guest Of that young lady"
The next morning Mark hearing {
tap at the door got out Of bed AM
opened II cautiously. As was natura
under the circumstances. he saw DANCE
In everything that occurred. He hal
expected to see through the slight open
ing he at first made the muEzle Of = 70
volver pointing directly at him. Hesav
q very different sight. II was q larg'
tumbler. with q straw In II. on o silveI
tray In the hands Of negro.
'Mrs. Fain's compliments. sab" ant
be handed Mark mint julep.
"Ahr" exclaimed Mark. with intens'
satisfaction.
"Present my compliments to you
mistress. and tell her ] perceive will
pleasure that this noble Virginia Gus
tom has found its way into Tennessee
as 1t has long ago into South Carolina.
ayes, sahr
"There are allsviating circumstances
even In the life Of spy" said Mark
contemplating the beverage. "uncertair
as that life Is. Why will man not al
ways be o philosopher Here am In {
beautifully furnished room; have beer
sleeping between the whitest linen. OF
the softest Of beds. arise and behold
this delicate attention on the part Of my
hostess. who, II she should know who
am, would bring q dozen bayonets Il
hedge me In, and I should be waving In
the soft summer breeze at the end Of 9
hemp cord In twelve hours. But she
does not know who | am, and, consid
cred philosophically, am Mr.. Rhett, ol
South Carolina, and In clover. Here's tt
Private Mark Malone, poor devilr"
However, Mark desired to keep hi,
head cool, considering the circumstances
and cOntented himself with few swal
lows of the julep, and after completing
his toilet Joined the ladies at the break
fast table. He praised Mrs. Fain's fried
chicken and light biscuit and corr
bread. and was about to give the coffee
few words Of encomiuin when, tast
ing 1t beforehand, he discovered the pre-
vailing chicory. So he entered upon u
TRADE against the blockade, and ended
by hoping that Abe Lincoln would a,
last be hanged higher than Haman.
reference that gave him disagreeable
sensation about tho neck and caused
Laura's bosom to heavs tunultuously.
The comforts surrounding Mark. the
kindness Of his hostess. and above all
the presence Of q girl whose bosom
seemed to contain such volcanic forces
as would best harinonize with one
whose chief object In life seemed to bt
to get himself hanged. conspired to make
him feel safety that he should not have
felt under the circumstances. He had
been campaigning for year. during
which period he had experienced nc
greater comfort than u Mcclellan sad
die, and the women of the country
through which he had passed had not
received him with any marked evidences
Of pleasure. Is II tn be wondered that
he felt approximate content-if one can
feel content whose neck Is In a halter
in the Fain manor house!
But Mark had something else on his
mind which he knew was OF more i'm.
portance than his own safety, though
its value. II he should possess 1t. would
be dependent on that safety. He wanted
some indication Of where the enemy
would strike. He was not 10 foolhsrdy
Is to think Of going back to Chattanooga
himself, but he resolved to send mes.
senger. II he could lind rome enc To 70
10 tiwn that day, me latest news cc'ilt
be brought him In the evening. Thei
he would assume disguise and be of Il
tho night.
After breakfast he took his pipe ant
went out to smoke In the yard. II,
sauntered around to the barn and fount
Daniel at work upon the horses.
"Daniel," he said, "good morning.
"Mornen. sah," said Daniel, eying hin
suspiciously.
"Nice lot Of stock you have here, Dan
iel."
eyes, sab; fine stock"
"And I see you take good care OF them
That pony shines as II his coat had beef
oiled"
"Dat Missile Laurie pony, sah."
"Ah! It's fine animal. And u tha
her phaetonY
eyes, sah."
Mark was standing very near Daniel
and suddenly turned and looked him II
the eye, knowingly.
"Daniel." said he, "are you all right OF
the cause of freedom
"Reckon I air, sah."
Suppose you had chance to favo
that cause. the cause which II It tri
umphs will make all darkies free. woul'
you do itY'
"Reckon I would, sah."
"well. suppose Union man were u
ask you to-
"Yo' counterance air berry faliliar Il
me, sah."
"Do look like Mr.. Slackw
"God bress the Lodi Iwonder II 20
air Mr.. SlackY'
"Or the colored girl who came herr
the other night" Mark asked In . low
confidential tone.
"Fo' de Lo'dr'
"Never mind who ! am, Daniel Tn
o Union man. Now I want you to q
into Chattanooga and learn all you car
Of the latest army news. Don't trus
your own eyes, but ask people what
going on. want to know II troops an
leaving Chattanooga, and II 90, wher'
they are going. Here are ten dollars
Buy some things for the old woman and
the children, and ask questions-of othel
people mean, not me-"
".Trus' me fur dat" said the old man
and going to the stable he began 10 har
ness u horse to the family wagon.
When Mark finished smoking he wen
into the house. He passed into the II
brary, where he found Laura. Sh'
seemed to feel easier than when MARI
had been mp stairs. but she was In con
tinual dread. Mark asked her to cit OF
a sofa facing one window while he sa
facing another. "Then Wen have th'
position enfilsded," he said.
Laura did not understand what tha
meant, but she did - be desired.
They sat thus without suffering th'
watch to relax during three delightfu
honr~- -dsliohfful nofHifhstsudinR thI