Middletown transcript., 1894-05-26

faSt table and demonstrated the posses
sion Of more spirits than all the rest of
the family added together. The heuten-
ant looked upon her with icy disap-
proval, but she did not seem to be aware
of it. Finally he said in his most solemn
manner, 81 learned last evening with
sincere regret Of your recent bereave-
ment, Miss Farwell I"
About papa, You mean?" she replied
laughingly "Oh, guess it was not true.
There are SO many stories flying about
now one never knows what to believe. I"
And with that she seemed to dismiss
the subject
He had no appetite. Her callous in
difference sickened him Never before
could he have believed her capable of it,
and the hideous question forced itself
upon him, "Are other girls like her, or
Is she All exceptional monster?' Soon he
got up from the table and chanced to
glance out of window into tho back
yard. There upon the wood pile, with
piece of corn bread in one hand and
his medicine tea" pot in the other, sat
the old vagrant darky. He was eating
his frugal breakfast and looking at the
groom bringing the ieutenant's horse
from the stable.
The young officer pondered gloomily
as he rode and had gone full five miles
of the way back from Winchester to
General Fitzhugh Lees camp before !
certain suspicion occurred to him. AT
that point two widely dissimilar things
suddenly m esented themselves in juxta-
position before his mental vision One
was the heartbroken girl merrily sing
ing; the other the old darky on the wood
pile And it came to him as an inspira-
ton that the presence of the latter in
some way-if he could only see how
explained the astonishing change in the
former. 1t was by no means impossible
that the negro should have brought news
to Clara Monroe was doubtless right in
looking upon all Of that race as, poten-
tally at least, Yankee spies. Should he
confide his suspicious to the captain, he
would get himself laughed at if he was
wrong and if right terrify and grieve the
family by what might very well happen
were the negro luckless enough to be
caught. After much cogitation he coll
cluded to keep his mouth shut which
under most circumstances is about the
wisest thing man can do.
General T. W. Rosser's cavalry came
from Richmond a fortnight later and
Joined General EARLY with the avowed
intention of sweeping the invaders
out of the valley" Lieutenant Townly,
deeming that "a consummation devout-
~ to be wished" since Winchester and
Edith were in the debatable ground, OBJ
tanned permission to serve with them as
a volunteer aid on General Rosser's
staff. When General Sheridan gave up
the project Of winter campaign In the
mountains and fell back on Winchester.
the Confederate cavalry harassed his
rear so daringly that he determined to
turn and give them lesson on the dan
ger Of getting too close to him The en-
suing trouble at Toms Brook Crossing
eventuated in an entire reversal Of Gen
eral Rosser's programme, The sweeping
was done, but his cavalry were the
swept They were scattered in a mad
rout, some by way of Columbia Furnace
to the mountains, others up the valley
pike into the Massanutten range, and
many never stopped until they got into
General Early's camp south Of Mount
jackson. Lieutenant Townly was among
those who took the pike He had been
sent to the front with orders, was there
when the tide of battle turned and found
himself inextricably involved and help
lessly carried along by the panic strick-
en- throng Comrades were falling about
him, wounded horses dropped in the
way, increasing the confusion, and the
air was full Of a deafening tumult made
up Of elashing steel, clattering equip
mentA pounding hoofs, cracking car
bines and pistols, yelling voices and in
articulate cries Of those struck by death
A bullet tore its way through his right
forearm; his saber dropped from his
nervcless hand The next moment his
horse stumbled and went down. As he
fell he had dim perception of hinge
Federal cavalry