Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1894-03-14

A GALLANT DEED LILY REQUITED.
Early never married. A pretty ro-
nance is told about him. When he was
a Young lieutenant in 1887, he appear
ed at the Greenbrier White Sulphur
Springs in brilliant uniform, and
riding a splendid black stallion. One
day shortly after he had gone out for a
ride, a beautiful young lady from Phila-
delphia, a debutante spending her first
season at 1.-The White" drove off in
her carriage. She had never met the
young lieutenant.
Near the spring is a small creek, usu-
ally only few feet deep. But upon
that afternoon it was a swollen stream
of mad, muddy waters, sent down
from the mountain side after a long
rain of the day before, Towards the
stream the carriage rolled, and just
before reaching it passed the lieuten-
ant. At the banks of the creek the
driver paused a second, and then, think
ing that he could make it, urged his
horses in. Before the team had reach
ed the middle of the stream, however,
they were washed off their feet, and,
with the floating carriage, went wildly
along with the mad waves. Early was
near enough the stream to see the
drivers mistake, and, realizing the
lady's danger, buried his rowels in his
horses side and dashed into the water
The carriage was tossing and rolling
upon the waves, and the lady was
screaming. The situation was desper-
ate, and Early, realizing it, bent his
energies to save her. The young sol
der reached the carriage just as it
toppled over. The water rolled over
the beautiful girl, and Early thought
she was lost, but a second later she
came up almost beside him. Reaching
down he caught her by the skirt, and
half minute later was holding her
motionless body in his arms. Then,
guiding his horse as best he could, the
lieutenant made for the shore. Once
on dry land, he gave his stallion the
spurs, and in few minutes galloped
up to the hotel with the almost lifeless
body of the belle in his arms.
She was carried to her friends, and
then the story of her rescue was learn
ed. The lieutenant was the hero of
the hour, and that evening monopoliz-
ed the Quaker bellies dancing list.
From that evening until the close of
the season he was her almost constant
companion. She received his atten-
tions with apparent delight, and when
the cool, frosty air warned the visitors
of approaching winter they went away
promising to meet each other there the
next summer. The lady went back to
her home,
HER HEART FULL OF THE CONQUEST
she had made, while Early reported to
his troop for duty. At Fort Monroe he
remained until the Florida war, when
he went to the Everglades. There he
distinguished himself, and, as fortune
smiled upon him, his love for the girl
far away in her Northern home increas
ed. For her he was full of hope and
ambition.
But both were doomed to an early
and sad disappointment.
With the approach of spring, Lieu
tenant Early's thoughts began to dwell
upon the pleasant meeting so near at
hand.
Early in the spring he applied for
leave of absence, and it came, but the
same mail brought him a paper. The
handwriting upon the wrapper was
familiar to him, and as he tore it away
a heavy black mark upon the paper
caught his eye. CHANGING at it, he read
the piece which it marked. That piece
told of the marriage of the lady he low
ed so well, and as he read it, he realiz-
ed for the first time she had been toy
ing with his heart. After reading it,
he cut the piece from the paper, placed
it in book, and kept it.
This is why, it is said, Jubal Early
never married.