The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-12-27


the line OF battle began TO cheer, and at
khe same time 10 advance, He had
praoticed with an old slx-ponnder mt
the cOnscrlpt camp and he now ran, M
II by Instinct, 70 the gun that had boon
ailenCed. The confederateB charged,
but had 20 fall back again, and then
they began 10 retire, slowly at iirst, and
then with some haste. Little Billy
paid no attention To this movement at
all, He continued 10 serve his gun ana
iirG Il as rapidly as he could, Shot ana
shell from the federal batteries plowed
up the ground Rrnud him but never
touched him Presently a tail man
with n long brown beard rode out OF the
smoke and ordered little Bill to retreat,
pointing MS he did 20 10 the bristllng
line Of federals charging up the hull,
Take hold OF my stirrup,' said the
tall man He spurTed his horse Into
a rapid trot aud little Billy trotted by
his side, nightly helped by holding on
10 the stirrup. In this way they were
soon out OF Il, and In little while had
caught up with the main body, which
had planted itself couple OF miles
farther back, while 1.-THE brigade ~
which little BILLY had fought was hold
ing the enemy NJ bay,
Little Billy's face was black with
powder, but his eyes shone like stars
He knew now that never again would
danger or the fear OF death cause him
TO ilinch.
What regiment do you belong tor
asked the tall man, IN they went along
None" replied little Billy, simply
Then he told how he was Just from
eonscrjpt camp in Georgia, When they
arrived at the confederate position the
toll man On Had IN an officer
This Is my rear guard" said he.
"See that he IL cared for" Then 10
little Billy: when this affair blows
over, brush up and call on Gen. Zeb
Stuart, He needs a courier, ana you
are the man."
AS there was no sign OF fight the
next day, little Billy went TO Gen. stu
arts headquarters and was ushered In,
That famous fighter, who happened 10
BE- the officer who had noticed him the
day before, took him by the arm ana
introduced him to his stan, and told
how ne had found him serving a gun,
after the entire brigade had begun to
retreat.
This was the beginning. Little Billy
became courier then IN aid, ana
when the war closed he was In COM
mnnd OF regiment. His reeklessness
as fighter had given n sort OF roman
tic color to his name, so that the news
paper correspondents found nothing
more popular than some anecdote about
Col. Cochran.
Hls fame had proceeded him to Hills
borough, and he had queer feeling
when the older citizens, men who had
once nwed him by their pride and their
fine presence, took on their hats as
they greeted him. The most demonstra-
tive among those was Mai. Goolsby,
you are TO come right TO my house.
colonel. You belong TO US, you know
This was Mai. GOOlsby's greeting. as he
chung to Col, Cochran's hand. 1T VIII
be n great surprise to Mary. She'll
never know you In the world. why,
you've grown 10 be siX.footer."
So there was nothing for Col. Cochran
TO do but to go to the Goolsby place,
fine house built on a hill beyond the
old church The major wanted to give
his daughter a surprise, and so he car
rled Col. Cochran into the parlor. and
then told Miss Mary that one OF her
friends had called TO see her
The young lady went skipping into
the pnrlor, and then paused. with a
frightened air, ms he saw a slx-foot
man In faded uniform rise TO meet her.
Miss Mary" said Col Cochran, hold
ing out his hand
Are YOU" She paused. grew white
and then red. and suddenly turned and
raon out OF the room, nearly upsetting
the major, who was standing near inc
door.
"Why, what on earth's the matter?"
he cried. well, n this don't beat
Did she know you, col0nel2'
I'm afraid she did" replied the
colonel, grimly.
Tho major tip-toed TO his daughter's
room, opened the door softly and found
her on her knees by her bed crying.
Thereupon he tlp.loed back again and
said TO Col. Cochran: ITS all right
She's crying"
The colonel smiled dryly. III make
the women cry, what will the children
do when they see mel"
The major laid his hand affection
ntely on CochrRn'A arm. Don't you
fret" he said. Just wait
And so wonderful are the ways Of
women that when Miss Mary came out
aRain she greeted the colonel cordially,
and was az gay as a lark. And nothing
would do but he must fight his battles
over again, which he did with great
spirit when he saw her fine eyes kind
ling with enthusiasm and her lips trem-
Bile from sheer sympathy.
Strange to say, nobody knew what II
all meant hut the old cook, who stood
In the doorway leading from the dining
room TO the kitchen and watched her
young mistress. She went back In the
kitchen and said to her husband:
EFF you want to seo how folks docs
when dey or In love, 60 ter de door dar
an look at dat chile or our'n."
Tho old man looked In. watched Miss
Mary moment and then looked hard
at Col. Cochran,
~ dunno 10 much bout de gal" he
said when he went back, but dot arc
man rot mo In his eye dan what his
tongue want ter tell"
And II was 30: and. being so, the
whole story Is told.