The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-01-29

RucstS WtfcCOuuuCttu 10 hHoii, Ou INC
summit of which had been erected a
canopy of flowers. and where stood q
group Of Confederates Of high rank.
On the eastern horizon stood the full
moon. Below to the east was the battle
field of Chickamauga. To tho west, the
Army Of the Cumberland, besieged in
Chattanooga ON half rations. As the
guests approached. the groom, still in
his uniform of a corporal. attended by
his best mana Confederate noncom-
missioned officer of good family, detail
ed for the occasion--was seen moving
from the north toward the knoll At
tho same moment tho bride, attired In
dress made OF coarse white stuff man
ufactured in the Confederacy. and at
tended by several bridesmaids, who had
come from distance TO ofticiate, ap-
preached from the south. The two met
on the knoll under the canopy. An off,
Ger of high rank, who was also q bishop
in the church, stepped forward, and Cor
poral Sir Hugh Ratigan and Caroline
Fitz Hugh were made one. The only
lamp TO light the nuptials was the round
moon in the east The only canopy, save
that composed of flowers. was the broad
heavens above, in which the stars had
only just appeared for the night The
only wedding bells were occasional
booms from guns on Lookout mountain,
The ceremony over, the bride and
groom repaired to the marauoe, lighted
with candles, where they took position
to receive the congratulations of the
company. ALI gave way to Colonel and
Mrs. Maynard. who offered theirs first.
"Wo must give you mp. / suppose,
said Laura to the bride, "jnst as we
would like to know you. better You go
abroad, suppose.
"No, i remain here"
''But Sir Hugh will go?"
"Yes. as soon as he can get his dis,
charge. He goes to Virginia from here,
where he will pass through the lines to
Washington and will put his case III
the hands of the British minister. He
anticipates no trouble in getting dis
charge from the Federal army and hopes
to sail within month for Ireland.
"And your" asked Laura, in some
surprise that the bride could bear to part
so soon with her husband.
II? remain with my people till the
last gun has been fired. We have argued
that question, and such is my decision. .
Moi decisions, observed the groom,
''are thing of the past.
Leaving the newly married pair,
Colonel Maynard approached the master
of ceremonies, the brides uncle.
General" he said, II esteem it
privilege that You have waived your
right to furnish all the viands for tho
wedding feast and have permitted me
to contribute. There, pointing to the
boxes of wine he had brought, ''are six
cases Of champagne, which beg you
to accept as a contribution from tie
Army of Chattanooga.
AT signal from the officer addressed
a negro removed blanket covering
dozen boxes in corner Of the tent,
which had come hundred miles and
bad not been in position ten minutes.
II sec your six cases, general, and 90
you six cases better. "
Having no further resources at
hand, said Maynard, bowling, II retire
from the game. {"
Hannibal" said the Confederate,
"you may advance tho force in the first
box to a position in liro on the table. ="
eyes, sab, " said the person addressed.
And seizipg asaber standing i'll the coz
ner be unsheathed It with a flourish
and pried opel o box Of the wine. In
moment u dozen bcttlcs were standing
on tho table like platoon Of soldiers.
"Now, Hannibal, you may fire the
opening shot"
Hannibal broke the wires, and
"pop," a far more welcome sound than
those that had been SO recently and fire.
quently heard by al present, announced
that the feast was not only set, but
begun.
Unjust apologize for our glassware, {"
said tho master Of ceremonies 'Our
champagne glasses were all shattered By
the conclusions at Chickamauga.
And well he might. The array con-
sisted of tin cups. wooden cups, glass
cups and tumblers, all either cracied
broken or dented. And as circle W.
iohiucu W plsuSc WIG DItuo i-iu tlOet-
one Confederate screened himself b.
hind his comrades to avoid being sec;
drinking from gourd. When the cor
tents of Is cases--a regiment of "deal
soldier" on the table. the guests
prepared to depart. The last words had
been spoken by General and Mrs. May.
nard and by Sir Hugh and Lady Rati-
gan. Jakey, who had thus far wander
ed about unobscrved, though not unob-
serving, stepped up to tho bride and
groom. Though ho had not tasted tho
vino, his eyes elistened with intoxica-
tion at the union of his two frionds,
whose attachment he had noticed from
tho first.
"Miss Is~gs. rir you uns N Sir Rats
goin ter ride ruun Tennessee some more
in tho chicken C9cp."
There was burss Of laughter fror
tho party, and Lady Raiiear. with
hlush informed .i1ipv that tho cbickC,