The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1895-12-14
THE TWO CAPTAINS.
BY TOM HALL

ITO tho king"
ITO my king"
The toasts, though slightly different,
were uttered simultaneously and small
glass of rare old port was emptied in
honor of each. The scene was tho
plantation, not fifteen miles from the
famous city of Charleston: the time
was the carly autumn of 1881; while
the characters were young captain of
his ma esty's artillery, a portion of
which was guarding the city of Charles
ton. and a young woman in perhaps her
twenty-second year. a famous beauty
was this Miss Phoebe Poindexter, and q
most captivating picture she made. in
the eyes of the captain of artillery, as
she sat drumming the keys of her
harpsichord. after replacing the empty
wine glass on the table near her. The
latter was a handsome young man, up
pnrcntly thirty years of age, with n
perfect air of good breeding and evil
IDENTIFY of some graces. for he had just
finished a solo on the flute to the ac-
compartment of the young lady.
1.-THE fact is, Miss Phoebe, hardly
Know what should do with myself,
were it not for the possibility of riding
out here to spend OH occasional after
noon with you-or should say, both
in gallantry and truth, every after
noon with you? The town is simply
too dull for n soldier, now that Lord
CORVALLIS has taken the major part of
our army with him in his chase after
the rebel Greene"
"And what do you think, captain, are
his chances of capturing Gen. Greene?"
"Oh, tho chances are perfect, my
dear lady. Why, the rebels were abso-
lutely routed, according to our dis
patches, ut the battle of Guilford Court
House, and so badly demoralized that
they ran from the field like sheep. In
deed there was no necessity for our pur-
suit. Greene is starving up there in the
mountains of North Carolina and will
surrender at discretion in the course of
a week or two. His defeat and reduced
circumstances will be the excuse, but
the real reason will be British gold. You
remember, of course, our success with
their Gen. Arnold. Well, after a mans
ambition has been killed, he will not
fight in any cause with neither food
nor pay. And that is the dire extrem-
fly to which Greene has been forced by
the glorious success of his majesty's
arms. My Lord CORVALLIS has turned
north and in a month will have defeated
and captured that little boy of a French
man. La Fayette. With their armies
Of the south and of the center defeated.
lie will move next spring upon the only
remaining armies of the rebels, that
under the 1niscreant Washington. 1t
will be a short campaign, n battle, n
rout, a pursuit and then peace-and
with peace will come its delightful
handmaitlen love. And then - then,
Mistress Poindexter, I shall have the
honor of claiming you for a bride, of
selling out my commission and living
the quiet life of an English country
gentleman for, hope. the rest of my
life"
"a charming arrangement of events
for yourself, my dear Capt. Webb! But
must say it appears to me as though
Cinia is moro like a retreat than the I'D
vance of a victorious and conqucring
erny. And as for Gen. Greene, they
say that he is not only harassing Gen.
CORVALLIS at every step of his north
ward movement, but has detached his
cavalry and n portion of his riflemen to
rcconquer the Carolinas and Georgia."
ION what utter nonsense do these
misguided colonists feed their despair
ing hopes!' answered the captain.
'Why, it would be no more ridiculous
for you to assure me that a detachment
of Marion's outlaws were here, sur
rounding this very house, and that I
was in danger of becoming q prisoner
to them, as to-what was that2" The
captain jumped hurriedly from his seat
and, grasping the railing of the veran
tla in front of him for support, looked
anxiously UP and down the road that
ran in front of the old plantation.
1T seemed to me like the winding
of q horn," said the lady. calmly.
"And, by my faith, heard the gal
Looping of horses and short command,
continued the captain, excitedly.
Inside, inside, captain, as your value
your liberty" said the lady; II saw a
mounted man in uniform there in the
bushes just now, and know the uni
form WELL"
'And the wearer?"
Eyes, the -wearer."
''Then; it lisa detachment Of Nfarion'S
outlaws indeed. Ha! will be an agree
able prize for Capt. Pickens. An in-
tcresting Meettng between two rivals
u Vail be. @uleedl ! must DO eavcd,