The Portland daily press., 1895-06-08
THE INCOMPETENT OATH.
By MARTHA MOULLOOH WILLIAMS.
copyright, 1895, by the Author.l
CHAPTER T

Like other of earth's great tragedies,
war has an undernote of comedy, es-
pecially civil war, where the heat of
conflict melts human souls-makes them
as fluid, as glowing, as lava stream.
1t is a lnerciful ordering-how mer-
ciful they alone know who can look
back 80 years to the tense time that was
measured by heartbeats, punctuated
into epochs by the lannon's roar.
Particularly to such as dwelt in a
conquered province, where, outside the
army posts-often, too, inside them
the only news came over the grapevine
telegraph, which ran from Nowhere
into Space-and, it is safe to say, record
ed more marvels than ever went over a
wire.
The genesis of its name was charac-
teristic The institution had an inter-
mittent existence even before military
happenings made free communication
impossible and authentic Intelligence
somewhat more rare. than it was pre-
sious. News of the early battles, of
course, came first over the wires. By
the time seed of fact had run through
dozen mouths, there was such a har-
vest of fiction that the listeners said ona
to the other, 1T must have took er
grapevine ter fetch such news as that
any wired er broke down under it. -
So very soon the can't word grapevine
was in everybody's mouth, as express
i've of news that might be true, but
with the probabilities against it.
The grapevine's conductor was the
whole populace, its battery the era's
feyerish eagerness either to tell or to
hear something new. Its most active
agents and promoters were men effu-
siyely southern in profession and selfish
in pocket, with consciences as facile as
their tongues.
When the fortunes of war gave mid
die Tennessee to Federal domination,
all and several, they made haste rapid
~ to take the oath of allegiance, and
thus secure passes and trading permits.
The grapevine heretofore of small
and languid growth, became thus in
their mouths something fearful and
wonderful. As they alone could go in
and out of the army lines and had,
moreover, secret commercial communf-
cation southwark, their statements had
sometimes the nucleus of TRUTH about
which Carlyle says lie must crystal
line. Oftenar they were pure invention,
and of character to put Munchausen to
the blush, make Gulliver seem arealist.
Always they were eagerly listened to by
a people whose fate hung trembling in
the balance Of war.
So much by way Of necessary preface,
The precise moment with which this
chronicle has to do is the spring of 1863.
The season was early, the air warm,
humid, forcing. Woods were almost in
leaf, strawberries blushed red, peas
hung full in the pod by the LIST of May.
Waters were falling, falling. In a little
while the rivers would be fordable.
After that, the deluge-otherwis the
partisan leaders, riding, raiding, threat
ening strong posts, marrying weak ones,
cutting wheresoever they could line of
communication with the ever advancing
front.
Colonel Grice, post commandant at
Bellsboro, felt himself peculiarly liable
to attack, for Bellsboro was something
more than a mere county town. The
center and market place of dozen rich
counties, it spread in solid stateliness
over twice seven river hills-hills thick
ly matted with native blue grass, more
thiekly starred with dandelion gold
q Besides tho river there was the rail-
way-one of the north and south lines
that were arteries for wars lifeblood.
The tall, spiderwebby bridge across
the Cumberland once destroyed, thers
would be lack and loss incalculable
farther south
So it behooved the army of occupa-
ton to be wary and diligent. A big
earthwork topped the highest of the riv'
er hills. Cannon peered grimly from
its portfolios The flagstaff, with it's
futtering pennon, came to view two
miles at least before the town itself.
Half dozen turnplkes led into town.
Each was heavily pioketed. Lanes and
byroads were either barricaded or held
under surveillance of the inner guard
line
4 All the world and his wife might
go In wItaout let or hindrance. Get
ting orls again was the rub. For that a
pass sigred by the provost marshal was
requisite, and the provost gave such
only to those who professed loyalty to
the United States.
Notwithstanding Colonel Grice felt
ill at ease. Soldier. gentleman, him
self, he was in no way deceived by the
lip loyalty Of those who would be all
things to all mentor consideration.
Though he did not affront them open
1y, in his heart of hearts he had more
respect for the men whose impassiye
faces and honestly withheld hands be-
spoke stanohness in the cause they held
the right.
These we're great multitude. Bells
boro's heart beat true to the Confeder-
acy in every pulse. The flower of her
manhood was wearing the gray With
the county she had equipped and sent
out three regiments of 10 months men,
ruho xuhou fboir far,,1 of aplic+,,oa,+