Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1896-06-25
A WARTIME EXPERIENCE.
An Irato Southern Woman Gives a Sharp
Reception to q Northern Boy.

Reception to q Northern Boy.
Thomas Edwin Turner contributes q
story, Lieutenant Harry" rcoounting an
episode of tho war of tho rebellion, to st.
Nicholas. Tho I3.ycnr-old son of Federal
officer was put in nominal command of n
scouting party, and the following was ono
Of his experiences in Versailles, Mo-:
Feeling that already he had displayed
gcneralship to be favorably compared with
Napoleon's crossing the Alps, the young
lieutenant, with his two men, q sergeant
and n corporal, prepared to carry by storm
or strategy tho only castle known In
Amcrica--tho dwelling house of ono of her
citizens. He mounted tho stops of the
most prctontious house in his district and
boldly pulled tho doorbcll. After repeat.
ing this operation two or throo times, ap.
plying increased strength to each rcpeti
ton, finally tho door was flung wide OPEN
and there stood u lady clad in black. Her
hair was black, hor oyos were blacker, and
tho expression of her face was BLACKLIST.
This somber female looked ut the boy u.
moment, and then asked:
"Do you want a bollY'
ono, maam. Why?" said he.
ooh, when you first rang I thought
some ono needed doorbcll and had con-
cludod to take mine, but before reaching
hero l decided it was not u boil, but tho
whole house You were going to take. Now
what do you wantf"
1t must 10 confessed that this reception
was not what the young Lieutenant expect
cd and for moment it staggered him.
But ho drew himself up to his full height
of foot l 1 inches allowed the left hand
to rest gracefully on his knightly sword
hilt and, his face beaining with concii-
ating smile as no assumed the air of q
humble and unwilling instrument in tho
hands of Uncle sam, no proceeded to an
swer tho lady's last question thus: MAD
am, these are war times 1t pains mo to
inform you that my duty compcls us to
search your house from top to bottom.
would spare 80 fair a lady If 1t wero in my
power, but my orders from our command.
ing officer cannot DO disoboyed. So please
lead tho way and we will annoy you as lit
Ito rs possible"
Hero the lady to whom this grandilo-
quent address hnd been directed, struck
dumb with amazomcnt Mt the boys words
and air of condescensioD, recovered her
speech. Her face was flushed and her
black eyes flashed dangerously as she
screamed:
Hold your tongue, you impudcnt little
peacock, or I'll box your ears Why docs
baby like you wear uniformP Haven't
tho Yankees mon enough? II your COM
manding officer wants anything of mo, let
him send man, not stuck up doll like
you. Run homo now as fast as your little
legs will carry you and tell mamma to
trounco you soundly for inpertinonce to
lady old enough to be your grandmother!
Mover was humiliation so whitening, so
bli2hting, so complete. The boy would
have given worlds to havo exchanged his
uniform for his roundabout and brooches
and tho SLOUGH hat In his room at his far
away northern homo. In somewhat
tremulous voice, 1t must DO confessed, tho
young lieutenant thus answered his de-
rider:
Madam l may be peacock and q
imagined you were the lady you claimed
to he, but, so long as even your dress Is
like that Of my mother and sisters, we
will not bo rude unless you compel 1t. My
little legs arc going over this house from
cellar to garnet, and If you won't show us
tho way will send you to the hotol with
Corporal Sands, where we have some other
prisoners. am big enough to tell you this
and to do it.
Scowling darkly, the woman replied:
Como on, you little brutel Oh, how l
wish l had you alono for ten minutes!'
Truth to tell "thc little brute" was very
glad to escape a private interview with
the irate woman.