Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1896-10-10

now StronS.J his own heart plead for
the offender, the offcnsc must be met
with the penalty laid down by the law.
Woefully ignorant of this, our young
hero was hopeful. He sincerely regretted
his thoughtless act of disobedience, but
his only fear of punishment was that he
might be put under arrest for a few
days.
GAS he was bidding the little wife
goodby and trying to reassure her that
all would be well with him, two stall
wart soldiers entered the door unan-
nounced and, without further warning,
arrested him as descrter. AS a de-
serter! Merciful heay~Slsv exclaimed
the lieutenant, realizing i'll an instant
the horror of all that meant.
"'I am not deserter! Who has dared
20 accuse me as such"
"'Our orders are from headquarters,
SIR replied the sergeant, showing
him paper, the warrant signed by An
thony Wayne. The doomed man, crazed
with the thought of what his fate would
be, looked about wildly for some chance
If escape, but the soldiers of General
WayLo were too well trained to neglect
their dgty to even show the pity they
felt for the young man, whose offense,
seemingly so slight, must yet pay the
penalty of base deserten
1.-The few brief hours of happiness had
cost them dear. What sad-aye, ter
rible-ending of that short honeymoon! |!
The girlish bride, white with terror,
yet not realizing the awful sorrow be-
fore her, was sure that she could save
her husband from punishment were she
to plead for him with the general, who
had been so gracious to her when they
met that she could not believe him
cruel. Hastily saddling her own horse,
she had followed close behind the SOL
diers guarding her husband, determined
that nothing should prevent her having
an interview with General Wayne.
Arriving at the fort she dismounted,
and, slipping past the guard before they
could prevent her, had forced her way
into the presence of the general. 1t was
said of Mad Anthony that, however
stern and unbending he might be with
his men, with woman he was ten
der, deferential and yielding They
could not believe the stories about his
cruelty, and the little woman who stood
before him was not prepared for the
stern order given to the sentinel to 'es-
cort this lady to the outpost aud then
report for lack of duty ut once who
has dared to let her through the guards.
This is no place for you, madam, he
said more gently, but throwing herself
on her knees before him she pleaded as
only loving woman can plead for the
man whose life is dearer to her than her
own.
"She might as well have appealed to Il
rock as to Anthony Wayne, for, although
every word she uttered stabbed him to
the heart because he was fond of the
seemed so full of we'll earned hope, yet
no thought CT granting the pardon in
his power entered the stern command
er's mind. In his estimation there could
be no repricvc for IL soldier who willful-
ly OF through careless disregard of orders
had placed himself in the light of de-
serter.
Lieutenant G. stood before the man
whose power was unlimited with folded
arms awaiting his sentence. Without
plea for his life and honor, without tho
usual court martial, or, in fact, any
chance of escape, he was condemned to
be shCt at sunrise as u deserter. Not a
sign of agony felt was shown by the
doomed man, whose bright young life
was to pay the penalty of few hours
of happy fOrgetfulncss of time, but as
his wife, sprlnging to her feet, threw her
arms around him as if to save him and
with a shrek of terror fell at his feet
unconscious the lieutenant turned and
looked at Anthony Wayne. 1t is said
that General Wayne never forgot that
look while he lived, and that when the
report of the muskets reached his ears
at sunrise that fatal morning he dropped
his head on his hands and groaned
aloud, and it was hot well for the hap
less soldiers who had business with him
that day.
Zone word from him might have saved
that life, which lay like a gift in tho
palm of his hand-not only one, but
two lives, for the girl bride never re-
covered from the shock of that day.
Dying, she cursed the hard hearted SOL
dier who took from her all that made
life dear to her. For that reason, and
because when the bones of General
Wayne were taken from the grave on
the bluff at Presque isle and carried to
their present resting place among his
kin, the scalp and particles of flesh
which had resisted decay being replaced
in the old coffin and grave by the block
house, the superstitious sailors say that
Mad Anthony cannot rest, but that at
intervals he comes to the old headquar-
ters where that terrible tragedy was en-
acted so long ago. 1t is believed that
he regretted that act of cruelty which
he at the time thought imperative duty
demanded i'll order that military obedi-
ence be enforced upon the soldiers whose
hearts were filled with horror at the
punishment meted out to the young Off
Ger whom they all loved.
Regret comes too late when the coffin
lid is closed.
81 don't know why we have been
chosen as witnesses to the ghastly reap
pearance of the trio tonight, but I am
glad to find myself once more among
living creatures, added the captain as
the boat touched the pier.
Whatever mistakes We're made by
Mad Anthony Wayne he at least
was brave, dauntless soldier, and for
one say, 'Requiescat in pace. >"