The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1896-03-20
CHAPTER VII.
CASHIERS REVISITED.

Just before the publication in The
Century Magazine for October, 1890, OF
the facts embodied in the foregoing
chapters, was sent by The Century
company to Johnson's island, at San
dusky, to Chicago and Indianapolis in
search of material needed in the illus
tration of other prison articles then in
preparation.
After finishing my business at Indl-
annapolis proceeded by way of Louis
Vile and Knoxville to Asheville, to car
ry out my long cherished purpose OF
saying visit to the mountainous who
had harbored our party in the winter OF
1864.
As the morning train rolled south out
of Asheville the rain was falling stead
ily and / thought with foreboding OF the
afternoon drive into the mountains from
the railway terminus. In half an hour,
however, the sun was shining brilliant
ly and the blue ridges were emitting
puffs of gray fog. had been IN Ashe-
Vile but once before and between the
two visits 26 years had interviewed.
Where the guests OF the superb Battery
Park hotel now look from its wide We
randas ON to the peaks of the Blue Ridge,
a field battery then ranged across the
valley and along the western front OF
the town wide belt of timber had been
slashed to give free range to the guns.
| Yesterday had rolled into the town
along the windings of the French Broad
| in vestibuled train, thinking of that
other time when we tramped i'll under a
convoy of loaded muskets.
| NV destination was the point In the
mountains where my party had been re-
captured and my object to revisit the
friends who had fed and harbored u.s.
Who of them would be living and
who dead? Who of my guides, guards,
captors and harboring friends would re-
member me? My former visit had been
such thrilling adventure and the mem
ory of it was so much like vision that
for weeks before / started and at sever
al of the great hotels ON the way l had
dreamed queer things about my old
friends away up in the mountains. AT
the Gait House in Louisville l dreamed
that one little red checked maiden OF
the old times had married barber, and
that the professional chairs, draped with
dirty towels, stood in the family sitting
room. In one family at least where ouI
former advent had been an event in the
isolated lives of the household, and
which family by the marriage OF the
Young people had ramified into several
, neighboring homes, knew my return
would be of as much Importance as the
: coming of kinsman.
, At high noon was set off the trair
. to find myself 80 miles from my desti
, nation. The local liveryman, instead Of
replying to my question as to the pric'
for which he would send me to Cashiers
valley, stated that he would provide MI
, horse, wagon and driver at 81. 30 PEI
day, to bear all expenses of feed anC
lodging. At the hotel where repaired
, for dinner before starting found fla
and rosy Episcopal clergyman on thu
gallery, /" who, having just washed hi
; face and hands, was standing in ben
: and dripping attitude awaiting DIR,
> towel. As they say in that country, HI
r "suspicioned" my identity and poGtel,
asked me where 1 was bound. toll
: him.
MAY ask whom you are going Il
I see over there?'
] ST am going to Riley Hooper's,
said.
: "Ah," said he. SCI thought so.
= know all about You. They are LOOKING
fro BE ooxrnUED.l