Evening star., 1897-01-23

49, i@ west In this city
el the representatives of
these families are to be found, filling i'm
portant positions, under the general and
District governments. in the professional
and business world. In some respects the
war of 1872 was not unlike that of the
rebellion, for a considerable number OF
the American people-the federalsts es-
pecially-being opposed to its prosecution
were in favor of quiet submission to
the claims of Great Britain. and conse-
quently there were to be found divided
families as well as communities. This
was the case in Washington. where, how
ever, the influence of the administration
was so strongly felt that opinions in op-
position to the war were generally not
expressed. In Maryland, however, the
peace party was more outspoken.
Among the families then living in An
napolis was a widow from a few miles
back in the country, with her two daugh-
ters, one of them, Mary, an exceedingly
handsome girl of slight short build, pos
sessng Fair of eyes so brilliantly express
sive that (as the sequel will show) they
spoke more eloquently than tongue. On
the occasion of one of the visits of Brit
ish man-of-war to those waters Mary
had met a young British officer, and the
two had corresponded and had become
engaged AS may De imagined, when the
young lady heard reports of British
squadron being in the bay, she had high
hopes that her lovers ship might be in
the squadron. and that she would soon
meet him. When some of the neighbors
packed up their Valuables and moved back
in the country. the widow and her two
daughters continued to earn their living
by the use of their needles. and as POM
pons for the soldiers were in demand they
took up the business of making these or
a
AS the garrison of the town was increased,
so did their work. until SO busily Were
they engaged they had scarcely time TO at
tend to the duties of the house. Several
alarms had aroused the town and caused
more or less of a stampede of the nom
combatants. One of these occurred April
3, 1913. Oh the arrival of several privateers.
chased up the bay by the British; and on
this occasion the state archives We're has
tily removed from the city to place OF
safety. Tine little family of three, how
ever, although they had their former home
to which to return If SO disposed, elected
to remain and trust to the fortunes of
war Doubtless, at least one of the family
had an idea that she would be safe if her
British lover was on the fleet
In Washington there was among the
militiamen a young bricklayer, a native of
the lower part of Prince Georges county.
who had learned his trade of and worked
for MIR. Henry Smith, leading contractor
and builder of those early days. He board
premiership. Mr.. Smith had, some few
years before, erected row of two-story
basement and attic brick houses, on the
east side of 11th street, extending south
ward from the corner of F street, ard al
though these houses have, to some extent
been replaced and remodeled, much of the
original structure is standing today-a
monument to the thorough workmanship
of the olden time. Now, this young man,
then but twenty-five years Of age, was a
remarkably handsome fellow, of afrable
manners, genial, open-hearted. disposition,
and it is not surprising that even before he
was full-fedged journeyman the ladies
regarded him as a good catch. Among
the ladies of his acquainta was enc
whom he had known for several years, and
who was the favorite belle of that section
of the city. Her name was Katie
and she lived on E street not far from the
stream rising in Franklin Square. and
crossing + street between 9th and 10th
streets. He had been her regular beau for
some months, and had given her an en-
gagement ring, which she proudly wore to
the envy of many of her companions. He
had. however, another IDOL namely, his
military company, and was fully as happy
When with his company as ne was when
in the company of his fiaacee. The latter
was proud of him when he appeared on
gala occasions in uniform. but as her fam
lily were of federalist proclivities, she was
totally opposed to his going 20 war and be-
coming target for British bullets. He
urged her to set the wedding day, but she
as condition, demanded that he should
resign from his company Otherwise he
must wait till the war was over, as she
was not anxious to run the chances of be-
coming soldiers widow, or the wife of a
fraction of a man. He tried to impress her
that his duty was to his country first but
they could net agree, she retained the en-
gagement ring, and the wedding was rost-
poned without day.
Cupid Interferes.
In a short time his company was called
into service, but the only effect on the
lovers was that the courtship continued
afterward by means of letters, and these
were always full of hope that the cruel
war would soon be over, and their speedy
marriage made possible.
1t was about the last of July, 1S13 when
Information was received in Washington
that the English fleet was making demon
strations in the Chesapeake, the supposed
| object being to attack Annapolis. Rein
fcrcements were at once sent 10 the an
cient city, and the company to which the
young bricklayer belonged received orders
for a forced march to that place. Little
time had he to prepare for the journey,
and taking a hasty leave of the E street
girl, he was soon on the march, wondering
IL he would ever see THE girl left behind
me-" hut little thinking that Cupid might
interfere.
Arriving in Annapolis, it was not long be-
fore the want OF pomponS for their hats
led some of the company to visit the now
prosperous pompon factory at the widows
home. Our bricklayer-soldier was one of
the callers, and during their stay in the
shop the young ladies were busily engaged
in making the neat pompoEs, while bar
gains were being made with the mother
The eyes of the bricklayer-Soldiar and one
Of the girls met, and ere the first was
aware of it, the heart he supposed belonged
to the f street girl was given to the An
napolis GIRL and the latter could not telp
the eloquence of her sparkling eyes con-
veying a message she strove to keep back
1t was also apparent to his fellow SOL
diers that they had witnessed one of
Cupid's conquests on sight. On their way
to camp, our bricklayer made "a frank
avowal that he believed that Providence
had directed his footsteps to meet his fu-
ture wife, and they discussed the question
as to how he could honorably break his
engagement with the Washington girl At
ter day or two's deliberation, he came to
the conclusion and so wrote his old flame
a full confession that he had met one who
he believed Was intended for his wife but
had forborne to tell her his love till he
could get from his fiancee release, and
he implored her to consent to this and
send back his ring, that he might press his
suit with his new idol. She failed to write
to him. and after waiting a week. he de-
termined to act as free, single and olsen
gagged" and take whatever conseu,,en ,as