Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1897-06-10


She's got too much of her own. Unless
you want to make an example Of Riggs,
you can release him in the morning.
Murphy ought 10 be let off anyhow
But when morning came it was found
that Riggs had released himself. How
he managed 70 cut his way out Of that
guard-teut without disturbing any
body. no one could explain. lie was
gone at daybreak, leaving no trace be-
hind.
Confined to her bed and room as was
Madam Walton. and only vaguely alive
TO what might be going on in the house
hold-for there were days when she
lay duh and apathetic, yet mercifully
spared from sufferiug-it was Esther's
duty and fondest care to minister 10
her mothers needs even at time when
her heart was torn with anxiety on ac-
count of her husband, now q prisoner
in the hands of the United States mar,
shall at the capital, and of her brother,
who. under the orders Of the general in
command OF the department, had been
sent under guard 10 New Orleans, there
TO await his trial by court-martial for
the crime OF desertion. The visits of
the old family physician We're frequent,
for the invalid had had too much TO suf
fer and seemed incapable of further
struggle. Floyd was twice permitted
TO visit his mother during the two days
that elapsed before telegraphic orders
4 a.
TO him, yet seemed unable to realize
that he was going from her. She once
or twice asked if Judge Summers had
been heard from, for Cousin Bart had
written fun details of Floyd's trouble,
and the family united in urging him 70
make an appeal 10 certain influential
friends of the ante bellum days, who
had scandalized the Waltons by their
loyalty to the old flag. Then Lambert
wrote letter which Close signed and
sent to the department headquarters,
and the boy, remembering some kind
words said TO him by his fathers old
friend, ventured on a personal letter
TO the general himself, pleading Wal
toms case and portraying the fanily's
distress 1t was this letter that over
came Esther's objection to the advice
of Mr. Potts to the effect that they take
Mr.. Lambert in as a day boarder. And
within 4s hours of his initial appearance
at their table Mrs. Scroggs, as he was
the first to address his blushing hostess,
was more than reconciled TO the step.
but II she was, Miss Kate was not.
The wrath and Indignation of that
young lady can hardly be described. 1t
waD one thing, she declared, for her to
sell eggs and butter to gentleman who
was a friend of Floyd's, who told her he
despised his captain as much as she did,
who had enlisted only because he had
been promised immediate promotion to
a captaincy, and who never would have
done so even then, had he known that
soldiers could be used to persecute the
people OF the south. He was only wait
ing for his commission TO come--or his
discharge-to tell Capt. Close what he
thought of his conduct. 1t was all very
well to make friends with "A gentleman
like Mr. Riggs, who had been dear
brother Floyd's friend at Quitman be-
fore he fell in love with that horrid
designing Yankee girl who had led him
on TO "'cohtin" i" her when she was all
the time engaged to that rich rnRpiclser
or whuteveh he might be. Mr. Riggs
had behaved like puhfect gentleman.
(She had forgotten the little bill he had
been running up and was so long vainiy
importuned to pay. She also attached
slight Importance to Barton's state
mcnt that Brother Floyd said Riggs
was n fraud and liar, and responsible for
much-though not all-of his trouble.")
As between Mr.. Riggs and this new
Yankee lieutenant, who had dared 10
disguise himself and seek TO make her
acquaintance, she had but one opinion;
Riggs was driven to drink and desertion
by having had to serve under such
brutes She declared she would starve
rather than eat under the same roof
with Lieut. Lambert, insisted on stay
ing in her mothers room and being
served there, and was conspicuous by
her absence from the table for the first
As hours since Lambert's admittance,
despite Esther's pleading and Barton's
ridicule. "Iou may think it fine to take
money from such people, Mrs. Scroggs,"
she declared, with high dis
dain; but you never would IL moh
was well enough TO know whut wns go-
Ing on" tMoh is the only alphabetical
combination that can think OF which
even approximately represents Miss
Kate's pronunciation of the term by
which she was accustomed 10 refer TO
her mother). But II Miss Kate were in
dignnnt before, she was simply furiona
when her married sister responded
with exaspcmting calm:
"And yet you took Mr.. Lambert's
money IN payment for your butter,
Katesie."
"Ah didn't. How day-ah you say 80,
Esthnh? IL was Mr.. Riggs"
"Floyd says 1t wasn't. Floyd says
that man had not had n cent for three
weeks. You know yourself II was Mr..
Lambert there at the fence both nights,
and you know why that wretch couldn't
have been there"
"AhIl wuhls every flnguh to the bone,
then, tn it's paid back" cried Miss Wal
ton. AN IL wns mean an contempt
ible an cowuhdly In him to fawce 1t on
me M he did to listen to whut wasn't
UhHllI 10 HiB y uIlb ib Hli 10y hlN
"yuhs" Miss Walton meant those or
gans Of hearing that lay so close under
the brown curls on either side OF Mr.. |
Lambcrt's shapely head-cars which
she could gladly have pinched, or
twealfcd, or even banged In her wrath |
at that moment. The hard earned, long |
expected five dollars had been sent TO
town and expended before this Yisterly |
conference took place, or beyond doubt |
Miss Katcsie would have hurled IL back |
ut the donor when he came $50 sprinRily |
up the walk that crisp December even |
ing.
Two days later brought n long letter |
from Floyd, written from the barracks |
at New Orleans. He wns not confined |
in the guar,lhouse, as he had feared and |
expected 10 be, The prisoners await |
Ing sentence were there burt those yet |
TO bc tried were kept IN an old store |
house that wna not uncomfortable, md |
on the evening Of his arrival an officer,
Lieut.. Waring Of the artillery, took him |
into II separate room, treated me Ike |
u perfect gentleman, wrote poor Floyd |
leaving hls readers 10 divine whether |
this lavish descriptive were 20 apply to
the lieutenant or himself listened to |
Floyde's story from beginning to end. |
and told him 10 keep up his spirlts |
"Lcut. Lambert had written urging !
4 n 4. a A.. l. a.