Evening star., 1898-02-19


1--WE meet UP with some very queer peo-
pie in our line of baassness.' said the con-
ductor of a yellow car on the Metropolitan
line. day two ago TO Star reporter
''but ef-the zaaeerest struck me last
Saturday.
1t was on the down trip. and We were
on Connecticut avenue below Dupont
Circle when one of these bang-up women,
whose harles get printed in the society
columns of the papers about seven days
out of six got aboard the car. 1t so hap
pened that We were running light. and,
having very few stops to make, were going
slow In order not to overrun our time and
bump fnt6 the green car ahead. We were
making just as good time. Of course, as if
We had had to stop at every corner and
IL en- run like the mischief between corn
ers. but the woman / was telling you about
Was evidently nervous because we weren't
going faster. l suppose she had bids to a
whole lot of . o'clock teas all along the
line and was afraid she might have TO
Overlook one or two. At any rate she
beckoned To me. and went inside.
Aren't we going very slow. conductor
Il explained to her how things were, and
that we were really making better time
than If We had had more stops to make
But don't the green car behind Us run
faster than this she asked.
"'Yes'm.' told her, cause L wasn't
going To- let her outdo me in foolishness.
Then / would really save good deal
of time If / should get of this car ana
take the green car when it comes along:
YES tnde ed you would If you've got
any great distance TO go, says as poite
as you please. .ou,,,,-
tor says she. and Will refnenoer "ha'
you say in future.
wow. wasn't that foolishness for you!
But would YOU believe 1t, L nave passeo
that same woman three times since on
Connecticut avenue. and every time sHe
has let nv car go by and has taken the
green car after US. in the calm satisfaction
that srle was going to get down town
whole heap sooner
x =
.sFor one man to capture whole battery
is a pretty good piece of work, isn't IL
asked Major Abbott. one of the good-na-
tured door tenders at the Senate. the other
day.
His partner. who was an attentive listen
er. admitted that it was. and then the
major related this incident which came un-
der his own observation during the war:
1T occurred at the battle of Cedar
Creek" he began. land the man who ac-
cnrnpIished the daring feat was Captain
Charles c. Gray of the 1st Rhode Island
Light Artillery He now lives in Provi-
deuce Sheridan. with his dashing bravery
and fighting nature. had repulsed Early and
driven him down the creek.
There was no rest for the enemy or for
our cavalry. All the way from our camps
to Strasburg. a distance of four miles, the
pike was strewn with the debris of a beaten
army; and the scene in Strasburg itself was
such a flood of confused flight and chase.
,,,l hadlo of. mi
as few other defeats of the war can paral-
lei
Guns. caissons. ammunition wagons.
baggage wagons and ambulances by the
hundred. with dead or entangled and strug-
Cling horses, were jammed into the streets
OF the little town. impeding alike fugitfves
and pursuers. Our troopers lodged through
the press as best they could piStoling,
bering and taking prisoners.
"A private of the 9Th New York Cavalry.
riding up to wagon. ordered the five men
who were in II to surrender. and when they
only lashed their horses into wilder gall
lop he shot two with his revolver and
brought in three others.
The usually gallant and elastic south
ern infantry was so stupefied by fatigue
and cowed by defeat that it seemed like
q flock of animals actually taking no no
tice of mounted men and officers from our
army who wandered into the wide confu-
sion of It's retreat.
d Of the 1st Rhode Island Artillery. The
day before he had lost the left gun of his
Six-piece battery on a retreat On this day
i now speak of he had been riding ahead
of the skirmish line to see il there were
not possibility of making up for the loss
Of his gun.
'In his ride he encountered a retreating
confederate battery. and galloping up to
1t. ordered it to face about. 1t was dar-
Ing thing to do.
81 was told to go to the rear as rapidly
nc 40 tod laa In,
command
"A number of pistols were cooked and
aimed at Lieutenant Gray.
'Holdr he shouted. You don't know
who I am | of those id Yanks.
You surrounded by Union forces and
II a move is made to disobey my order you
will be shot down like dogs. Come. coun-
termarch immediately
The battery was countermarched anC
Gray was leading IL off alone. when
squadron of our cavalry came up and made
the capture a certainty. 1t was Grays
daring manner that caused that southern
battery TO lose its nerve.
Il don't know that / ever heard Gray
relate tn" incident In which he took such
prominent part. He is as modest in
peace as he invincible In fight He
should have a medal of honor, and doubt
less he Will when the matter is brought to
the attention of Secretary AIger. Gray
was in General Ayers command a part of
the time during the war"
< X
senator Wolcott of Colorado is one of the
best-natured members of the upper house
In Congress and he is usually the life of
the meetings of tfose committees of which
he is member. He is always quick to see
the humorous side of a question and very
often persists in Injecting some ludicrous
remark or statement az a time when there
Is occasion for most seriousness
Last summer. before Senator WoIcott went
abroad on his bimetallism mission, he was
a constanf attendant at the meetings Of the
Senate finance committee. which were held
al the Arlington One night. toward mid
Hight while the committee was still in ses-
slcn. servant came to the committee
rooms and said there was some one at the