Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1898-09-03


Major Lee.
meddling you could keep me a kings
man In the event it might have been
better. might have been richer"
'Yes, said She 81 think even was
right Jack Champe-
81 am not accustomed, Mistress Pris-
ella, TO women who will take the trou-
bio you did to set a man right. although
IL was. from the point of honor, a wrong
course, which could not adopt 1 be-
Eeve you thought it for my good"
"There be many women who would
have done so much, " said she.
But was firmly persuaded there was
and is but one, and, holding this persua-
sion and believing that now she might
have me. although before, when boy,
had made violent love to her in Vir-
ginia she had Tilted me-believing that
being a spinster now rather we'll along
she might not refuse me. although. in
faith, had little enough money, was
persuaded to ask her to marry me.
Me, Captain Champel Are you not
crazy?" said she demurely at this mod
est request of mine.
mot ], Mistress Priscilla / have
neat enough wit left to know the ma
terial for a good wife -
"Oh, but. captain, I'm SO old and
uglyl Why did you not ask me when i
was young?"
II did when we were both young.
years since, in Virginia"
''Ob, forgotl" said she.
81 tried then, but you Tilted me. Have
you forgotS I supposed woman never
forgot who she jilts."
"Ok, do you, captain? Or who
''Or who. mistress?''
'Or who she loves
''Oh, them" said i, st might as well
return to Kentucky, for see the jig is
up"
"Is itG'' said she. st believe even
will go with you, captain. -
"Are you TESTING again, as you did
when a girl In Virginia?'' asked l,
doubling her.
''Eh, jesting, Captain Champe, as a
spinster may who catches at perhaps
; her last and, indeed, believe, her best
chance -
confess the outcome Of the matter
was most curious, for during those days
when 1 was tossing on the sea on the
journey to the Virginia capes ] should
have held him as mad as the maddest
March hare who had told me / should
try to marry this meddling hussy to
gain peace of mind
But if the ways Of God be strange
that way of his which is called wom-
ans is the strangest. If any one were
to blame for this termination of the
affair of the medding hussy, surely it
was none other than Major Lee, who
first had suggested to me an apparently
impossible reason for her conduct when
she had spoiled all my plan for catch
ing the traitor. From regarding the rea-
son all impossible began to question if
after all there might be some ground
for holding it possible The step from
superstition to experiment. is not long
one, as Mr.. Franklin himself has attest
ed Yet 1 must confess Thought was
only silly, imaginative fool for my
pains till her words showed that,
strange as it may appear, Major Lee
had understood her without ever having
seen her
Nor In the end, although I have
blamed her IN all this account for hav-
ing spoiled for me the outcome OF a
good adventure, was l so unfortunate
as l had supposed, for if 1 did lose
chance Of further distinction as a sol
der through following out the plan
General Washington proposed to me,
learned in the end by this very adventure
that woman who takes enough in
terest in you to NEEDLE with your mat
ters, even to the point of turning them
all topsy turvy, may make for the very
reason of that interest not so bad q wife
THE END.
Note.-Lee's memoirs make the date OF
Champe's mission before Andres execution,
, Oct. 2, 1850 One Of the Inducements offered
Champe, the memoirs state was that the in
formation he might obtain might lead to a stay
IN the proceedings against Andre Losing, in
his "k1eld Hook-of the -ReYolution. however.