The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1899-07-20

of the promenade Of 60, 900 Union vet
Grams from Atlanta through the core
of the Southern Confederacy, 800 miles
eastward to the Atlantic coast, when
Lieutenant Ledyard Oakman of the
Massachusetts cavalry, accom-
panied by the scout Sam Borland, refined
aside and started off on little cam
paign of his own.
They were far over in eastern Geor-
gia, near the South Carolina line,
through which tho mighty army was to
sweep, facing northward to unite with
the legions of Grant and stamp out the
last embers of resistance. And what
wonderful march that was, the vast
host advancing in four columns, with a
cloud of skirmishers and cavalry in
front to veil it's route, and foraging on
the country through which the army
passed.
The autumn was drawing to close,
and in the north the frost of the COM
ing winter was in the air, while the
soldiers in the Virginia camps drew
around their blazing fires at night and,
as they talked Of the great war and
wondered how soon it would end, wrap
ped their cvercoats closer around their
shivering forms. Eut nature sways
gentler hand and her breath has a soft
fragrance Of it's own in the states farther
south. The mornings were crisp and
bracing, but something Of the summer
fervor fingered in the sunshine, and the
hundreds of campfres that twinkled at
night were needed less for warmth than
for the cooking Of food and the pleasure
of comradeship.
It was on the afternoon Of one Of
those perfect autumn days that Lieu
tenant Oakman drew rein at the edge
Of piece of wood fronting on the
broad, sloping cotton fields, which had
yielded up their meager harvest but a
brief while before, though here and
there the snowy fecks on the stunted
brown bushes showed where the deft
fingers had failed to garner the after
math.
The lieutenant and his scout had
parted company a couple of hours pre-
vious, and the attractive countenance
of the young officer betrayed his mental
concern. His black, blooded mare, that
had carried him safely through the
fame of more than one fierce conflict,
stood motionless, with the reins lying
loose on her neck, while her rider looked
and wondered and fretted. The most
that she ventured to do was to thrust
forward her silken nose and, with the
aid Of the flexible upper lip with which
her species is provided, draw in some
Of the neighboring twigs and MUNICH
them despite the interference Of the
steel bit.
The food was neither tempting nor
nourishing. Perhaps Fanny INDUCED to
this gentle extent the better to pass
away the time while her rider rumi-
mated, but master and beast had long
been accustomed to ''hard TACK
The attention of Lieutenant Oakman
was divided between a point on the
fringe Of the curving wood fourth Of
mile away and the old mansion Of
the plantation, which was less than
half the distance named. It was typ
ical planters home, low of stature
broad, roomy and whitewashed, sur
rounded by wealth Of shade trees, d.
vided near the middle by rooted pas
sage, with wide porch extending in
front, numerous outbuildings and the
row Of cabins near by where the slaves
were comfortably CHARTERED until most
of them were brushed into the current
that came with the ''day Of jubilee
and foated them into the promised land
of freedom.
The officer turned the small spyglass
suspended from his neck by string
toward the point Of wood which, it has
been said, attracted his attention. The
result was satisfactory. Sam Borland
was there, standing beside the trunk of
a huge cottonwood his horse so far in
the timber as to be invisible. Evidently
he was on the alert, for scarcely had
Oakman located him when he took of
his cap and swung it. The lieutenant
whipped out his handkerchief and with
a, single wave replied That was stuff.
Gent. They understood each other, and
the officer turned his head part way
round without shifting his position il
the saddle and fixed his gaze upon the
AAesAAOAAs Va AooAOA u pun ~ AuCA u II
as the shading branches permitted hin
to gee.
The result of this scrutiny was disap
pointing The cavalryman perhaps wal
looking for some person or signal, bu,
failed to catch the first sign Of either
When he grew weary of the work, h,
lowered his binocular
II wonder whether there's a Twin,
creature in that house, he muttered
1T looks as if it were an empty shell
or huge coffin. This is the first tim
that red war has crossed the threshold
of these southern homes Until now no
the boom Of a cannon nor the crack O
hostile musket has startled the wome,
and children, but the terror is upol
them at last
A feeling of pity and wonder came
the gallant officer: His thoughts too
the same trend they had taken scores O
times before, and not only with him
but with multitudes Of those who wor
the blue and the gray. --,t .-.,~s