The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1899-08-03
CHAPTER XVIII.
NEWS.


Those two grizzled Confederates were
knights to the core. When about to
mount for their eastward ride over the
broad swath of destruction left by Sher-
mans army, Ackers gently took the
arm OF Lieutenant Oakman and, point
ing to the horse which the Confederate
had ridden to the cabin, said:
Lieutenant, that mare is acting as if
she knowed you. If it's all the same to
you, I'll ride Miss Eldridge's Jack and
you can stick to your own.
The tears came to the eyes of the
Union officer. He had already recog-
nized his mare Fanny, who whinnied
her delight at sight of him, but he reso-
lutely kept his face averted, feeling
that he could ask no further favors of
his friends.
'Thank you, Ackers. I shall never
forget your kindness.
The next moment the officer had
reached the happy mare, who stretched
out her sllken nose, which was caressed
and patted, as we'll as her graceful
neck, the endearment ending. by the
owner giving her a kiss. Then all three
,vaulted into the saddles and away they
went
Under the escort Of the two Confed-
crates and protected by the letter of
Captain Trenholm no further trouble
occurred, though the party were held
up and questioned more than once.
Winter had come, but it's rigors were
softened in that southern cline. Sher-
man was well over in South Carolina,
his columns spreading devastation and
ruin far and wide, but he had not yet
got to Savannah when Lieutenant
Oakman reached the army and reported
to headquarters
At safe distance he babe goodby to
Ackers and Masters. the former Of
whom promised to return the black
horse to his mistress, many miles away
in Georgia. The subsequent campaign
Of General Sherman is matter of his
tory. All know how he telegraphed the
capture of Savannah as a Christmas
present to President Lincoln. after
which began his resistless sweep north
ward, on his way to join Grant, who
was hammering the breath of life out
Of the furnishing Army Of Northern
Virginia under the leadership of the
great Lee in front of Richmond, and in
the following spring the end came The
sun Of the Southern Confederacy set
forever behind the hills Of Appomattox,
and the Union was restored. mightier
than before, to continue as long as
grass grows and water runs
Throughout those days, when Lieu
tenant Oakman, who had been made a
captain, recalled his experience in Geor-
gia, he was frequently impressed with
feeling that it was his duty to send an
expression Of gratitude to Miss Eldridge
for her immense kindness to him. FL
nally he wrote the letter, though, in the
disturbed state Of the country, he doubt
ed whether it would ever reach her. It
was written in February, in North
Carolina, just after the battle of Ben
tonville and ran thus:
DEAR Miss ELDRIDGE-Thanlzs to your kind.
ness in loaning your splendid horse Jack
was soon placed beyond all danger from pur.
the right moment and like the brave men
they are, accompanied me all the way to my
own lines. Ackers placed me under additional
obligations by returning my own animal to me
and by taking your horse back to you trust
that no accident befell him or Jack, for could
not forgive myself if you failed to have your
pony restored to you. If you will be good
enough to drop, me line stating that he is
with you again, it will be a vast relief to me.
The times are so out of Joint that this note
may be long time in reaching you and posi-
bly, may fail to find you at all. give my adj
dress below, so that if the spirit moves you to
write me few lines I think they will eventu-
ally come to my hands. 1t will be great pleas
ure to receive such an expression from you.
In closing beg you to express my fervent
thanks to Captain Trenholm for his chivalrous
friendship, andI venture to hope that at no
distant day may have the pleasure of clasp.
ing his hand. Please say to him for me that
one reason why we are pushing the war for
the Union SO hard is that the south is so full
, OF glorious fellows like him that we are too
selfish to let 'em CO. They've got to stay with
us.
But there are few things to which pen and
words are unequal. One is to express my
gratitude to you for your acts to which my
life is owing Probably shall soon pass from
your remembrance but you can never be for
gotten by me. ~. NJ @@G
One hour after this missive had pass
ed beyond his control, Captain Oakman
began series of frantic efforts to OBJ
tain possession of it again.
1T is the most preposterous stuff
that ever was written, was his humili-
ating thought. ''Those last lines are u
virtual declaration Of lovel They are i'm
pertinent and objectionable! They will
make her despise mel She will give
them no heedl I shall never dare look
in her face againl What possessed mes
Confound it
Nevertheless, some months later, a
dainty missive wound its way in and
out Of the wreck and remnants Of the
Southern Confederacy, and finally was
opened by the trembling hands Of the
young veteran in his faraway northern
home: sas M
Lieutenant Ledyard Oakman (she didn't know
Of his promotion: # . Il 3s.@- N n I.
DEAR sIR-1 thank you very much for your
thoughtfulness In returning Jack, who,
through the Kindness Of Mr.. Aokers, reached