Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1902-02-20
AN INCIDENT OF WAR
[Oiiginal.l

| SiHS WIN Wal w ilCu lUI uedIly lofty
years l have kept to myself. Perhaps
| it will do no harm to me OF mine to
make it known now. 1t was the eve
of Gettysburg, and we We're skurrying
from Maryland into Pennsylvania. Our
general threw out a thin picket line, and
had charge of corporal and eight
| men stationed on the turnpike leading
eastward. We had been marching all
day, were ravenously hungry and
would not get anything to eat until
after being relieved. One of the men
lighted Il fire and with a tomato can
that he had picked up for frying was
endeavoring to cook some bacon that
he had taken from his haversack I
noticed that if the meat were divided
among the picket post there would be
thin slice for each man. If he ate 1t
all, it would be merely enough to stay
his stomach.
'May go home" asked soft voice
behind me. 1 turned, and theEe stood
u little country girl of fifteen, looking
up at me from under her sunbon-
net with the timidest pair of eyes,
fringed with dark lashes and soft as
fawn's.
go home?" 1 said, thinking more Of
the girl than her question. Certainly.
Where do you live"
"Down the road there" pointing.
looked mechanically where she
pointed, then at the girl. Then my
eyes dropped to a basket she carried
on her arm, full of eggs. forgot her
=, 60 -,
them boiled, scrambled, in omelet,
poached-every variety of egg that the
most skillful cook could devise.
Twill you sell your eggs?" asked.
mo, sir, but will give you some OF
them. I'm taking these home for the
children"
ooh, well, if you are taking them to
the children" 1 said regrehully, "you
may keep them. 1 wouldn't rob the
cradle.'"
"You may have Dozen" she said in
her soft voice. ''That will leave me
seven to take home"
Just think of those eggs broken over
that bacon sizzling in the tomato can
and emitting its delicious odor! 1 fin
gered the beautiful white ovals, hold
ing one after another in the hollow Of
my hands, growing hungrier every mo-
ment.
"Take dozen off the top" said the
girl.
"Why off the top?" wondered.
1 looked into her face. Her eyes were
cast down upon the basket, and If ever
there was innocence depicted in the
human countenance it was in hers. A
few years older she would be perfect
model for Madonna
Taking fifty cent postal currency,
the only change we had in those days,
from my pocket, 1 dropped it into the
basket and picked out twelve eggs.
Something, know not what, perhaps
greed for more, induced me to take
up one of the eggs remaining and han
die it.
Happening to glance at the girl,
saw that she had her eye intently
on those had not yet touched, and
sasn yes sfa5aigg Rsr r heart to op
which as soon as l held it knew to
be much lighter than the rest. That
there was something wrong with that
egg was evident. I have always had
the faculty of keeping equivocal mat
tiers to myself till it is time to make
them known, and l did so in this
case.
Here, corporal 1 said, "are some
eggs. Try what you can do to cook
Them" Then l spoke to the girl. "Now
show me where you live
uoll.oI with bor down fba wood All
I came to turn where we would be
concealed from the men. Then, taking
up the light egg, broke the shell. In
stead of the contentf of an egg, took
out roll of paperI and enough sand
to make the whole VI sight about that of
an egg. Had not ny sense of touch
been very delicate would not have dis
covered the difference Unrolling the
paper, 1 was aston1shed to read that
different parts of the Union army We're
concentrating at Gettysburg. The sew
eral corps We're given under the name
of their commanders, and have since
learned that the information was toll
erably correct, though at the time,
being mere lieutenant in one of these
| corps, l knew nothing except what
read.
| 1t had evidently been compiled
by some person or persons we'll fitted
| for the work, possibly secret service
| scouts in the employ of General Lee,
and they had endeavored to get it
through the lines by using this girl.
glanced from the message to it's bearer.
Instead of being crushed at the discov-
cry of her ruse, she was pouting with
angry disappointment.
'Do you know the penalty attached
to this sort of business?" 1 asked.
She made no reply, only flashing
defiant look at me.
IF l were to report you and you
were to be treated as other people who
do these things, you would be hanged"
The information did not seem to
strike her with the terror one would
| have supposed. She turned away from