The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-17
TX.
ESCAPE POSSIBLE.

sas to Charlottesville as one takes the
swift flight in the coy parlor car of to-
day. shooting over stream after stream
that bears historic name. and smoothly
rounding the beautiful wooded heights that
loom up south Of the Rapidan, but ii was
a different thing in 81, humping, banging.
Earring behind some wheezy old wood
burner, in ramshackle coach or open plat
form car, yet it was almost heavenly after
two days tossing and tumbling over the
ruts of the Virginia roadways and the per-
iod of enforced rest at Warrenton juno
tion-to be drawn away on comparatively
even keel, with light and air and sunshine
and the fragrance of budding orchard and
bursting leaf sweeping through the open
windows of the car and gladdening the
senses of the half score of invalids home
ward bound from the front. Two or three,
like young Chiffon and our captured Bad
ger, had been wounded in cavalry clash or
some affair OF outpost, but mostly were
they fever victims. weak, apathetlc and
somnolent. Yet even these seemed to wake
and stir and brighten as Rosalie Chiffon
passed among them and bent and spoke. as
she did to one and all.
II was a soft spring morning that saw
the genial doctors little party entrained at
the R~appahannock. Scores Of sympathetic
fellows in Confederate gray surrounded the
car to which Lieutenant Chiffon was borne,
and into which Fred Benton. his arm in a
sling and his head still in bandages, was
carefully guided. For reasons not then
made known to the Yankee patient the doc
tor persisted in treating his case as far
more serious than conditions seemed to
warrant. Constantly he strove to impress
upon Benton the necessity of lying still
and speaking as little as possible. Rosaiie,
too, was forever holding up a tapering fin
ger In warning and pursuing her soft, rosy
lips in very significant hush" when he
ventured to ask questions or show a dis
position to stir. Otherwise she had but
little to say TO him, and our wounded Bad
ger boy had enjoyed the doubtful bliss of
watching her hour after hour during the
long wait at the Junction, hanging about
her suffering brother, or with softly flush
ing cheek, talking in low. eager tone to
Paul Ladue, whose melancholy eyes fairly
frightened, and whose sallow, solemn face
beamed with something like awakened
hope. Except when she was thus cheering
him the young soldiers depression seemed
ever present. He hated to leave Benton's
side. He dreaded the reception awaiting
him at his regiment. yet was feverishly,
nervously anxious to rejoin and mad for
opportunity to prove himself something
better than the dolt they probably deemed
him. 1t had been settled that he should
leave them at G~ordonsville and return to
the front, but at the Rappahannock his
own colonel had boarded the train, and,
noticing at once how i'll and worn he
looLad had toILad NTH him, kipdlv cvmna.
thetically awhile, had had brief conference
with DR.. Chiffon, and, leaving Rosalie sur
rounded three deep by young g~allants late
of the university, but now gay, dashing,
devil-may-care, mustachioed warriors of
the South. had gone off to see their division
general, soon to be so famous as a corps
commander. whose tent was pitched near
by, and in ten minutes they were both
there, the one-tall, martial. and with his
long, flowing beard looking more like a
hero of Norseland or warrior of Aiminius
than a soldier of the cavilier S~outh-des-
tined to live long In song and story and to
return to the love of the old flag. The
other, a type of chivalric bearing and
breeding. within ten weeks fated to
Find a soldiers resting place. beneath a
soldiers blow"
leading his heroic regiment at Seven Pines.
Paul's sallow face flushed at sight of the
famous soldier. who had to stoop to enter
the low-roofed. old-fashioned car, and it
was good to see how quickly the chat and
laughter hushed In the group of young Off
GERS, how they faced their honored general
with prompt salute or uncovered heads.
Rosalie herself. with glistening eyes and a
brave rush Of color in her soft cheek, came
forward to greet him, fast as the fashion
Of the day would permit, for in that narrow
aisle the balloon skirt was vastly a hin
drance. Even then, before the wrinkles
and crows feet had dug deep about the
outer corners of Longstreet's eyes. queer
little lines would play about them and his
bearded lips when humorous fancy struck
him, and kindly humor seemed never to be
far from that genial face until the bitter
day that cost him Pickett's grand and de-
voted division in Hancock's front at Get
tysburg.
"I looked to see you in uniform, Miss
Chiffon said he, land 1 have yet to learn
by what authority you have discarded the
gray. And this, 1 believe, is the young
gentleman you were personating?' whereat
he shook hands very kindly with the
shrinking subaltern, and thought to him
self how very near alike they were in stat
ure. Colonel Moore tells me you are far
too i'll to resume duty just yet, Mr.. Ladue,
so 1 am going to take the responsibility OF
bidding you go back to Charlottesville for
a week of Miss Chilton's care. All, doctor,
I'm glad to see you And then w very
distinguished Virginians were shaking
hands, but all Fred Benton could see of II
was the back of Longstreet's head tower
ing above his fellows, and the backs OF
subordinate officers clustered about him.
They went presently and spoke with young
Chiffon, lying on his mattress along the
tops of the seats, then came straight TO the
lonely ~officer-the only one in blue, reclin-
ing toward the rear end of the long vehi-
Gle, the object of much silent curiosity,
but no intrusion whatsoever, and to the
prisoner Longstreet spoke as courteously
as to the princess holding her little cour,
in mid car. bidding him be OF good cheer
"Dr. Chiffon has told US. sir. of your pro-
tecting him from indignity at Centerville
and of all the kindness you did him tina,
night, resulting in your capture. We can.
not afford and here the blue-gray eyes
twinkled. and the half-hidden lips twitched
whimsically, Ito let so good a soldier ge,
right back to business. Neither can We
send so chivalric a foe to L~ibby-at least
so long as he is wounded as you are. There.