Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-03-22

he was hauled In an open wagon to
Bardstown and put in a big Catholic
college. which was turned into hospl-
tai. They said had nothing to do
with secession and was not a pris-
oner, but 1 walked behind the wagon
and saw him laid on the door, with
hundreds Of the wounded of both sides.
They let me wait on the poor men, and
attended to Mr.. Horace through the
six months they kept him there. Then
they sent him to hospital at New Al
bany, in Indiana. managed to follow
and got employment In the hospital
kitchen. They never did take the lit
tie pieces Of broken bone from his
shoulder, and his wound did not heal.
But he got so that he could sit up. and
they sent him to the Rock Island pris-
on. 1t took me a long time, but
worked my way there, and, though
could not get inside the wall l heard
he was still alive. l got q place as
waiter In little hotel and kept pretty
well posted about the dispositions made
OF the prisoners.
Next they changed him to the Camp
Douglas prison st Chicago. He was
not able to walk, as the others did, and
they carried him in an ambulance to
the boat. 1 went, too, and at Chicago
got work In livery stable. They were
strict on the prisoners at Camp Doug
las. could not get inside. but l kept
asking questions of people near the
prison and learned something OF what
was going on. About a year ago 1
Ill a. ~ II
Fortress Monroe in Virginia for ex-
change. just swore not to lose him,
and after weeks of walking and some
stolen rides on railroads l succeeded
In reaching that place, TO be told that
a wounded lieutenant answering his
description had been exchanged and
forwarded to Richmond. 1t was not
much trouble for me to get through the
lines, but at Richmond 1 could find no
trace of him. L did not know what to
do and like n crazy man wandered
from camp to camp and place TO place
searching for him. AT times l was al
most starved. 1t was only last March
/ saw n boatload OF exchanged men
come up the James, most of them too
weak to hold a gun. Mr.. Horace was
the second one to stagger down the
gangplank, and IL 1 had not caught
him he would have fallen. He had
been In Camp Douglas all that time.
He went twice to the front and was
twice ordered back TO the hospital.
Then came the surrender, and we
started for home without rations or
money. We crossed the country by slow
stages, getting food and shelter from
kind country people in West Virginia and
Kentucky, but at times Mr.. Horace
gave out and said he could go no far
Their. Then l would tell him that had
vowed to bring him home alive or
dead, for Mile. Estelle was waiting for
him. He would smile and say, Then,
God give me strength; come on and
we would march again. At Louisville
he borrowed a small sum of money.
and we took passage on the steamboat
City OF Memphis for Red River Land
ing. We arrived there this morning in
time for the mail hack, and here we
are"
God bless you, Leon, and repay you
for your noble Devotion" exclaimed
Estelle, weeping in sympathy and
thankfulness.
God will bless him." Father Grhe
said authoritatively.
"A truer heart than Icons beats not
in the breast of any man, whatever be
his color or station, and his comfort
and advancement are especial charges
on my life and fortune" Oakfen added.
Mr.. Horace" Leon protested, you
owe me nothing. Remember, you stood
by the poor negro jockey when all the
world and all the law were against
him. Only be my friend and adviser,
and will be content"
1t was touching to see Odette's hon
est, comedy face flush with pride as
Icons narration proceeded and her
bosom swell when his praise was spo-
ken by the grateful hearers.
'Estelle," said Horace, stroking her
head lovingly, 'in the long, dreary
nights of Imprisonment have dream
ed Of this and awakened to wish had
died while dreaming"
And /, too, have dreamed of this"
she softly answered, "but thought we
had died and met In heaven"
The click of latch drew the eyes OF
the group on the veranda to the gate.
Evariste, who, to avoid the sun and the
meeting of acquaintances, had ridden
through the swamp instead of along
the bayou road, entered, slamming the
gate behind him, and started briskly
up the walk with a staggering air.
Estelle blanched. The priest frowned.
Horace smiled and sat up in his chair.
Evariste had almost reached the veran-
da before he recognized his brothers
countenance. He stopped suddenly, an
expression Of CONSERVATION came over
his features, and, uttering an inarticu-
late cry of terror, he turned and ran to
the gate, leaped upon his horse and sped
like one pursued by demons. His flight
was not slackened until Quilleberts
house was reached, where Laure stood
in the doorway as if expecting him.
He drew rein, flung himself from the
saddle and, his eyes starting from his
head, whispered hoarsely:
where is QuillebertT'
"Gone to Marksville to sell this place
to DIR. De RoUx," Laure replied, with
n. ~