The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1903-11-07

our cause, n pad never get over it
if we should free him. You're not
SO soft hearted Prudence, as I be.
Sence that boy has suffered so dret-
fully, I've come to set store by him.
Can't you manage to have him go
when I'm not about the place? 1
can't abide the idee O. seein' him
taken prisoner. You're grittier than
your old mother, an won't mind"
"Not mind Oh, mother p cried
Prudence.
"May i venture out, kind keep
ers?" inquired the prisoner, peeping
into the room.
"Come right along. You remind
me of my Jason tonight" called Mrs.
Staples, her wide cap border hiding a
pair of fearful eyes.
Edwin Chervil noted with pleasure
that Prudence wore holiday gown,
a calico, in which brown tints and
scarlet dashes of color were prettily
mingled.
"Oh p cried Prudence, letting fall
to the floor a plate of crullers. "a
face at the window I saw it plain
ly p she gasped.
Nonsense, child ! You're imag-
inin' queer things tonight. Nobody
is prowling about in this storm" said
Mrs. Staples, sharply.
Two hours later Edwin Chervil,
cleverly disguised in a discarded
homespun suit, which had belonged
to Jason Staples, quietly left the
house, unseen and unheard by moth
er and daughter.
Hiel Sloane was an early visitor.
"I've come for the bundle. l
s'pose-"
"You needn't stop long. Your
load is ready for you, Hiel," said
Mrs. Staples, brisk1y. "I'm extra
busy spinnin' stockin' yarn this morn
in. Prudence get the bundle. Don't
keep Hiel waitin' mint"
"I'm sorry to poster you, Mis-
Staples, but there's talk goin'. Gran
'ther Crowell claims at he's seen
strange man sittin' in your keepin'
room. Mis- Hard denies up n down
at it's red-coat; says she'd heered
Prue declare more'n once she'd refuse
a crust of bread to starvin' British
er. Gran'ther sticks to his tale,
says he saw the man, an 'twant any
of your folks. Eff this story should
get to your men"
"S'pose, Hiel, you just look about
and satisfy yourself that there is no
Britisher here" advised Mrs. Staples
calmly.
"I guess I will, so I can tell folks
they're all dreadfully mistaken" said
the little inquisitive brown man, peer
ing into closets, cellar and attic.
Prudence calmly collected the camp
supplies, convincing Hiel Sloane
against his will, by her assured quiet
manner, that "gran' theirs magma
ton" had played him trick.
You expected to find"
oval now, Mis- Staples /; gran 'ther
was so sure at Britisher was being
harbored here at tho't best to make
sure the old man was mistaken. You
are sending a fine chance o. things
that'll be royalty welcomed by the
boys. I'd best be gittin' on, replied
Hiel, fastening away.
"Hiel Sloane expected to find some
BODY an he didn't said Mrs. Sta
pies, exultantly. cts high time
Edwin Chevril was leavin' if Grand
'ther Crowelrs bin spyin' around.
I'm glad our prisoner slipped away
'thou't tellin' us he was goin'."
Prudence, too, was rejoiced that
Edwin Chevril was safe. She resolv-
ed to speedily forget him, his hand
some face and courtly bearing.
Jason Staples returned home pale
cripple. -,
kind to me. One of my captors was
generous foe," said the young man,
when reviewing the days of his illness
and Imprisonment. He watched
with me when the fever nearly con-
sumed me. When I asked him why
he cared for rebel prisoner, he re-
piled, for loves sweet sake. ="
Mr.. Staples returned home with
the patriots who had so hardly won
freedom and victory, to die. Pru-
dence had need of strength and cour-
age in those days Of trial. Her hands,
brown and roughened, were the fam
lily stay.
One September afternoon she again
sat in the keeping room with Neigh
Dor Hard. Since the war was over
fewer homespun coats were needed,
but the Massachusetts, women's nim-.
bic fingers were never idle during
waking hours.
In the pear orchard Mrs. Staples
and Jason gathered the mellow fruit.
"Prue Prue We want you,
Jason called.
Dear Prue, we want you !' echo
ed Edwin Chevril. 81 have returned
to my jailer. All. Jason, you were
so like Prudence that recognized in
the Yankee prisoner my sweetheart's
brother"
1t came to pass that Prudence Sta
pies not only loved but married her
prisoner, and never regretted her
choice.
FUDDY-"There would be fewer
unhappy marriages in the world if
men and women would try to find out
each others dispositions during court
ship instead of doing their best to de-
ceive one another"
Duddy-"Yes, l guess there would