Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-03-14
CHAPTER XL,
HOW BOYD PEYToN% N%CAAE$HO8LE AGA

stretcher on which Boyd Peyton lay, Willis and the assistant surgeon. Past the guard boats, past the Instructions, up to the wharf at the foot of Gov ernment street they came. Long since the news had spread that boat flying the Union flag and under flag of truce was coming up the bay. By the time the Loyal tied up at the wharf a great crowd of people had assem- bIed, mostly women and children and old men. At the wharf were several officers from General Maury's staff. Willis Peyton was the first man to step ashore. His face was white and haggard. He could hardly nerve him. self for the ordeal through which he was about to pass.
 ..Ely heavens, it's Willis Peytony' cried a voice in the crowd. .'You come from Fort Morgan, sir?' asked Colonel Craighead, General Maury's chief of staff.
 ''No, sir; from the Tennessee"
 "And the battle?'
 t'The Union ships passed the forts, captured the Selma, sank the Gaines''-
 "And the Tennessee
 Engaged the Union fleet, single handed, after the passage and was captured after being battered into helpless wreck"
 "She surrendered, then?'
 "Yes, sir.''
 'tWhy are you here, MT. Peyton?''
 ''I am prisoner of war on parole, sir
 "And you camel
 ''To bring the body of my brother home
 'sYou mean
 'He was wounded on the Hartford"
 s'Is he dead?'
 ''No, sir, but soon will be. Admiral Farragut gave me permission to bring him home-to die.'
 While this colloquy had been carried on the bluejackets on the launch, un- der the direction of the surgeon and the ensign who commanded her, had gently lifted the stretcher bearing the wound ed man out on the wharf.
 Friends" said Willis Peyton, fac- ing the crowd, you hated my brother because in accordance with what he thought his duty he went north. He is dying now. Will some one help to carry him ID the street to his home?' Let the traitor die where he liesr' broke forth a rude voice charged by some bitter heart.
 My men will carry him up under the flag, MT. Peyton," said the ensign in command of the boat quickly.
 "No, nop' burst from the crowd as one man or another pushed forward. "We will take him ourselves; southern hands for southern sailorp'
 The mordant words of the first speaker had awakened all that was good in the multitude.
 eve have no love to spare for him or his cause" cried one, but we have no animosity for dying man. He has fallen in the line of his duty!'
 He's of our people, though he fought against usp' exclaimed third.
 "RightP' cried another old man. "I knew him of old, and braver, truer man does not-did not-live. And, as for you, sir" he added, turning to the man who had cursed and sworn, If hear any more remarks like that from you, old as I am, I will slap your mouth for you. believe you are Yankee anyway. Come, we will take him home"
 Tell me of the fort, sir,'' said Colo nel Craighead as Willis ,motioned to the men who had volunteered to pick up the stretcher.
 .It still stands and seems to have suffered but little from the lombard ment. But" he whispered to the off,. cer, 'its fall is only a question of time''
 Willis spoke few words of thanks and farewell to the surgeon and the ensign of the Loyal and watched them for moment as they turned the prov of the boat to the southward and sped away to the fleet; then he took his place by the litter and directed the bearers to go on. The crowd opened before them as they carried it up the street. Here was the body of their enemy. More than one suspected that he might have piloted the fleet upon them, realizing his intimate knowledge of the harbor. They knew the family too well to doubt that he had fought bTavely and we'll. The fact that he lay there apparently dying was evi- dence that he had been in the thick of the battle. They had mocked and scorned him and hated him when he had chosen to leave them and remained true to his flag. His father had cast him of, the people had approved and honored the old man for his action, but the animosity was gone from their hearts now. Animosities vanished be- fore that stretched out figure. Rest less movements subsided. The sulIen murmurs and mutterings died away, and a deep silence supervened. Hats were pulled from heads; awe fell over the multitude; women put their hands over their eyes.
 A little company of home guards, or dered there to control any possible dis turbance, was standing at the curb. The officer in command hesitated a moment.
 By God,'' he said, .I'll do itv'
 He faced about, uttered a command, and the company presented arms. The, rnIora were iinDed tho The stars and