The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1903-12-26

/
killing time.
The men were half clad in dirty,
ragged clothes, and were without
shelter, but there was wood enough
to make big fires.
During this time occurred the fa-
nous "Cold New Years day." Janu-
! ary Ist, 1864, remembered all over
| the country as the coolest day that
has ever been recorded in the United
States.
1t was on that day that John Sax
ton-the John now bald, that these
chronicles have been speaking Of
then duty sergeant, brought into
camp a girl of IS or I6 years whom
he had found, almost starved and
frozen, in a cabin among the bleak
hills. Her mother lay dead on the
one miserable bed in the cabin; the
father, Tom Marley, had been killed
year before in the Confederate army,
and the girl was too weak to leave
the place alone, and there she, too,
would soon have died of cold and
starvation.
The foraging party, of which Sergt.
John Saxton had charge, wrapped
the girl up as best they could in some
rough sacks and Johns deplorably
ragged overcoat and placed her in one
of the wagons that was partly loaded
with cornfodder and other forage.
They dug shallow grave in the dirt
floor of the cabin, buried the dead
woman there and took the girl into
camp.
John Saxton appointed himself
Samantha Marley's guardian, and
upon the arrival of the party at camp
she was carried to the only tent in
all the vast encampment. The tent
belonged to stray sutler who was
there by means the details of which
are not necessary to this record.
With the sutler was his wife, husky
woman who was physically the supe-
rior of her husband. This canvas
abode and shop was kept comfortable
by means of sheet iron stove, and in
the suffers stock were canned goods
of enormous price. But the sutler
and his wife agreed to take care of
the girl at an expense to John Saxton
that was little less than frightful.
He bore it heroically, however-mon-
ey being far more plentiful than any
other desirable thing-during the two
weeks that ensued until Johns regi-
ment was ordered back to Knoxville.
The day after the arrival of the
regiment at Knoxville Sergt. Saxton
found himself promoted to be Sec
ond lieutenant, the command having
lost heavily in the campaign. Many
vacancies had occurred among the Of
fcers, and the regiment. which had
''veteranized," very much needed
filling up. So, added to Johns hon
ors, was detail to go home on re-
cruiting service.
Samantha was now as healthy girl
as there was in East Tennessee, and
she was exceedingly pretty, withal.
Besides, she had good native wit and
as much cultivation as the country
schools of her region were able to give
girl Of her years.
Lieut.. Saxton took Samantha, who
was quite alone in the world, to his
Illinois home, where his old father
and mother and his two young sisters
welcomed her with cordial hospitality
and informally adopted her as one of
the family.
Of course, unpressionable and ro-
mantle John Saxton fell in love with
the girl, and went back to the army
with his recruits and a cherished
promise from his war-waif that she
should await his return, whole heart
ed, as to others. So John was happy
and faithful.
He Joined his command at Chatta-
nooga and went safely through the
campaign in Georgia until the very
last battle about Atlanta, which was
that of Jonesboro, comparatively a
skirmish, but there John received a
mimic in the left arm, which, how
ever, only put the stricken member
in sling, but it placed John hors du
combat and sent him home on fur
lough until the wound should heal.
Meantime Samantha's beauty and
vivacity hand made her much-sought
belle of the countryside, and John
was aware of pang when he found
that she was not near so affectionate
as when he went away.
On an adjoining place was dark
skinned, handsome fellow, working
as farm hand, who had already be-
gun to dread the coming cold wealth
er, for he had been "born and raised"
in the ardent climate of Porto Rico.
Moreover, this handsome young West
Indian, with the musical name of Jose
Rodriguez, had become deeply enam-
ored of the bronze-haired Tennessee
girl, and she returned his passionate
suit with such fervor that when Jose
took his departure for his home in
the far-away "Gem of the Antilles"
Samantha place in the Saxton house
hold became vacant. She went with
him, and John was left with great
blank place in his loving soul to med
itate upon the paucity Of gratitude
and the enormousness Of fickleness in
the maiden heart-so far as he was
informed.
This was the only girl John ever
loved. but in the years that came he
found one that he loved with better
reason, and he was glad that the
other affair turned out as it did.
'I was homely," said John, "and
growing bald already, and so didn't
suit poor little Samantha, but 1 hope
she will be happy"
John succeeded to the ownership of
half of his fathers farm, and thriv-
ing village grew upon one of the
quarter sections that were willed TO
his sisters, who sre yet wholesome