Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1904-12-02

cavalier souri, Even IHen. DeIOTG 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 hu.
morous 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
Gettysburg.
81 looked to see you in uniform, Miss
Chiffon" said he, 'and I have yet to
learn by what authority you have dis
carded the gray. And this, believe.
is the young gentleman you were per-
sonating?" whereat he shook hands
very kindly with the shrinking subal
tern and thought how very near alike
they were in stature. Colonel Moore
tells me you are far too i'll to resume
duty just yet. Mr.. Ladue. so l am
going to take the responsibility of bid
ding you go back to Charlottesville for
a week of Miss Chilton's care. All,
doctor; I'm glad to see you" And then
two very distinguished Virginians were
shaking hands; but all Fred Benton
could see of it was the backs of SUBJ
ordinate 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 ofleer-the only
one in blue, reclining toward the rear
end of the long vehicle, the object of
much silent curiosity but no intrusion
whatsoever, and to the prisoner Long
street spoke as GENEROUSLY as to the
princess holding her little court in mid
car, bidding him be of good cheer.
CDR. Chiffon has told us, sir, of your
protecting him from indignity at Gen.
treyille, and of all the kindness you
did him that night, resulting in your
capture. We cannot afford" and here
the blue-gray eyes twinkled and the
half-hidden lips twitched whimsically.
ito let so good soldier get right back
to business. Neither can we send so
chivalric a foe to Libby-at least so
long as he is wounded as you are.
Therefore, DR.. Chiffon, you will see to
his having hospital accommodations.
and now, we must have a suitable
guard And here the tall general
Strengthened up, studied earnestly the
circle Of soldier faces about him until
the twinkling eyes rested on the very
Jaw
damsel present Then briefly and In
Official tone, he finished. Miss Chill
ton, appoint you, until further orders.
custodian of Lieut.. and Aide-de-CamD
Benton, Of the federal army"
Verify, as Benton wrote at the time.
these were the halcyon days Of the war.
before ever it had become the grim
and deadly earnest they were to know
so bitterly and so very soon. The car
was cleared of all save passengers, the
train was started before he could find
words with which to thank the courtly
southern general, and the doctor, bend.
ing over him, was saying, "You must
not discredit my repoht, sub, by look
ing so much alive as you do at this
moment. I represented your case, sub 4,
as one requiring constant attention,
otherwise you might have had to go
to Richmond"
And so for a day or two these
pleasantries-th courtesies of war
prevailed. Then all of Johnston's men
remaining north of the Rappahannock
came drifting in before new forward
move of the union force along the rail-
way. Towards strong division Of
Summers corps swept out in reconnais-
sance, even as the bulk of McClel1an's
army was being directed on Alexan.
dria for the now inevitable swing to
the Peninsula between the York and
the James-full details of the gathering
of every kind of bay and river craft
reaching Johnston quite as speedily as
they did New York. So that skilled
soldier withdrew still further to the
line of the Rapidan where he could be
nearer Richmond in case of need.
Then when Banks should have come
down from the Shenandoah and Cow
cred" Washington, up sprang that rest
less, watchful, prayerful Virginia lead
er, Jackson, and so stirred the situ-
alton in the valleys that Banks and his
men had TO hurry back through the
mountain passes, and further delays
ind complications arose before April
set in and Mcclellan could sail for
Fortress Monroe, and in all the hustle
and excitement, the rumOrS HylnS
hither and yOn, the marching to and
fro of cavalry and fieet-fOOted infan-
try, it happened that for full fort
night DR.. Chiffon and his patients,
nurse, guard and all, had settled down
10 something like peace and physical
comfort at coy, homelike old Char
lOttesville, and no man sought seriously
to hamper or disturb them. From
Gainesville Dr. Chiffon had penned
letter to be sent through the lines
notifying the commanding general OF
the union force along Bull Run or
Benton's capture after gallant effort
to cut his way through, in the course
of which he was quite painfully though
not dangerously wounded-that he was
in good hands and would be well cared
for, and this news-a great refef-Was
promptly transmitted to Fred's general