Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-10-22

Gap, and with the Judge was Lieut.,
Paul Ladue, who had been self-incar-
cerated until he could exchange the
garb In which he had made his escape
from. the Henry house the previous
evening, for the stunning regimentals
still In possession of Rosaiie Chiffon.
Already the story Of the romantic
and stirring episode was going from
bearded lip to lip among the riders
OF Stuart's Horse, and before the sec
ond sunset following Fred Benton's
capture he had heard almost every
word Of it.
The dark night of the fourth OF
March had been sorry one for Paul
Ladue. Ever since the previous week
he and his comrades had been LOOKING
for the second coming of the Yankee
columns from the forts in front OF
Washington. Day after day, armed
with feld-glasses, in beIfry, tree or
steeple, Johnston's lookouts watched
for the first sight of screening cavalry.
They were all @green" at such work,
north and south both. Already had
the northern volunteers, marching
by night. on converging roads, twice
opened fire and killed or wounded sew
eral in each party before discovering
their blunder. It was all nervous bust.
ness for new and inexperienced officers
and. as luck would have it, Paul Ladue,
only Just up from facilitating fever,
found himself commanding an infantry
outpost north Of Bull Run. No cavaI-
ny had been in their front at sunset.
None had passed out that way, and
when at brisk trot, all ignorant Of their
proximity to the pickets, the confed-
crate troopers came surging down the
lane, never hearing, probably, and
certainly never needing the order to
halt, Ladue shouted fire and, sorely
wounded, young Chiffon fell from his
horse
Five seconds more and the error was
discovered. Chiffon and his platoon
had taken tho wrong road somewhere
south Of Chantilly and, instead Of re-
Joining their squadron, had stumbled
on the pickets. There was more or less
soldier recrimination, but, quickly as
possible, the wounded officer was borne
in a blanket to neighboring farm
house, and q trooper galloped to
Gainesville fer a surgeon. Ladue spent
a sleepless and miserable night, was ex-
onerated by his division commander
and Stuart when the matter was In
vestigated next day, but was so utter
ly broken up over the affair that per-
mission was given him to go back
again and remain with Chiffon until
he could be moved.
Ladue, nearly mad with misery, was
hopefully awaiting the coming of an
ambulance on the third day when his
patient suddenly took turn for the
worse. The division surgeon said it
would be serious matter to take him
that long ride back to Warrenton and
suggested Ladue's going over to the
home Of Judge Ar1histead at Hopewell
and arranging to have the lad moved
thither. This was on the eighth Of
March, and up to noon they had NO
sign Of soldiers coming from the east
or north.
So Paul had gone, never counting on
Chilton's taking the bit in his teeth.
And when late at night he returned
to Thornton, weak and weary, he was
aghast to learn that with only his body
servant and trooper nurse, Chiffon
had started southwark in the wagon
that evening by the Sudley road, bent
on escaping from the heralded advance
OF the union blue. Despite fatigue and
failing strength, Ladue followed,
caught them at the Henry house, and
was within that historic wreck, con-
sulting the owner as to the best roads
to follow while the farm wagon, with
its solitary escort was toiling up the
slope from the crossing of the pike,
when all on sudden there came a
cloud of blue-j acketed, yellow-tr trimmed
troopers sweeping across the field from
the southeast, and Mr.. Henry had bare
" time to hide his visitor under the
SCORING in the garnet when they were