Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1905-04-01
CHAPTER XVIII.
SURRENDER.

days after Benton found hlm that fever
was gone. but SO was the last atom of
his strength. Those two days he tossed
in delirium. watched by one unhappy
but devoted girl and that faithful old
nanny. and visited az such intervals
as her own failing strength would per-
NIT by his heartbroken mother Word
OF his peril reached Charlottesville
soon after the sharp fight at Smokers
Gap. Early's retreating force had
striven TO bring him along. but. be-
tween the torment caused him by the
jolting OF the ambulance and the per-
sistent ATTACKS Of union cavalry. they
had had 10 leave him by the way. Mrs
Lounsberry and the venerable rector
of their church started within six hours
OF the receipt OF the news. by which
time all Charlottesville had heard of il.
and almost The first 10 come to the
stricken mother was the cirl her son
had wronged a strange meeting was
that. and stranger still was one but
half an hour later when Rosalie Chill
ton appeared and two Virginia girls
who had net exchanged q W ord since
the first DAYS OF the war. and neither
IL whom had been a visitor az the
Louusbcrr.s for many a moon. buried
their differences with that sorrow
laden mother. end set their own quar-
Tel aside that they might be OF service
10 her and TO "A soldier OF the south
in the hour of such amiction More
over a. was Or ChiltOn's old carriage
with Or Chilton's old horses and driv-
en by Black Dan that the journey to
the distant front was made This
was no time 20 speak OF the cruel
things said by the Lounsbcrrys of DR..
Chiffon and Resale after Benton's es.
cape The grave bod closed over the
proud. impetrors head OF that now
doubly bersaved household IN for
tune had followed the fathero death.
and much Of his little estate had been
sold under the hammer. Small com
fort had the handsome prodigal proved
himself AZ that or any o'her
time. but much had he promised
as the result of his approaching
marriage. There had been mem
Orable inter, lew between the mother
and that wronged and trusting girl
when az last Maud Pelham's forebod-
ings were realized. There had in fact
been violent scene. for Mrs. Louns-
berry had sought 90 shield her son at
Maud's expense. BIT that. too. was
all ignored now. The other engage
ment had been hro en- summarily two
weeks after Yellow Tavern. for one of
Wade Hampton's stan. sent home
wounded. had told at Charleston how
Floyd Pelham had struck Lounsberry
and why. There had been weeks in
which Maud Pelham would have met
Lounsberry only with scorn and con-
tempt, but that was before his COM
rades sent him TO Coventry. and never
again after news OF his serious wound.
Though all Charlottesville knew that
he had been false 20 her. she went to
his mother the instant she heard the
i.dings, and with her on the anxious
Journey that followed.
They We're searching the impover-
1shed little village under the heights.
hoping somewhere 60 find ice TO allay
that burning fever. when the sight OF
blue-jacket cavalry sent them back and
Benton followed. They. who over and
again had forgotten and forgiven the
sins OF the stricken man. were amazed
when, early next morning. a federal
officer drove over from the distant
ramps beyond the Shenandoah and I'M
loaded at their humble doorway. not
the expected and hated guards. but a
box Of ice. packed in sawdust. and
certain supplies from the commissariat.
Then, while a brace of soldiers were at
tending TO these. a gifted young physl-
clan on Sheridan's staff was gravely
studying the tossing patient Nor did
charity end here-but details are I'M
necessary. The mother accepted all
with wondering and fearful gratitude.
the almost hopeless girl with humbled
and sorr0wing spirit. and even the
doomed soldier himself. when con-
sciousness returned. was TOO weak to
resent or refuse. and so childlike and
broken that he could only bury his bag
gard face in the poor mothers breast
and sob out the story of his shame
and contritioncfr
IL was through Sheridan's lines and
Benton's help they bore him away to
his last resting place when the solemn
struggle was over II was at Charlottes-
vile again that Maud Pelham and
Resale met beside the grave, and
that later, on her knees her face buried
an the lap OF the once imperious queen.
a poor, humbled. heart-broken girl
sobbed out in turn her own sad story
and Lounsberry's confession. little
dreaming that it would send still an
other to her Lnees. praying not alone
for mercy for the repentant dead. not
alone for the rescue, the safety. of
beloved brother. but even for heavens
blessing on an enemy TO Virginia and
the sacred cause.-The soldier she had
so cruelty wronged
He's past prayin' for. bedad," said
the captain of the Montgomerys. OF
Benton, about this time-the captain
and most OF his men being at home Oh
veteran fuTlough. "ould S;anton's got
the devils own grudge agiD him fur
turnir' up in time 10 spoil a hangin'
AL on account av Ladue that's dead"
IL was hardly felicitious. yet surely
concise, way of settling the story. At
no time during his incumbency was the
great war secretary in so evil mood
as during the summer of %. Grant
and Sherman had both push ed south