Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1905-02-25

Out ludt meeting had not made our
Badger boy too happy. The doctor
was aging fast and apparently break
ing. Rosalie was stern and strange
Squire Benton, with Elinor. as he had
long planned, fastened on to Washing
ton when notified by wire that Fred
had weeks leave from the front.
and Fred's earnest. yet almost humble
plea that he should be allowed to bring
his father to see DIR. Chilton-his Sis
ter to see her-Rosalie had almost
CURLY refused. Then she had fairly
stunned him by saying. IF you really
wish TO do me a favor, Mr.. Benton.
there is one man I'd like to meet, and
that is-Maj. Lounsberry." Benton
should have known by the flash i'm her
eye, the fury in her tone that for no
sweet assurance did she so desire to
see that distinguished Virginian. now
every moment expectant of exchange
But in Bentons helpless. hopeless love
he was consumed with unreasoning
jealousy. Yet it was through his plan
ming, after all, that they met-the blue
eyed sister who so surely had read
her brothers secret-the dark-eyed.
chatting, fitful, Tuning Virginia beauty
who so surely held it, Washington
was torrid and unwholesome; and
just before Fred hurried back to the
division he had brief conference with
his father The Chiltons would surely
. need money, said he. and as surely
refuse it if rendered by them Neither
the doctor nor Rosalie began to know
until long months thereafter that the
ample means so readily supplied by the
doctors widowed sister came from that
hard-headed. hard-hsted western law
yer, whose next move was to Cape
May with Elinor; and there were they
still recuperating at the Atlantic sea-
board, the fathers already friends. the
daughters still ION guard" at the very
moment when Jack Chiffon, scouting
with the advance of Fitzhugh Lees
dim picket lines of Ewells grim vet
Grams. and Fred Benton. here at Buck
| lands, closing in with that strong.
disciplined division. were dreaming
not ten miles apart of what the NOR
row might bring forth.
Not until the shadows grew long
across the stubble fields that lovely Au-
gust evening came the first fierce Crap
pie of that devoted brigade March
I ing at dawn through Buckland's, they
/ found the pike toward Gainesville
| crowded with Sisel's trains and team
( sters through which they slowly forced
way, for. far in the eastward dis
/ lance little SNOWFALL puffs, bursting
! sudden into view above the tree'ops,
! then drifting into vaporous nothing,
| told the shells were fiyinG fast ahead,
while similar, feecy cloudlets against
| the dark bacSe round of the Bull Run
range told equally of other fighting
| to their left and rear The corps COM
mander, with mis- one division, dived
into the winding wood roads toward
/ Manassas until brought up standing
after two p. m. by disconcerting news
! from Pope-that the hare had not
waited for the bag, that swift-footed
Jackson had given them the slip. and
1 wasn't where they looked for him al
all. In point of fact. having no caval-
| ry TO do his loo. ing for him, Pope
| didn't know where JACKSON was.
1t is three hours later when. biddine
his biggest division obey it's new or
ders, just received. Mcdowell, rides
| away TO find his chieftain Pope and
show him the field. Thereby he loses
Pope, loses touch with has divisions
loses all chance of usefulness in the
battle that is to close the day-poses
in fact. himself. for he cannot find his
way TO his own command over the
field he knew so well the year before
even when sisnalled by the guiding
thunder of the heaviest cannonade
| the sullen crashing Of the firecest vol
| leying, those tangled woods have evel
heard. AT five or Whereabouts come.
staff officer from Pope with these as
founding tidings: Jackson is located
| Jackson has dared to cross Bull Run
and march in the teeth of the comins
corps of the Army of the Potomac
Reno and Kearny have followed hi.
rear guard-Hill's light division
straight to Cenueville. Where is Ger
Mcdowell? Here! Well, Gen. Pope
orders are for tins, McDowell's corp:
TO retrace its steps to the Warrento
\
forthwith on Centreville, whittier Jack
son, with all hands, has shifted hi
colors, and where Pope now propose
to apply the sack. Further orders vii
meet the corps on the way.
| Now there is but one division I
obey the order, but loud ring the bu
giles through the leafy woods. L
spring the men of the old brigade, re
freshed by three hours rest, with COT
fee and hard tac.> 10 comfort them er
starting, and, as the heads of column
reach the pike again and turn sturdil
away eastward, some levelheaded ban
leader signals 10 his men, and tn
Black Hats set up a shout as the wood
| ring to the rolliching strains of Ain
l glad TO git out o de WiluernesSi
Four brigades in solid column the
| swing along the broad, dry thorough
! fare. full 5000 boys in blue.
But if Jacksons real movements ar
unknown TO our generals, rest you sur
the eyes of his army have not been lei