Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1906-09-20
"REMINISCENCES
BY Z. S. CHAMBERLAIN.

Diary He had accepted an invitation to
Mrs. Fenwick's dinner and he had
found himself seated beside Mrs Gle
mcnt Gordon Now, in ordinary circum-
stances, the presence of this woman
would have filled the gallant colonel with
the most agreeable anticipations. But
just at present he wished her anywhere
else than at his side.
The fact was, he and his friend fIar-
vey were operating a little corner in
Manhattan Consolidated, and among the
unlucky shorts who had been caught
by the rise was the firm of Pratt & Cor
don of which Mrs. Gordon's husband
was the junior member Harvey, who
was managing the pool, had insisted
upon showing no leniency; and as a re-
suit of the squeeze it was pretty certain
that Pratt & Gordon would be forced
10 the wall Just how much Mrs. Cor
don knew of her husbands affairs Downs.
OF course, could not tell But if she hap
pened to be aware that he held her hus-
bands financial life in his hand, it was
quite possible that trouble awaited him
before the dinner was over. The colonel
was Justly proud of his reputation with
the ladies, but to discuss matter of
business with woman, however attrac-
. tive she might be, was something he
would never voluntarily consent to do.
And when the question was the saliva
ton or ruin of her husbands firm, its
discussion was clearly not to be
thought Of
But there the lady sat- and it was quite
impossible to neglect her. He must do
something. And, like all great captains,
believing a vigorous attack the best de-
fence, he started in to entertain her to
the very best of his ability. For, if any
thing could divert her attention from i'm
pending trouble, it was Downs conversa-
tion when he really threw himself into it.
He commenced by telling her some hu-
morous incidents of his recent Southern
trip, and driftcd by degrees into de
ecription Of Southern life and the beau-
ties Of Southern scenery. Obviously he
was leading tip to some of his war
"reminiscences, for in extremity the col
cnel always fell back upon the adven-
lures that had befallcn him during his
army life in the South.
and the Shenandoah Valley he re-
marked, after time, ''the Shenandoah
Valley is certainly one of the most beat
tiful spots in all the South"
Eyes, it is" Mrs. Gordon agreed. 81
passed my girlhood there, and | go back
nearly every year. I don't know whether
perhaps it's the old associations that
give it the charn-but | have never
found place that seems to me to COM
pare with it."
'IndeedI' said Downs. "I had no idea
you were Southerner. Where was
your home2'
"a few miles out of Winchester on
the Martinsburg road. 1t was my grand
fathers estate. Brentwood one of the
old Virginia places"
'Why was there in the old wai-raays
when you must have been-" He
glanced at her and checked himself
abruptly. "Ah! Brentwood did you
say? Indeed, believe | have seen the
very place you speak of, though I didn't
know the name in those days" And he
added, impressively: 1T was near there
that | had one Of the narrowest escapes
of all my army experience. 1t was really
that which gave me such a high opinion
of Southern women"
He paused, and, seeing that he wished
encouragement, Mrs. Gordon asked him
to tell her about it.
at was when Fwell went through the
valley in 49," he commenced, with cheer
ful alacrity. "He headed Lees army
you know, which was going north to
Gettysburg ! was with Milroy's divi-
sion when it was caught at Winchester
by the rebel advance You wouldn't
care to hear about the fighting, of course,
hut the outcome of it was that those who
escaped were very glad to get away and
the campaign wasn't ended there, as
Some Of us supposed it would be.
"Well, l had a shot in the foot and
was limping along the road next day,
when | came to this old fashioned Vir-
ginia plantation. | was faint from my
wound and the long tramp in the dust
and heat and ] can't tell you the pleas
house by the side of the road A little
girl was sitting on the step. She was
not over eight or nine years old, should
say, with big black eyes and very
pretty face. / always did have an eye
for a pretty face he added, glancins
effectively at the one beside him.
Though the girl was only a littlt
thing, she appreciated my condition anC
nelpeQ NE lH(O tile SpIiilS HOuSSJ WIlcl'
I could get seat out of the sun. 1hei
she dipped up pail of water and helpet
me while I drank, and aftcrward helped
me bathe and bandage my wound.
Just then, while | was resting | hearc
horses coming UP the road Horses ther,
meant rebel cavalrymen, and if the.
found me, knew I should be prompt.
sent south to a prison hospital and tc
pretty certain death. But | couldtt ge
away, and when they drew UP before tn
door I gave myself up for lost You cal
imagine my situation There | was with
out a chance of escape from the sprini
house, and with squad of thirsty cav
alrymen drawn up before the door.
'And ! certainly should have been cap
tured if it hadn't been for that little girl
I didn't dare say a word to her, but sh
seemed to know just what to do. Be