Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1908-05-22

1t was the voice of white-facad
STRIPPING of a dozen years, and he sat
astride an old gray horse, a condemned
army animal that cost him $40, crying
his wares. He had a large bundle of
papers, and they went off like fried
eggs at lumber camp before daylight
banquet He came back about dark
that night crying the Washington Even
ing Star, a wretchedly bad daily paper
those days-one that would not receive
two minutes of attention in this day
of sparkling daily productions. He
was around the next morning, bright
and early.
Look here, little fellow" said Cap
tain Ed Brown, "Where'd you come
from and where are you living?"
'I'm Vermonter, sir, and 1 don't
live much of anywhere"
How do you like our Western
boys?"
Il like 'em bully; they buy my pa
pers quicker than any other brigade.
I've struck since l went into the bust
ness"
We'll, then, hadn't you better make
your home in our vicinity?''
I'D like to, sir, but I've got cou-
pie of brothers who would object to
my staying away from the Vermont
boys, / guess
IF your brothers are willing, we will
take you in"
The next day the little newsboy,
after disposing of his stock-and he
had increased it materially because Of
the new neutrality-suspicious. Captain
Brown and timidly said: Captain, l
think l will join this brigade. l think
l can please these Western men, and
l know they will please me-"
"All right. Do you need any help in
fixing up?'
"None at all, sir; / can take care of
myself"
This occurred on Arlington Heights,
| opposite Washington, about quarter
of mile back of the Lee mansion,
| during one of those rainy spells so
common in Virginia in October 1t was
in 1861. From that day until the war
ended young Aubrey was the brigade
newsboy, and there was never time
| since then that he would not defend
the brigade, and the brigade has al
ways had a kindly side for him. He
built up large business, added New
York and Cincinnati papers to his list
and if any troops in an active cam
paign had daily papers our brigade
was sure to be supplied He was early
given the name of 'Doc''-"Doc" c. Il.
Aubrey-and it still sticks to him.
A few days after Mcclellan was re-
!ieved from command of the army of
| the Potomac and General Burnside as
sumed command, in November, 1862
a serious misfortune befell the news
boy. The troops were camped in and
about Warrenton, Va. Aubery had
ridden to Washington, laid in a sup
ply of papers, was on his way back
| and reached within a few miles of
Warrenton. when a company of gentle
men in gray, riding swift-footed horses,
spied the little fellow and pounced up
portion of Jeb Stuart's cavalry. They
accused him of being a spy.
ooh, no, gentlemen, I'm not a spy.
I'm a regular member of the Iron bri-
gade. / furnish them with papers, and
if / don't get there in time to sell these
papers tomorrow morning I'm afraid
they'll drum me out of camp. Darn an
army that will move away when I'm
gone and get me into such a scrape :"
But the gentlemen in gray were not
inclined to let him go to his brigade.
They still insisted that he was a spy.
Didn't say l wasn't a spy: Can't
you take Iny word for it?" That made
the Confederates good natured they
conducted him to Stuart's headquar-
ters The general didn't quite think he
was a spy, but he gave the guards di-
rections to watch the little Yankee
closely, and if they saw any suspicious
signs to send him where spies were
sure to go when thoroughly identified.
The next morning, with a few other
prisoners, he started for Richmond.
He fell into good hands at Libby Ma
ior Thomas Turner (not Dick took a
fancy to the green mountain lad.
What are you here for, child?' asked
Turner I'm a prisoner Of war, SIR
But you are not a soldier Yes,
sir l belong to the Iron brigade" Il
shall have to search you" That wor-
ried Aubery. His captors had found
nothing of value The worst they did
was to coniscate the stock of papers
and his horse Secreted in an inside
pocket was his fortune, consisting Of
$500 or $500. Turner found it. Tears
in the boys eyes did not escape the
Confederate. There, there. little one,
don't cry. I'm not going to xeep your
money. / will take care of 1t and re-
turn it when you are exchanged"
A couple of months after that a
batch of Libby prisoners was to be ex-
changed. The boy was of the number
Major Turner, remember what you
told maP' ooh yes. yOll'rp nv green