The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-09-05
A VIRGINIA EPISODE
By HARRIET cAMBEY.
copyright, 1909, by American Press Asso-
citation.


of the Confederacy and of the north
were swaying back and forth in Vir'
ginia, while in command of the til
New York volunteer infantry, was
advanced one evening into territory
that had been previously held by the
enemy. Near ME was house. and
from the inmates | received an invita-
| ton to supper. | accepted and found
a lady and her daughter, the rest of
| the family. consisting of two sons, be-
| ing in the Confederate army. / will
| call them Mrs and Miss Bates. Con-
Sidering, that the blockade had de-
| prived them of all table supplies ex
| cept such as could be raised in the
south, they gave me very fair meal.
made up of the only chicken left by
| the "Johnnies" and the delicious hot
| bread that southern women know so
we'll how to make.
| was then twenty-eight years old
and considered myself passably attrac-
| tive to women. There can be no i'm
! modesty in my now saying so, since
| the wrinkled, white headed old man
Of today is not the same bodily person
as the young soldier of 1868 l had
! seen those southern girls Alll precipi-
lately in love on sight with our Yam
kee boys and was not especially taken
aback when Clara Bates showed sud
den admiration for me.
The young lady confined the express
sion CT her attraction for me to her
| eyes and her speech She would not
| permit me even to touch her hand.
| She seemed troubled at the proximity
| of two hostile armies, declaring that,
though her sympathies were with the
! Confederates. she hoped they would
| retreat farther south. l set myself to
| work to draw from her any informa-
ton she might possess of the enemy's
/ intentions. ard she told me that
southern general whom she spoke of
Familiarity as Bob and who had left
| her only that morning had expressed
an opinion that it would be some time
before he would see her again. Con
| sidering this to indicate q further re-
treat, | was about to take my leave
for the purpose of reporting it at once
/ to my general when / heard from the
next room the words. spoken in Mrs
Bates own voice:
kiss me again. Bob"
Darling a glance at my companion,
l saw the blood rushing into her face.
Then she started up to leave the room;
but, grasping her wrist. detained her.
| Immediately from the same room as
before came a succession of Smacks.
Miss Bates made another effort to free
herself. but | laughingly held her. say
ing:
This is far too interesting to lose
Please sit STILL"
Clara. Sweetheart came another
/ voice. this time a mans. but sounding
rather as if it issued from phono-
graph than human being. followed
by a lot of unintelligible croaking.
Miss Bates writhed, but by this time
l had both her wrists in my grasp,
and she could not get away 1 held
her for perhaps five minutes, waiting
for something more from the adjoin-
ing ROOM Presently it cane in a mas
culine voice:
"All together! Surprise 'em! Two
o'clock
At this the heightened color left my
prisoners face, and she turned pale
would not now let her go on any
account. 1t must have been five min
utes before more came. Then it was:
''Goodby, sweetheart! Goodby! Good
by"'
There was a long wait after this,
and | was beginning to fear there
would be no more when received an
other installment, still in the mascu-
line:
bob, turn their right. Turn their
right! Turn their right! Ohio! Good
by, Clara. Kiss mer'
Releasing my prisoner. l left her
with derisive "Goodby. Clara and,
directing that guard be Immediately
thrown around the house that there
might be no communication from it
with the enemy, / rode at once to the
corps commander.
General" l said, Il have just pass
ed through an experience which in
terpret as follows: have been enter
tanned by southern girl who pur-
posely gave ne false information that
the enemy in our front would again re-
treat. There l learned. doubtless from
a parrot in an adjoining room, which
had been used either for council Of
war or from which orders were is
sued, that we will be attacked before
daylight in the morning; though what
morning can't inform you. Tomor-
row seems most likely"
i Thanks. colonel" replied the gen.
eral. well take the precaution to be
under arms every morning"
1t was half past 2 the very next
morning. that an attack was made on
our right re-enforced by artillery, fol-
lowed by infantry all along the line
But as soon as the enemy saw that we
were under arms and ready for them
they ceased firing and gradually with
drew. We followed and gained sub
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