The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-05-22
BY j. A. G.

II was beautiful morning In April
1855. few days after the surrender
OF our noble Lee and his brave follow
ers. A party OF schoolgirls stood at
the rear gate OF the garden OF fine
old farmhouse In a section OF Virginia
directly in the path of Sheridan's
ver-to-be-torgottcn raid The girls
were discussing some of the latest ru.
mors' of the depredations OF the COM
ing foe, when their attention was sud-
denly arrested by one of the girls
pointing to what seemed to be moving
hgures of men and horses along the
public road more than a mile away.
Yankees Looking foS Corn.
So intently were they engaged In
lookfns7at. TO them. the strange sight.
they failed to hear the tramping or
ished gaze. the field of young corn
which lay between the garden and
the body Of woods. was literally COW
cred with men and horses, seemingly
to have sprung up out OF the earth.
The Mortified girls We're unable. for a
moment, TO move. The leader, who
wore the uniform of colonel, rode up
to them. and with a pleasant Good
morning, young ladies, nan YOU tell mo
where can find your fathers corn
kouse?"
II guess YOU will find IT, said one
Of them. a little bolder than the rest.
The girls beat a hasty retreat to tho
house. while the Yankees galloped on
through the grove in the direction OF
the house, riding here. there and
everywfaro.
Piifcr Everything In Sight,
Some went to the henhouse In search
of eggs and chickens, others to the
meat-house: one helped himself to n
pair of fine old hams: another filled
a bag with bacon and rode Off with
It astride of his saddle. Fortunately,
my father had had a large portion OF
the bacon removed to pantry In the
house. with good many other things
The door to this could scarcely have
been found even by searching for 1t.
the house trying to see what they
could find, but my mother had taken
precaution to have the doors all locked
The colonel rode rode up to the
porch where my father was standing
with Good morning, old man" He
dismounted saying he was very tired,
Father offered him chair. which he
very gratefully accepted as welt as
the ice water which servant brought
out. Father told him mother was In
gerry delicate health and suffering
with nervousness. asking protection
from the men going into the house
He at once had n guard placed n,
every door with orders to allow no
one to enter the house
Tile colonel called an orderly to
bring his whisltev flask, which he did,
with silver goblet He poured ont
some and offered father to drink,
which he declined.
cold man. I expect you are afraid
TO drink before mo; see, ] will drinl,
first" Flo then poured out more and
offered 1t to father, who drank, and
the man laughed heartily. He sat
chatting for half an honr Or moro
about the end OF the war, the sur
rounding country and other subjects.
The men. many of them with fine
ladies' handkerchiefs tied around their
neoks and diamond rings on their dirty
fingers. came swarming into the yard
dismounting, turned their horses on
the grass, and. then stretchinc them
selves, seemed to be almost tagged
out. i
Others went to the farm yard, ana
finding the crib locked broke 1T open
and proceeded to bring out a quantity
of bags of corn which father had had
shelled for tho purpose of hiding unde.'
the hay In the granary, They strewed
At around the yard for their horses, a
great deal moro than they could eat.
still renleplbsy how the Qoor old