Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1910-02-18

money, which | declined, as | ex-
pected to be exchanged in a few
Gays. He then took me to his
merchant and instructed him to
let me have anything | wanted
in the way of clothing.
Through his intercession was
given the liberty OF the city with
out any restraint except my prom
ise to return to headquarters at
night. This explains why | was
walking about the city without a
guard. One day | was strolling
along Broadway, cautious not to
get off very far, for fear | might be
lost, when a man stepped III front
of me, bowed gracefully and said,
good morning." He was at least
six feet in statue and would have
weighed $50 pounds. He was very
erect, with square shoulders and
the carriage of a trained soldier
He was elegantly dressed, his
hair black, his eyes large, dark
and penetrating, while a heavy
black mustache dropped grace
fully around the corners of his
square-cut mouth. His lower jaw
was rather broad and firmly set,
and as he showed his white teeth
and smiled at me, he seemed to
say, nov l have you" | was
uncomfortable; he saw it, and
was evidently amused. He said,
Il think l know you." | replied,
no, sir; you do not, and l GER
tainly do not know you He
said. Yes, met you once" |
asked where ? He said, in the
Valley of Virginia" | asked at
what place ? He said, two years
ago l took dinner with you in
Strasburg at the home of a widow
lady, Mrs. Eberly; you had three
friends with you. While you
were at dinner two cavalrymen
came in and took seats at the
table. | sat directly in front OF
you on the opposite side of the
table, and my companion sat next
to you on your right. You asked
me what cavalry we belonged to,
and told you Ashby' S command.
You then asked me a number of
questions about AShby, where
he was. the size of his command,
etc. Then looking me straight IN
the eyes, he said, in low. meas
ured, somewhat inciSive tone,
my friend who sat on your
right was hung by your people. y
The announcement went through
me like a dagger of ice. not
only remember the two cavalry
men, in their bright, new un-
soiled uniforms, and the conver-
sation, but / vividly recalled the
| features of the man who stood
before me, and | realized, with
shiver, that the handsome young
fellow who sat by my side at
dinner was none other than the
dashing and fearless Jack Sterry,
| whom | had seen hanged at The
| Plains.
| The stranger then said that he
| saw me several months later, but
| discovered that | did not recognize
| him and he did not care 10 speak
as he realized that / was inclined
| to ask embarrassing questions.
Finally l said to him, well, L
am glad my people did not hang
YOU" He said, yes, 50 am l.,
but it was not their fault; they
would haye been mighty glad to
have done so." He said, Il sup
pose you are prisoner" | told
: him | was. He then said, well,
: YOU are doubtless short of fundS!'
| told him l had none. He put
] his hand in his pocket and said,
Il will be glad to help you a
E little if you will accept it," but
r | thanked him and declined He
: then shook hands and wished tC
n know if he could serve me in any
way. | was the more astonishet
a that he should have SO prompt,
a recognized me, because / had no
a shaved in two years, had gaine'
l. flesh till / weighed los pound
Ie and had exchanged the dress o
% a private for the uniform OF
x full surgeon with the rank of ma
l jor on the collar.
During the succeeding winter
in Virginia, while enjoying tn
comforts of warm clothing, fu
al nished me by the generosity
ne the major, and which could NJ
n have been purchased in Ricl
pd mond with gold, often reiect'
olthat an honest man seldom los
in the long run, by speakir
~. 4 A L.