Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1910-11-24

tpth ARRESTED druuthetd ,onft maf
tlnl convened and within M iHuf Hftet
their detection we're sentenced to be
hanged NJ daylight the uext morning.
Owiug to their former acquaintance
and service together as brother on
GERS Colonel Albert. the officer who had
recognized Chandler. made strong
cffort to save hlm lie appealed to
Richmond ~ his behalf hy telegraph
but the authorities there seemed to
think that N either should be spared
II wns the orderly. who was little
more than boy
Meanwhile both men. beinr under
sentence ~ death we're permitted to
communicate and 10 write letters 10
those who would mourn them When
Colonel Chandler had signihcd his
willingness 20 undertake the mission
the oiicer who had arranged 10 sug-
rrstod that he take with him an or
derry. both ps becoming his supposed
rank and bci iuse II the principal were
detected ia orderly might possibly
carry the 3 urmation he had acquir
cd Volunteers were called for. aud
the young man who was now await
ing execution had been selected from
among those who had volunteered,
tn 10 this time Colonel Chandler was
ignorant oven OF his ordcrly's name
The Young man wrote farewell Set
tor tu his mother. addressed II and
laid 10 un the pine camp table on
which ne had pcuued IT, Colonel
Chandler noticed the supcrscriptior
and "a look Of anguish crossed his
face
Soon after midnight came news that
but one of the two should be executed
as a warning to spies and which was
10 suffer should be determined 10y lot
Colonel Chandler begged that he
might bc made the victim without re
sort 10 the wheel of fortune. His ap.
pHcation was considered and a reply
returned that inasmuch as the order
from the secretary to determine by
lot which should die was specific the
general did not care To take the r..
sponsibility Of disobcyiug it. The APP
plication was forwarded by telegraph,
but no answer was received before the
hour that had been fixed by the court
for the execution. So Colonel Chan
dler was informed that the matter
must proceed in conformity with the
outstanding orders.
At daylight In the morning the
provost marshal OF the Confederate
force entered the tent where the two
spies were confined, carrying a hat in
his hand. Having read to them the
order bearing on their case, he said:
In this hat are two brass buttons,
tn one with raised letters u. s. A.
stamped on II. the other bearing the
letters c. S. 4. You Will turn your
backs. put out a hand in rear and
take button. He who draws the c.
S. A. button will go forth to execu-
ton"
Colonel Chandler stepped up to the
officer holding the hat. thrust in his
hand, drew It forth, looked at the let.
ters on button he held in it and
handed it to the officer. 1t was stamp.
ed G.. S. A.
Any man thus imposing upon fell
low human being the task OF deciding
whether he shall live or die will nat.
! urally be under considerable emotion.
The Confederate officer holding the
hat was so moved that he threw it
down without paying any attention to
the remaining button. Later he re.
turned for the hat to give 1t to its
owner, and, feeling for the button,
failed 10 find IT, He hunted for 1t,
turning up the lining. but II was not
in the hat.
Colonel Chandler was taken out and
hanged. When his body was LET down
his right hand was found to be tightly
closed. The fingers were forced open
and out rolled button stamped with
the letters L. S. A. He had taken
out both buttons. giving up the one
thai meant death. Fearing that his
intention TO prevent his young comrade
from sharing the chances with him
might be discovered and thwartcd. he
had held the evidence of it tightly
closed in his fist till the last moment.
The orderly was sent to Libby prison
at Richmond There he was informed
that his superior had taken the chances
Of both and had died concealing the
evidence of his act. The young man
was in due time exchanged and soon
after mustered out OF the service, his
term of enlistment having expired
When he reached home and was
clasped in his mothers arms he told
her the sequel to the story she already
knew-the story of the other button.
why, mother" he asked, do you
suppose he took my chance upon him.
self?"
Because" she said "he was n noble
man"
The secret she kept from her son
She was the wife of Donald Dargon,
and the man who had returned her son
10 her was he who had loved and lost
her To his friend But for the first
time she told her husband that he and
Chandler had been rivals and that
Chandler had not only suffered his loss
in silence. but had returned to her and
him their son.
The Making of Business Man.
So many panes of glass In old Mr..
Viner's greenhouse had been broken
that he had at last offered n reward of