Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1911-07-06
A LIT TIE
REBEL
By ALBERT TUCKER KENYON
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1911.

ing the Confederate General Bragg at
Murfreesboro, Tenn, l was a cap
tain in the --th Ohio regiment of that
army. One morning while | was Off
Ger Of the picket post deployed on
either side of the turnpike leading di-
rectly south a young girl of fifteen or
sixteen came to me and asked me to
let her go through the lines to her
home. which she said was about
mile down the pike. l told her that /
had no authority to do so. but If she
would go to headquarters very likely
she would get pass.
She said that she had been to head
quarters. but the general was busy
and she was pressed for time. She had
come up to town to get some medicine
a doctor had prescribed for her moth
er, who was at the point of death
She looked so distressed. turning
pair of heavenly blue eyes upon me
beseechingly, that l was sorely tempt
ed to disobey orders and let her go
through. War is very hard on the
people of the country where the ar
mics are contending. and | confess
had no stomach for that part Of it.
The girl saw 1 was weakening and ex-
ercised all her persuasive faculties
upon me.
while l am waiting here" she
walled. wringing her hands, mother
may be dying"
The brutality of keeping her under
the circumstances was a little more
than could bear. 1t was several miles
back to the town where were the army
headquarters. the girl looked tired,
and two or three hours would neces
sarily be consumed if forced her to
90 there to make another application
for pass.
"Can you see your house from here?"
asked.
You can just see the chimney over
the hill. There it Is. on the right side
Of the turnpike"
'I'll go with YOU"
l expected an outburst of gratitude.
Instead she threw up her hands In
protest.
mot for the world would ! get you
into trouble. A Confederate vedette Is
stationed on the road right in front of
our house. You would be captured"
Her unwillingness to implicate me
enhanced my desire to serve her. but
it also tended to add to my uncertainty
as to what to do. My orders were to
let NO one go beyond our line who did
not have a pass. To disobey such an
order would render me liable to very
severe punishment. But | was young
and full of chivalry. Would it not be
better for nae to take the risk upon
myself than keep this poor girl from
carrying medicine to her dying moth
er! My offer to accompany her was
that l might be able to state that | had
not let her out of my keeping while
beyond our lines. Since it was evil
dent from what she told me as to the
proximity of the vedette that this plan
would not serve | was at a loss to
decide what other course to pursue.
The girl kept wringing her hands
and moaning till she almost set me
wild with indecision between the die
tates of my heart and my duty.
IF let YOU CO." said to her, land
be court martialed and doubtless suf-
fer some severe penalty"
She stood for moment thinking.
then said: Suppose | start to run.
You follow me and at last give up the
chase"
No | said. II will either let you
go through openly. disobeying orders.
or not at all"
ooh. do let me gOr' she pleaded.
''While you are OBTAINING me you are
withholding from my mother what
may save her"
well" l said at last. iii risk it.
Go ahead"
She gave me a grateful look, and
saw in it at the same time something
of pain or regret. | was looking her
straight in the face, on each side of
which were two puffs such as were
In vogue in women's hairdressing at
the time. These puffs were, believe.
usually rOlleu over something 10 give
them their shape. There was break
in the puff on one side of the girls
head, and thin line of something
white, over which it had been rolled.
was visible.
A suspicion struck me.
Zone moment" l said.
I reached for the puff and held on to
it till l had taken out some crumpled
white paper. Smoothing 1t out. saw
on it writing and figures. A brief ex-
animation showed me that it embraced
estimates of each division Of our Army
OF the Cumberland. giving its exact
position.
This is the medicine" / said to the
girl. that you are carrying to your
sick mother"
There was no reply. only a look Of
disappointment and vexation that her
scheme had failed.
Corporal l cried. take this girl In
to general headquarters and this pa
per also. Say that the girl was trying
to get through the lines with It,"
Than RI tho oirl "Vnu rnuef hovo q