The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1911-01-05
Of robbers who Will murder and pillage
| our people az well as yours

whose lover ne expected 10 DE OTOeTeO
to shoot In cold blood?
"Guerrillas are monsters" she con-
tinued. "and should be shot whenever
captured. At least ! would not move
hand to save them. But these boys
are gentlemen's sons. They are fight
ing for cause which they consider
to be just Their leader. Carroll Bates.
comes of one of the Oldest families
In Tennessee"
"And a brave man." the captain put
In
Eyes, brave man Again and again
with his handful of men he has rid
den many miles In the rear of your
lines and attacked guards much lar
ger than his force His only mistake
has been that he Is not q soldier In
the army Consider that these boys
are full of zeal They have not stop
ped to think that they should make
war In n certain fashion. They love
life OF freedom and dread the re-
straint of the military service"
That's the kind for soldiers" add
ed Coleman. "once they are trained"
when you surprised US tonight
what do you suppose ! was doing?
was trying to persuade Carroll to take
his men into the regular Confederate
service. Ever since he has been
partisan lender ! have feared this re
suit When | last saw him resolved
that when be came again would not
cease my efforts with him till had
secured his consent Had you been ap
hour later | would have gained 1t be-
fore you arrived"
The girls able pleading for her lover
and his men. whom she never failed to
include with him. had Its effect on the
captain. The strain on his heart was
greater than the strain had been on
his nerves on any field OF battle He
wished that he were the general. that
he might grant this girls request, that
he might spare the lives of these boys.
some of whom were barely sixteen.
many OF whom were not twenty-one,
and none but few years past their
majority. Doubtless many of them
were loved by some girl, A case of
boys and girls on the one hand and
grim death on the other
After the girls last words. seeing
that Coleman was thinking, Dolly re-
Trained from speaking 1t was a pic.
ture-the young man In blue; a girl
whose lovers life hung in the balance,
watching intently to catch word Of
hope from the enemy. Finally Cole
man rose
"Sit here" he said. land write your
request. REINFORCED with your argu-
ment. and | will send 1t with my re-
port to the general"
With the light of a newborn hope
in her eye Dolly obeyed. What she
wrote was not expressed as the cap
tains report-indeed. 1t formed
marked contrast with that report-but
there was plenty of reason for the re-
quest. and Dolly's heart was In her
argument. 1t needed nothing to send
1t to the heart of the man II was in
tended for. inasmuch as 1t was that OF
a young girl asking for her lovers life.
When she had finished 1t she arose
and handed 1t to the captain. who,
without reading 1t. placed 1t in an en-.
velope and. taking 1t outside. gave 1t
to one of his men. with orders to take
1t to the general and bring an answer.
1t was fifteen miles to camp, and the
greater part Of the day must be con-
sumed before reply could be re-
ceived Captain Coleman could form
be, except that 1t would be either an
order to shoot every man he had cap
tured at once or that the boon was
granted He knew that the general
was a kind hearted man. but he did
not know whether he would consider
himself at liberty to spare what the
law Of war condemned or II he saw
justice In Dolly Peytons request
whether he would consider that the
interests of the Union cause and the
army defending II demanded the death
of the partisans
Dolly Peyton remained during the
day In care OF her mother and others
OF the family. Coleman, understanding
the agony of suspense she suffered
went to Bates and told him that he
was permitted to go to his betrothed.
Bates thanked him. went to Dolly, but
remained only short while. The
strain was great and she was better
able to bear 1t with her mother.
Az the afternoon wore on Dolly who
was becoming uncomfortable, broke
away and went to q window. where
she could see a bit of road several
miles distant. A cavalryman was
coming leisurely He was machine
to carry orders or be shot as the case
demanded without knowledge. except
that he was doing what was expected
Of him. Coleman. hearing Dolly wildly
calling on the messenger to Come, for
heavens sake come; shall die"'
mounted his horse and rode out to get
the dispatch
When the captain on his return gal
Hoped up to the house Dolly stood on
the balcony, her lover beside her, her
eyes wild with suspense He waved
the paper over his head to signal life
instead of "death." and Dolly fell limp
into the hands OF the man whose life
was all the world to her. Then Cole
man ordered the eaptlves to be brought
up before the house. and he read aloud
the generals order:
The request of Miss Dolly PAXTON that