The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1911-12-21


me-"
Mr.. Winters pondered.
81 will on the sale of my cotton in
England" added the lady. give $4,000
to you for any purpose you choose to
put It." s Hs
"All right" said MIR. Winters. "I'n
give it. to the Confederate cause"
A contract was signed then and
there. Miss Chesterton put $1,000 into
cotton at an average of 2% cents
pound and ordered her supplies for
the journey.
A week passed before everything
was aboard and the vessel was ready
to sail. Then one afternoon the cap
tain announced to his crew that I'M
less the conditions. should prove I'M
favorable he would sail the next
morning at o'clock.
Soon after this he went to the hotel
to have last talk with Winters, who
was to remain in Savannah for further
ventures. On his return he saw ne
gro carrying box of live chickens up
the gangway.
"Who are those chickens for?" ask
ed the captain.
$50 the liddy, sah."
Miss Chesterton?"
Eyes, sah.''
At this point Miss Chesterton ap-
peared at the head Of the gangway.
"Miss Chesterton," said the captain,
what do you want with chickens
aboardY'
"My mother must have them," was
the reply. Her digestion is very deli
cate, and she can't eat any other
meat, surely not such as is usually
taken aboard ships for voyage,
"Well, you must shut them up where
any sound from them can't be heard.
We must pass the blockading feet in
perfect silence or not at all. At the
slightest noise aboard you would lose
| all your cotton"
"I'n take care of that, captain!"
The commander, who had crisis to
meet, hurried away. Miss Chesterton
ordered the chickens taken to the bunk
where her other supplies were kept,
and the door was shut upon them.
During the night every one on the
Winifred went about with bated
breath. 1t was win or lose with every
man aboard. In the middle of the
night the ship left her mornings. and
when approaching the naval feet out
side everything that could make the
slightest noise was covered When the
ovsY.fr
| ton left her stateroom, went to her sup
ply bunk and, taking a little rooster
from the chicken box. carried him to
her stateroom. There. holding him up
In an open portfolio. she waited and
watched.
| Presently she heard bell out on the
water. 1t was ships bell and struck
four times. Immediately Miss Ches-
terton began to torture the rooster.
pinching him, twisting his neck. crack
ing his joints. The squawking was
something frightful. Captain Gilbert
was lost. Every man on the ship
heard it and knew that his perquisites
had collapsed.
A United States gunhoat soon loom
ed up before the Winifred, and voice
on her shouted:
"Stand by!'
The Winifred stopped her engines,
and in a few minutes naval officer
came aboard and took possession of
the ship.
When day broke and preparations
were being made to send the prize
north Captain Gilbert heard the crow
| ing Of rooster.
"For heavens sakel' he cried. "How
did those chickens get aboard?"
'In Miss Chesterton's supplies, sir"
said the steward. Miss Chesterton
brought them on the last thing before
we cast off,
The captain remembered. He sank
down like a wet rag. "She is Wash
ington emissary to give away block
ade runners"
"But her cotton is aboard, SIR
''You mean the secretary Of the Unit
| ed States treaSury's cotton
And so it proved. Miss Chesterton
tary of the treasury, who had secured
for her the necessary means from the
secret service fund She and her moth
err had gone through the lines and.
knowing Savannah TO be favOrite
port for departure and entry for block
ade runners. had gone there and ,op
Grated on the Winifred
Miss Chesterton was allowed the
profit on the cotton she had bought.
which was sold at $1.20 pound in
New York. and prize money on the
whole cargo. She was a Canadian by
birth and had there acquired her Brit
ish accent The government desired
her to make another attempt, but she
declined She lived to good old age
on a fine place she bought with her
prize money. And SO long as the roost-
er that secured it for her lived be was
cock O. the walk In her chicken prem
iSaA