Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1912-03-14

could pass | ~accosted him.
Colonel Maitland" I said, you
doubtless remember me. | am seek
ing my old command; would you kind
ly inform me where 1t may be found?'
He stopped instantly at sound Of my
voice. and stared at me In odd be-
wilderment; but my words had al
ready reached the ears of the others,
and before he had found an answer
another voice spoke sternly What is
all this? Who are you, sir? What
masquerade puts you into that parody
of a captains uniform?"
| turned and looked into the flush,
| ed, indignant face of General Lee.
1T Is no masquerade, SIR" ! an
swered, instantly removing my hat;
ut is the rightful uniform of my rank,
greatly as | regret It's present condi-
ton"
Where are you from?"
81 was discharged from st. Mary's
Hospital in Richmond day before yes.
terday, and am now seeking to rejoin
my regiment"
Surely" he said gravely, II have
seen your face before. To what regi-
ment were you attached"
The til Virginia Cavalry"
The buzzing Of voices about me in
stantly ceased, and General Lee took
a step al
The til Virginia? You were a
captain? Surely this is not Philip
Wayne?"
So deeply surprised was his tone, so
uncertain his recognition, | scarcely
knew what to answer. Had | lost my
very identity? was this all a dream?
81 am Captain Wayne, Troop 9TH
Virginia"
He grasped my hand warmly be-
tween both his own, and his kindly
face lit up instantly with a rare smile.
Captain Wayne, / cannot tell you
how greatly | rejoice at your safe re-
turn. We certainly owe you an apoI-
ogy for this poor reception, but you
were reported as killed in action
many months ago. l doubt not Colo
mel Maitland truly believed he looked
upon a ghost when you first accosted
him"
For the moment | was unable to
speak, so deeply did his words affect
me.
Il fear, Captain Wayne" he con-
tinued gravely, yet retaining my hand
within his own. that | must bring
you sad news"
Sad news?" Instantly there came
to me the thought of my widowed
mother. Not from home, | trust,
sir?"
NO" with great tenderness, your
mother, l believe. remains we'll; yet
the words | must speak are %neverthe-
less sad ones, and must prove a severe
shock to you. There is no til Vir-
ginia."
NO til Virginia." | echoed, scarce
able to comprehend his meaning, mo
-th Virginia? beg you to explain,
sir; surely"-and l looked about me
upon the various uniforms of the serv-
ice present-"the war has not yet
ceased-we have not surrendered"
mo, my boy" and the old hero
%reverently barred his gray head in the
sunlight, but the TIL Virginia gave
itself to the South that day in the
Shenandoah"
! must have grown very white, for
a young. aide sprang hastily forward
and passed his arm about me. Yet |
scarcely realized the action, for my
whole thought was with the dead.
do you mean they are all gomez"
questioned. tremblingly, hardly able
to grasp the full dread import of such
CHASTITY tidings. Surely, General Lee,
some among them must have come
back"
so few" he responded soberly, his
hat still retained in his hand, so few
that we could only scatter them in
other commands. But you have not
yet fully recovered your strength,
You must not remain longer standing
here. Major Holmes, will you kindly
conduct Captain Wayne to my head
quarters, and see that he is furnished
with a uniform suitable to his rank,
For the present he will serve as extra
aide upon my personal staff"
turned away, the Major leading me
as If l had been a child. I walked as
a mar stunned by some sudden, unxe
pected blow. When | finally Joined
the mess upon the following day, clad