Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1912-03-14
Molly
She So d utter and
Eggs. but Carried
Rev ,.er
By GEORGE ARNOLD WELSH
By GEORGE ARNOLD WELSH

move on Tullahoma, the general com
handing called for volunteers for Sc
Cret service. One young man who re.
ported was entirely devoid Of "A beard
} and had ruddy cheeks aud blue eyes.
"Nou could 20 anywhere as a girl,
said the general. and as long as your
sex Is not suspected you would be
safer in skirts than IN trousers"
My hair is too short" said the
youngs,er.
1T is long enough 10 cut square
around your neck, and that's the way
girls up 10 eighteen about here wear
their hair. Would you like to try ii?
Il wouldn't mind, general"
We'll | want you TO go down to
Tullahoma and learn what you can.
Bring me back a statement of the de
lenses, the guns on them. their caliber
and the number and condition of
Bracg's army encamped in and about
the town"
The next morning a Tennessee coun-
try girl left the Union picket line at
Murfreesboro with a basket on her
arm, taking the direct turnpike TO Tul.
lahoma. Stopping at a farm. she
bought a supply of eggs and butter.
which she put into her basket, and on
reaching the vedettes of the Confed-
crate army told them that she came
from a farm UP the road and was go
ing into Tyllahoma TO make a little
money by supplying the soldiers with
her farm produce.
Molly Atkins-this was the name the
farm girl gave herself-had no diff
Guilty passing into Tullahoma. What
troubled her was that so eager were
the soldiers on the picket line to buy
hausted before she entered the town.
However. she had plenty of money
and went about among the shops buy
ing such supplies as farmers needed
which they could not raise themselves.
Having rehlled her basket, she cast
about for a place to lodge. for she had
no idea OF leaving Tullahoma for sew
eral days. Passing Il house occupied
for General BraGg's headquarters. ii
occurred TO her that If she could find
a lodging near ii she might elicit in
formation by keeping an eye on what
was going on there. So she knocked
at the doors Of several houses on the
opposite side of the street till she found
a family who was willing TO take in a
country girl for a few days who had
come to town TO make some purchases.
She was given a room in the third
story, or. rather. the peak Of the roof.
from which she could look right down
on General Bragg's headquarters.
q Officers and messengers were com
ing and going. citizens were applying
for passes, while Il sentinel paced back
and forth before the house. every few
minutes stopping and facing to salute
an officer passing in or ont. Molly
couldn't see anything TO be derived
from this, so she sailed forth to visit
the camps and the defenses OF the
town. Having picked up all the infor.
nation available In this way, she re-
turned to her lodging and. gathering
mp her purchases, vent over to head
quarters TO ask for a pass to leave
Tullahoma. An aid-de-camp, a young
man about twenty-five years old. was
Ia charge OF the granting of passes
and, seeing a pretty girl ONE in. was
quite beside himself with admiration.
Molly showed him the articles she had
purchased. telling him that they had
been bought with money derived from
the sale Of butter and eggs. He was
convinced that she was what she rep
resented herself to be. but he had ex-
plicit orders from his general that he
should grant no passes to persons going
northward. and be dare not disobey.
Molly appeared disappointed, and when
the aid looked at her alphabetically
cast her blue eyes down at the floor.
How far beyond the picket line do
you liver" asked the aid.
Not very far" Molly replied.
Il tell you what you do. Meet me
just within the picket post on the Muir
freesboro road tomorrow morning at
10 O'clock, and I'll see what l ear do
for you. | can't write you a pass, for
that's contrary to orders. but / may
be able to get you home. You see. l
might go with you and satisfy myself
that you are what you purport to be.
that you wouldn't carry information
and all that. In this case 1t wouldn't
be any, harm for me to leave you at
home. and l wouldn't be acting con
trary to my orders"
Molly thanked the young man, look
ing very demure AMI modest. and with
drew. The following morning on dress
ing she examined a revolver she had
carried strapped to her waist under her
skirts, and, since she would very likely
have need for 1t. she tried to think Of
q place on her person where II would
be concealed and yet be easily grasped.
Fortunately In those days there was
usually a pocket In 4 woman's dress.
and Molly. having made a search, dis
covered one She slipped her revolver
into II.
Shortly before 10 o'clock she started
up toward the picket post. Hearing
the sound of horses hoofs behind her.
she did not look around. but presently
heard the aid bid her good morning
Go to the picket post he said. -ana
pretend you didn't know you mus,