Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1913-07-16

n The colonel and his wife were none
the less fond OF their southern wards,
Gertrude and Robert dillingham;, now
that of necessity they no longer stood
toward them in loco PARENTS.
Whatever stern military aloofness the
Federal military officer may have felt
obligatory upon him was compensated
by a new tenderness on the part Of
Mrs. Hayerill, particularly toward Ger
trude, whom she regarded as the inno-
cent victim Of most unfortunate po-
litical misunderstanding. This feeling
Gertrude reciprocated and equally with
out suspicion Of resentment.
Mrs. Haverill and Gertrude, as has
been intimated, maintained practical
~ continuous correspondence. Ger
trude wrote regularly to her Confeder-
ate brother, Robert dillingham;. Made
line West, on the other side of the
Mason and Dixon line, also wrote to
Robert, her 'rebel" sweetheart, in q
nonpartisan way, which also was quite
different from sisterly. OF course, Bob
wrote to both the girls, and it would
have been highly embarrassing If he
had ever got the epistles mixed. Made
line answered the copious letters and
inquiries of her brother, Kerchival
West, as best she could.
Jenny Buckthorn was heard to re-
mark that Captain Heartsease's. pen
was mightier than his sword, so there
must have been some epistolary inter-
change between these two also when
the captain was away from Washing
ton. As for General Buckthorn, still at
home slowly recovering from his
wound, and Colonel Haverill. preoccu-
pied with active military responsible
ties, these two old soldiers stuck dog
gedly to their respective duties and
kept their own counsel.
Such was the complicated, morgan
tied system of grapevine telegraph"
which In civil war time practically did
the service Of what In latter days would
be called the wireless.
Gertrude had been home in the val
ley perhaps fortnight when she re-
ceived the following illuminative epis-
tie from her brother:
Charlottesville, June IT,
Dearest Sister-We have left the valley.
I suppose to join in the defense of Rich
mond. You know what that means under
Jackson. This Is the first moment have
found to write to you since you decided to
quit for home. I know what you have
passed through, but do you know how 1t
came about that you got through as luck
lily as you did? Probably not. Now, will
tell you. 1t was all very we'll for the
Richmond department to send you in GER
tain company by way Of Baltimore, but
when 1t came to the pinch at Harper's
Ferry influence at Washington had to be
brought to bear. Whose influence? Cen
eral Buckthorn's. General Buckthorn
must have acted at the prompting Of some
other Federal officer, presumably Colonel
H. And how did our dear colonel happen
to be so alert in behalf of couple Of
southern women travelling at their own
risk?
Washington either on sick leave or on
some confidential mission. He must have
moved heaven and earth and even strain
ed point or two of discipline for your
sake. I don't know the exact circum-
stances. but I do know old Kerchival.
God bless him! He can't help it if he is a
Yank.
Now you know what he did for you and
perhaps you will understand the ugly
look it must have taken for him at Wash
ington when l tell you that your danger
GUS travelling companion took advantage
Of the situation to wheedle the Federal
guard at Berryville into making an ex-
change of prisoners with our guard and
thus rescued a certain secret service off,
Ger whom you and l know only too we'll
and who Is now back again In the Confed-
crate service. What is to come Of it all
don't know, but, sis, be careful. Keep this
closely to yourself and never forget 1t.
When you will next hear from me and
what you will hear no mortal can predict
except that I shall be found in the line
Of duty. May heaven bless and keep -us
al is the constant prayer of your Grant
brother. BOB.
Ito be continued)