Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1916-05-26

1 had a revolver in my pocket and
could produce 1t instantly. while his
own pistol was in a holster on his hip.
A man might have pointed his weapon
at him and ordered him to throw up
his hands, then possessed himself of
the paper. But this was a good deal
for a woman to do. At any rate /
shrank from it. | determined to use
more feminine means.
l noticed that it was difficult for him
to keep awake while he was eating.
There was nothing surprising in this.
for | have heard that in wartime a
man may pass several days without
sleep, and many a man has slept under
fire. When he had finished his meal |
went to the cupboard where father
kept his cigars and, taking the box.
offered 1t to the officer. He opened his
eyes with delight, and taking one bit
off the end, and lighted a match and
held the fame TO the cigar.
l now had an object and softened
my manner toward him decidedly.
Pointing to a lounge, | invited him to
take a nap on it. He protested against
the nap, but could not refrain from
stretching himself upon it for a few
whiffs of the cigar. I asked him if he
would not take half an hours doze,
provided | would awaken him at the
end of that time. He positively refus-
ed, though he confessed that he had
had no sleep for two days. While he
was refusing to sleep he passed into
slumber.
He had hardly fallen asleep before
l had the paper from his belt. l read
1t and it proved to be a message to a
general on another route just when
and where to meet the corps on our
road and march together toward Get
tysburg. Leaving the young man sound
asleep, l went outside, mounted his
horse and galloped away northward.
1t wass evening when l reached the
camp of one of the corps near Gettys-
burg and delivered to the general the
dispatch. He read it with great inter
est and said that 1t indicated what the
southern forces were intending. Then
he sent ii to the commander of the
Federal army.
All was changed when l reached
home. An army-or part of one-had
swept over the place, but though the
fences and other articles that could be
moved were gone, the place was not
injured beyond repair. Our buried
~valuables had not been disturbed. The
officer from whom | had taken the dis
patch had, of course, vanished. Not
withstanding the service | had render
ed the Union cause my heart smote me
for the position In which l had placed
him.
Then a boom coming down on the
north wind announced the great his
toric battle that proved to be the turn
ing point of the war. For three days
we listened to the booming, like dis
tant thunder; then down the road came
the Confederates in retreat. They did
not stop, but we expected another WIS.,
itation when the Federal army would
follow them. This, however, did not
occur at once.
The Confederates left numerous
wounded men in the different houses
along the route, and we all took hold to
care for them. | was very busy pre-
pairing such articles as they needed.
Several wounded men were quartered
at our house, but | left them much OF
the time to the care of my mother and
my aunt. while | devoted myself to the
production and distribution of supplies.
This led me to a great number of the
neighboring houses.
r One day | went to a farmhouse to
leave some lint. When | entered the
living room. where several wounded
men were lying on cots, there, pale
and helpless, lay the officer whom |
had robbed. Though | had done a
legitimate deed of war, | felt as guilty
as if | had run a knife into him. Per
haps If | had met him strong and well
l should have triumphed over him. As
it was, I was seized with a desire to
atone for what l had done.
l did not dare face him and beat a
hasty retreat. But the next day, sum-
moning my resolution, l returned and
walked into the room where he was
lying. He recognized me at once, but
l did not receive the look of %reproach.
of bitter antagonism that l deserved.
81 presume" l said, that you
despise me?"
"Why should 1 despise you? All is
fair in war" Then, with that pleasing
smile with which he had greeted me
the first time l saw him, he added,
land in love"
1t would be impossible to express
my feelings as l stood over him look
ing down upon him, that smile on his
face, which grew sad as he thought of
the disadvantage that had accrued to
his cause through his yielding to the
fatigue which had overcome him.
"Forgive me-" l said.
81 have nothing to forgive"
81 will do what l can TO atone for
--haA 6nH4 1AAA Ill F--nn ~