Year: 1864

and the homes of the fair ones VINO would
greet NE inside were rehearscd A more
denying disposition than mine would have
yielded when | heard the promise Of find
ing in the parlors two of the most elegant
women of Virginia, firm friends Of mine
in the past.


I believe that they were sincerely glad
to see me, and | will not offer an apology
for yielding to the cordial invitation. press
ed upon me, that should spend all hour
or TWO with them. and share, what sol
dier has so seldom offered to him, bounte
Gus and refind tea table


| accepted-how could ] help latter
stepping out upon the verandah, ard send
ing my men about two miles across the
country 10 mill, where they were to OBJ
tain some sacks OF corn, with orders, after
that to rejoin the regiment, and report me
absent until dark. The tea was dispatch
ed, and we returned to the parlor, bu7 my
fair hostess would not hear NE speak Of
departure yet. | must play one game Of
chess aux dri K some of that superb sher
ry | was wont to praise FIVE years before,
when it made part Of her fathers cellar
Chess and sherry with ore of the most
beautiful women south OF Mason Dixon S
line | was but man, and yielded,
though | knew that our line had passed on,
and | should have hard and perhaps a
risky gallop to overtake them


The chess had avdaEced but little way,
and | was conscious Of spending one Of
the happiest bours of my existence, when
the door of the room in which we sat was
thrown open and five gentleman in the uni
form OF officers in the Confederate service
entered. As quick as lightning glanced
into the faces of the three ladies who were
my entertainers, and as quickly | became
convinced that they were innocent. Fortu
nately | was enabled to preserve my pres
ence of mind, when Mrs Wetherbee SAID:


Captain Foot allow me to present Col
Ashby,' rose quietly, and taking his hand
responded: 4 am happy to meet one Of
whom have heard so much


Then, with an introduction to the off
GERS OF the party, we were seated | eau
not help admitting that II ere was mo
mentury embarrassment With all The party,
aHd 'ar minute nobody spoke It requlr
ed the tact OF women tG rcctty this it
was recthed instantly and the conversation
flowed smoothly Oar chess was dropped
but our sherry was discussed, as well as
every topic but that of the war Tabooed
subject, and not one word waS uttered upon
either SHE that would have led che most
careful listener to believe that we were sol
dlers warrinI against each other.


1t would be useless to deny that during
this time my mind was running on all
things besides those upon which | was
talking | knew that | was Col Ashby' 5
prisoner, though there was just the shad
Ow of a donbt whether he meant 70 en-
force the forfeit. ] could not help steal
ing anxious glances occasionally into Mrs
Hates face, to see if | could read there
any indication of her belief. aud as often
saw an uncomfortable recognizance of her
position and the fear OF my suspicion


At last the time came when must bring
the matter to an issue, and rose to de
part. Whatever the end might be, did
not intend that Ashhy aud his friends
should see it in my face or in my manner
of taking leave that | for an instpnt
suspecel such a termination to our inter
view. In fact | made up my mind not to
be taken without a struggle as it was but
few nights before that two of our officers
had been captured while upon a visit to
some fair ones outside our lines, aud the
incident had served ior some hard Jokes
on the now imprisoned amorato. 1t was
well worth bit of fight, therefore, to
avoid not only being taken prisoner, but
being taken in so ignoble way.


| bade my fair entertainers good night,
reSretting that it would be SO long ere |
should see them again, and advanced to do
the same by Colonel Ashby and his friends
but found them on their feet and also
preparing to depart. | shall never forget
the minute it took US to reach the piazza,
it semed an age. | had picked up my
g sword by the way, having unbuckled aud
stood 1t in a corner OF the room when | sat
down to chess, and grasped it tightly by
scathard IN my left hand, prepared to
use It on the slightest demonstration NY
horse stood fastened within few feet, and
fet that if | once got on his back had
no fear of the whole party.


1t was just dark, and we all stood an in.
slant looking out upon the landscape Ev.
cry moTent | expected the words, Cap.
tain you are my prisoner ! when | noticed
look OF intelligence pass between the
Colonel and his adjutant. [ grasped my
swore tighter aud looked in the direction
OF their eyes, and with great bound of
the heart saw my own men coming slowly
up toward the house.


Whether they were deceived and be,
lieved them a squad of their own in the
dim light, or really knew what they were
aud trusted to my generosity, could not
tell, but after they had fairly emerged in