Year: 1877




ing extent"


swell, this girl does"


"She shouldn't do it. Wouldn't you
be doing her kindness to talk to her a
little? Give her. tract about profane
swearing, OF. any other kind of swearing
in fact, do something for her"


"Yes-oh, yes; Pll do something for
her with the greatest pleasure in life if
she amt considerably sharper than 1
take her to be-"


From that time forward Miss Lamb
devoted her time and talents to watching
Miss Lizzie's movements. If the girl
went only ten yards from the house she
was shadowed, and if she went further
she was watched with more vigilance.
Patience won its reward. Mary found
that the girl every second evening paid
visit of about two hours duration to a
house on one of the back streets of Mar
tinsburg, near the old Jail. Inquiry dis
closed nothing unusual about the house.
The inmates claimed to be strong Union
people, had made the acquaintance of
Miss Anderson by accident, and she came
there of an evening because she knewnc
one else in the place. The affair was al
lowed to drop, and Miss Lamb, giving
out that she was going home to Pennsyl-
vania, left the hotel. That night, got up
as small vagabond boy, she loafed about
until Miss Anderson entered the house in
question. Then she sat down and waited,
concealed behind the garden fence of
neighboring house. She saw no more of
the girl, but in about fifteen minutes a
stout-looking boy, in rough summer
clothes and a wide-rimmed slouch hat,
came out with small basket, and walked
down street toward the Opequan Creek,
whistling. Mary Lamb thought that
whistling was little familiar, and fol-
lowed it. The boy ahead walked down
to the creek, stopped his whistling, and,
after looking around, cautiously got over
the fence into the meadows, and walked
down the creeks bank. After about two
hundred yards he came to a picket, gave
the countersign, and passed on.


The other boy did the same thing,
leaving the guard wondering if all the
boys in Martinsburg had the counter
sign. With careful dodging and watch
ing Mary followed the Objectionable boy
down the meadows through a narrow
piece of woodland, and had the pleasure
to see her enter small log-house on the
edge of the ensuing clear land. Working
noiselessly up to this cabin to find it
closed and dark, she listened carefully,
but there was not sound. In about
five minutes the boy came out, looked
around carelessly, and sauntered of again
towards the town, swinging his basket,
evidently empty. This time Miss Lamb
did not follow. She lay still concealed
by the high weeds and poke bushes, oc-
casionally wondering why snake did
not crawl up her trousers leg. Hour af-
ter hour she waited with becoming
patience, and just as she was beginning
to feel drowsy she heard the quick pattsE
of horses feet. The rider dismounted
about twenty yards from the cabin, tied
his horse, and went inside. In moment
he came out again with small bundle
in his hand, evidently papers, which he
hastily concealed under his coat, but,
toned it up, and cantered away. Then
Mary Lamb shook out her stifened
limbs and wended her way back to Mar
tinsburg, astonishing the sleepy picket
by coming along with the countersign
just when daylight was beginning tc
streak the east.


That day careful examination Of the
old cabin was made. 1t was found simply
to be lonely, uninhabited, and nothing
more. The following afternoon Mary
Lamb concealed herself in the cabin loft
while Jerome Clauson and Royce Clud
ham picked themselves out convenient
hiding places among the rank Vegeta
ton outside, and cavalry sergeant was
carefully instructed where to post hi
ten dismounted men handy in the woods
When evening came all were on the
watch. There was enough starlight tt
render objects visible at short distances
The boy with basket appeared abou
half an hour after sundown. He entered
the cabin, and, setting down his basket
proceeded to pull up stone of the
dilapidated hearth. Then Miss Lamb
over his head, spoke:


"Lizzie Anderson, if you move mus
Gle Pll blow your head off" and the boy
didn't move.


"Stand perfectly still" added Mary
"lt's all right"


Then Cludham and Clsuson came il
and secured her.


"Have you anything to say?' asked
Royce.


Nothing at ALL" And they took he
out and turned her over to the sergeant
who senta couple of men to headquarter
with her at once. Then the party go
into their positions again and waited fo
the man. 1t was three o'clock in tn
morning when he came. He tied hi
horse as before, and entered the cabin
He was no sooner inside than one of tn
cavalrymen had the horse. As he wa
| about to stoop by the hearth the voic
overhead remarked: