Newspapers / The Enterprise (Williamston, N.C.) / Jan. 25, 1912, edition 1 / Page 7
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My Lady of theNordt tm lOVE STORY OF A GRAY JACKET AVV Tjy^kMzuixAßjtxsff uumosoF v / k CEM WILDBRNESS WASHING" factions - 7^r The story opens In a Confederate tent *1 a critical stage of (lie Civil War. Gen- Ii»? Imparls to Capt Wayne an Important niMwii- to Accompanied by Bei'St. Craig, an old army scout. Wayne atarta on Ills mission. The two. after a wild ride, get within the tines of the •nemy, In the darkness. Wayne Is taken for a Ftdeial officer who came to keep an appointment, and a voung lady on horse back In given in his charge. She la a northern irirl and attempts to escape but falls. One of the horses aucrumba and Cm la kom through with the dlspatchea. while Wayne and My of the North are left alone. They seek shelter in a nut ami nntering It la the dark a huge nastirr attacks Wayna. The girl ahoota the brute Just In time. The owner of the hut. one Jed Bungay, and his wife appear and anon a narty of horsemen approach. They are led by a man claiming to be Red l.nwrle, but Mrs Bungay discovers him to be a disguised impostor, who proves to be MaJ. Brennan, a Federal officer whom the Union girl recognises. He orders the arreat of Wayne as a spy. While a prisoner Wayne Bees tiles of Con federate pass and knows that Craig has delivered the message. He la brought be fore Sheridan, who refuses to set him fr»e unleaa he reveals the secret mes sage. Wayne believes Kdltli Brennan to be the wife of MaJ. Brennan, Ha is given the choice of revealing the T.ee message or of being shot aa a spy. He Is reacued by Jed Bungay. CHAPTER Xlll.—Continued. Th.nt he meant every word he spoke 1 felt convinced, and hla enthusiasm was contagious. My bloo" leaped within me at this call to action; all lethargy fled, and with It every dead ening thought of her who had so sud denly woven about me the meshes of her power. False or true, r..aid, wife, or widow, my duty as a soldier to my comrannder and the army to which I belonged, blotted' out all else. Even as this new rush of determination ■wept over me, above us there Bounded clearly the dashing music of a military band in the etralns of a Btrauss's waltz, and wfe could dis tinguish the muffled shuffling of many feet on the oaken floo. overhead. Caton's chance remark about the great ball to be given that evening by offi cers of the headquarters staff recur red to my memory. "That dancing up there will help us, Jed," r said quickly, my mind now actlvo to grasp every detail. "You say there is a chance for escape from your cell? Then give. me your hand, and help me to crawl through that hole." It was a narrow squeeze for a man oi my size, yet I crept through-with out great difficulty, to. found myself ir. tbo dense darkneto of a room which, at 1 Judged hastily from feel ing about me. was similar In shape and extent to the one !». which I had been confined. Bungay, however, per mitted me little time for exploration. Orasping me firmly by the arm, and feeling his way along the wall, he groped across to the other side. "There's a mighty big stone chimbly comes down yen. Cap," ho whispered. "An' ther openln' ter take out soot an' ashes is up thar, Jist b'low ther fluer. It's a sheet-iron pan, I reckon, ther way It feels; an' it must be thar they put a nigger in t...- clean ther chimbly whin it gits stuffed up. I could git up thar alone, but I couldn't _o no work, but thet thar pan ought ter cum out all right. Dew ye think ye cud hoi' me up, Cap? I'm purty durn h«javy." I smiled in the darkness at the lit tle fellow's egotism, and lifting him as I might a child, poised him lightly upon my shoulder. He struggled a moment to steady himself against the wall, and then I could feel him tug ging eagerly at something which ap peared to yield slowly to his efforts As be worked, a dense shower of dust and soot caused me to close my eyes. "She's a comln' all right," he said, cheerfully, puffing with his exertions, "but I reckon as how this chimbly ain't bin cleaned out clnce ther war begun. Hold up yer right han', Cap, an' git a blame good grip on her, fer she's almighty full, an'll wanter go down sorter easy like." 1 did as he suggested, bracing my self to meet his movements, as he stood straining on my shoulders, and la another moment I had succeeded In lowering the large sheet-Iron pan ■lleatly to the floor. "Rnora 'nough yere fer two men ter oncet," chuckled my companion, in rare delight " 'Tho chief In silence ■trodo before.' Yere goes." His weight left my sbouldent; there was a slight scramble, another shower of dirt, then the sound of his voice once more. "Lift up yer ban's, Cap; dig in yer toes on ther stones, an' we'll begin our vi'ge." jgM"& He grasped my wriata with a strength which I had no conception the little fellow poaaeaaed. There was a moment's breathless struggle, and I squirmed through thr opening, and lay pantirg on the flat slabs which composed the foot of the great funneL To afford me more room Bungay had gone ap foot-lodgment open the uneven alonea of which the chlmee> waa conatructed. For a mo ment we rested thus motlonleas, both breathing heavily and listening to the mttsjc and shuffling of feet now almost cron a level with our heads. v Tbe nolle, which waa strong and continuous, rendered discovery from any misstep highly Improbable, and aa -&7ZBH>jirJZ4jyaxceff. BYNOPSI3. delay was dangerous neither of us was disposed to linger long. "Be ye all ready, Cap?" questioned □ungay, bending his head down. "Fer if ye be, I'm a goin' up." "All right," I answered, struggling to my knees in the narrow space; "only take it slow, Jed. I'm a trifle bigger man than you, and this la rather close quarters." "Wal, yes, maybe a matter of a poun' cr two." he retorted, and the next moment I could hear him scraping Ms way upward, feeling for foothold upon the Irregular layers of stone. I followed, pressing my knees firmly against the rough wall, and trusting more to my hands than feet for se curity against falling. There was evidently a fireplace of some kind on the firßt floor, with a considerable opening leading from it into the chim ney we wore scaling, for as Jed slow ly passed, I could perceive a sudden gleam of light streaming across his faco from the glare of the lamps with in. He glanced anxiously that way. but did not pause In bis ateady climb upward. A moment later I came opposite that same beam of radiance, and cautiously peered down the sloped opening that led to the disused fire place. All I could perceive was a pair of legs, evidently those of a cav alry officer, judging from the Lroad yellow stripe down the seam oT the light-blue trousers, and the high boots ornamented with rowel spurß. He stood leaning carelessly against the mantel, talking with some one Just beyond the range.of my vision. At that moment the music ceased suddenly, and afraid to proceed until It should strike u > again, I braced r-yself securely on a projecting stone and bent my head over the orifice un til I could catch a portion of the con versation being carried on by my un conscious neighbors. "No," said the cavalryman, gruffly, and apparently in rjply to some previ ous question, "the fellow was most devilish obstinate; wouldn't tell the first thing; even a threat of treat ing him as a spy and hanging him outright proved of. no avail. But Sheridan's theory is tha'. Leo has or dered l.ongstreet to hit our rear, while he makes a direct attack In front. That's why the 'old man' pro poses to get in his work first, and we march at daylight to form con nection with Hancock.' By Jove, Chosley, but that woman in black over there with Follans' ->e is tho handsom est picture I've seen south of the line. Mark how her eyes sparkle, and how prettily the light gleams In her hair. Who Is she. do you chance to know?" "Yes," lisped the other, languidly, "met her at breakfast, headquarters, this morning. Deuced pretty and alj that, mighty good style, too, but taken, old man. She's Drennan's." "What! not Major Ilrennan?" In sur prise. "Why, he's always posed as a bachelor among our fellows." "Don't know anything v out that, dear boy," indifferently, "but the lady came in with him yesterday, was In troduced to the crowd of us as Mrs. Brennan, and be called her Edith. Deuced nice name, Edith. As Bren nan has shown such poor taste as to be absent to-night, I am Inclined to give a little of my time to his lady. Far and away the prettiest thing here. Well, so long, Somers; see you In the morning. I'm going to give the fair Edith a whirl." The cavalry legs shifted the'.- posi tion; tho band resumed Its functions, and In the renewed activity and noise I began again the toilsome climb, my mind now a bewildered between my plain duty to Leo and my nearly uncontrollable desire to meet once Lore the woman who was dancing in the room below. | little mountaineer, as active as | a cat, and not especially hampered by ' lack of room In which to work, was well above me by this time. The I chimney, ae.tlng as a tube, brought down to me\from time to time the slight noise oK-Wa-'inimbing, varied by an occasional exclamation or com ment, but I could perceive no. other evidence of his presence. Above, all was as black as the grave. "Holy smoke!" he ejaculated, prob ably unaware that be was giving utter ance to his thoughts. "That was a sharp rock! Durn if tbar's a Inch o' skin left on my knee. Ough! stop thet! who's got hold o' my fut?" "Hush your racket, you little fool," I said angrily. "Do you want the whole Yankee army to trap us here like rats? I cannot get up this chini ng any further; it Is growing too small to permit my body to pass." "Is thet so, Cap?" be asked anxious ly. "Wbut be ye goln' ter dew 'bout itr I made no answer for a moment; I was groping about in the darkness of our narrow quarters to see 1' I could determine exactly where we were. "How high is this house, Jed, do you "Three stories an' attic." "How far up are we?" " 'Bout halfway 'long ther third story, 1 reckon; must be jist blow wtaar ye ar® thet I stuck my fut down an openln'. Reckon't was 'noth •r fireplace, like thet one on ther first riure." 1 lowered myself silently, and felt along the stones until 1 located the opening, and roughly measured its dimensions. »'■ "I shall have to risk crawling out hsre, Jed." I said finally, "for I shall surely stick fast If 1 go up another ten feet Do you suppose you can squeeze through to the top?" "I reckon I kin," he returned calm ly. "But hadn't we hotter stick ter gcther, Cap?" "No," I answered firmly. "You go on, and one of us must net through to Lee. Don't mind mc at all; get down from the roof as best you can. If I am caught It will be all tho more ,important that you should succeed." *"T is done —'I thank thee, Roderick, for the word; it nerves my heart, it steels my sword.'" Even as be spoke I could heaf hUp creeping steadily upward. It rame evident taat bis progress was growing slower, more difficult. Then all sounds above mc ceased, and I knew he must have attained the root In safety. CHAPTER XIV. I Became a Colonel of Artillery. My own situation at this moment was too critical, too full of peril and uncertainty, to afford opportunity for moralizing over Bungay's chances of escape. Only one possibility lay be fore me—there remained no choice, no / I Saw No Other Signs of Human Occupancy. necessity for planning. It was pure luck which pries open most doors of life, and It was upon luck alone I must rely now. I have often won dered sine* how I ever succeeded in squeezing my body through that nar row opening into the empty fireplace without at least knocking over some thing during the difficult passage. But I did manage, 'working my way down slowly, creeping Inch by inch like a snake, carefully testing each object I touched in the darkness for fear of Its proving loose, until I finally lay stretched at full length upon what was evidently, from Its feeling, a carpet of unusually fine texture. The room proved to be an Inner one and unlighted, a bedchamber, as I soon determined, for my outstretched hands encountered the posts of a bed. Then a slight gust of air partially swept aside a hanging curtain, which rustled like silk, and 1 caught a brief glimpse of the adjacent parlor. It was likewise unillumined, but the door leading Into the front hall stood ajar, and through that opening there poured a stream of radiance, together with the Incessant hum of many voices in animated conversation, the deep blare of the band, with the ceaseless movement of dancing feet. Satisfying myself by sense of touch that the bed was unoccupied, for I was far too experienced a soldier to leave an enemy In my rear, I crept cautiously forward to the intercepting curtain, and drawing It aside took careful survey of the outer apartment. It was a large and handsomely fur nished room, a polished mahogany writing-table littered with papers oc cupying a prominent position against the farther wall. A swivel chair stood beside it, and across its back hung what appeared to be a suit of clothing. 1 saw no other signs of hu man occupancy. Convinced that the apartment was deserted, and discovering no different means of egress, I crossed the room on tiptoe, and peered cautiously out Into the hall. It was not a pleasing pros pect to one in my predicament. The loafer portion. Judging from tbe In cessant hum of voices, was filled with people, who were either unable to find place within the crowded ball room. or else preferred greater retire ment for conversation. Even the wide stairway bad been partially pre empted, a young lieutenant, as I judged from his shouider-straps, sit ting Jtpt beneath the* landing, whis pered eagerly Into the attentive ear of a pronounced blonde who shared the broad carpeted step with him. 1 drew back noiselessly, to figure out the situation and- determine what was best tor me to attempt. It would be sheer madness to venture upon a passage to the front door, clad as I was in travel-worn gray uniform; to rush through that jam WSB Impossible. If I were to wait until the dance was concluded the later hours of the nlgbt might indeed yield me somewhat clearer passage, yet it was hardly probablo that the house, used as I knew It to be for a military prison, would bo left unguarded. Besides, such delay must absolutely prevent my getting beyond the Foderal picket lines before daybreak, and would hence ;ender valueless the news I sought to bear to Lee. 1 moved to the only window and glanced out; it opened upon the back of the house and presented a sheer drop to the ground. At the slight nolso of the moving sash a sentry standing at the corner glanced up stisplciously. Evidently each side of the great building was abundantly pro tected by patrols. Something bad to bo attempted, and at once. The room 1 was in bore un questionable evidence of recent occu pancy, and at any moment might be .re-entered. My searching eyes fell upon the articles of clothing carelessly folded over the chair-back. I picked up the garments one by one and took them out; they composed the new uni form of a colonel of artillery, and % ere resplendent with bright red farm ings and a profusion of gold braid. With all my soul I loathed the thought of disguise, and especially tbe hated uniform of the enemy. It was re pugnant to ovary Instil. „t of my being, and would certainly mean added degradation and danger in the evont of capture. Yet I saw no other way. Sheridan, Brennan, Caton, the three who would certainly recognize mu on sight, I was pssured were absent, although they might return at any moment. The greater reason for haute, the less ex cuse for delay. IJut if I should chance to run foul of the rightful owner of the garments amid that crush below, and he should recognize them, what t hen ? I stood close beside the writ ing table as I revolved these consid erations rapidly In mind, and my eye chanced to fall upon an open paper. It was an official order, bearing date a. 5 p. m. that same day, command ing Colonel Culbertson to move his battery at once down the Kcndallvlllo pike, and report to Brigadier-General Knowls for assignment to his brigade, r.vidently tbe new dress uniform had been carefully brushed and laid out to be worn at the ball that evening; the sudden receipt of this order had caused the owner to depart hastily in his service dress, vigorously express ng his, feelings, no doubt, while his servant, now enjoying liberty below stairs, had neglected to pack up his master's things. This knowledge was the straw which decided me; I would chance it. Hastily I drew on the rich blue and red over my old gray, adding the dress sword I had discovered in a closet, and then, wondering curiously what sort Of fisure I might cut in all these fine habiliments, sought a glance at myself within a mirror hanging upon the bedroom wall. Faith! but it was God's Biercy that I did! Buch a face as grinned at me from tLat glass, peering over the high-cut, decorated collar, would surely have created a genuine sensation In those rooms below. Serious as my situation was, I laughed at the thought of It ntii tears ran down my cheeks, leav ng white streaks the full length of hem; for no chimney-sweep in the ill tide of his glprions career was -ver worse sooted and begrimed. I thought of the 'elegantly dressed lieutenant and the blonde young lady upon toe stairs—surely they would havs supposed the very devil himsstT was coming down. It took me nearly a euarter of an hour to get myself tolerably clean, and I could not* have done that bad 1 not used so|ne grease that was Upon tbe stand. At the end, however, I stepped back from tbe glass confident that with good luck I should run the gantlet safely. Just as I prepared to step forth a new thought occurred to me—who was I? If questioned, as was highly prob able, how could I account for my pres ence? Who should I pretend to be? I turned over the mass of papers lying before me on the table. They were mostly accounts and detailed orders about which 1 cared nothing, but finally my search was rewarded by the discovery of a recent army list. I ran my eyes hastily down the artil lery assignments—Barry. Sommers, Pltzmorrls, Sloab, Rellly. Ah, there at last was exactly what I wanted — "Patrick L. Curran, Colonel Sixth Ohio Light Artillery. Mcßobert's Di vision, Thomas's Corps, aligned spe cial service, staff Major-General Hal leek, Washington, D. C." "Curran. Sixth Ohio" —good; and the other? I glanced again at the open order. "Culbertson, Fourteenth Penn sylvania." I would remember those names, and with a jaunty confidence in my success, born of thorough preparation, I stepped to the open door and strode forth Into the bril liantly lighted hall. Barring the single accident of encountering a possible acquaintance in the throng below, I felt fully capable of deceiving his Satanic Majesty himself. CHAPTER XV. At the Staff Officers' Ball. The young officer glanced up Lastlly at sound of approaching footsteps, and rose to bis feet to permit of my pas sage. Hj wore the full dress uni form of an artilleryman, and his evi dent surprise at my presence made me realize tho necessity of addressing liim. "Lieutenant," I naked courteously, resting one hand easily upon the balustrade, "could you inform me if General Sheridan and those members of tho staff who accompanied him down the lines this afternoon have yet returned?" "They have not, sir." "Ah, I was in hopes they might have arrived by this time." I bowed to them both, and passed slowly down the wide stairway, sev eral couples rising as I drew near to permit of my passage. The lower hall was very comfortably filled with figures moving hero and there In con verse, or occupying seats pressed close against tho walls. The greater portion were attired In uniforms of tho various branches of service, yet I observed not a few civilian suits, and a considerable number of women, some wearing the neat dress of the army nurse, others much more elabo rately at Jred—daughters of the neigh borhood, probably, with n sprinkling of wives and sisters of the soldiery. Quards, leaning -upon their muskets, stood In Btatuesque poses on either side of the tnaln entiance, while the wide archway, draped with flags, open ing into the ballroom, revealed an inspiring glimpse of swiftly revolving figures in gay uniforms uud flashing fiklrts. Over all floated the low, swinging music of fhe band. A fat, good-natured-looking man of forty, an Infantry major, but wearing staff decorations, and evidently of ficiating in the capacity of floor-man ager, after whispering a word In the ear of another of the sar 3 kind beside the ballroom door, hastily pushed his way through the laughing throng di rectly toward me. "Good-evening, Colonel," ho said, bowing deeply. "Your face Is not familiar to me, but you will permit me to Introduce myself—Major Monsoon, of General Sheridan's staff." I accepted the fat, shapeless hand he extended, and pressed it warmly. "I was Just meditating a retreat, Major, when you appeared," I replied frankly. "For I fear my face Is equal, ly unknown to all others present. In deed, I feel like a cat in a strange garret, and hesitated to appear at all. My only excuse for doing so was a promise made Colonel Culbertson previous to his being ordered out on duty. !• am Colonel Curran, of the .Sixth Ohio, but at present serving on the staff of General Halleck at Wash ington." The Major's round, red face glowed with welcome. "Extremely pleased to meet yot>; in deed," he exclaimed eagorly, "and you may be sure of a cordial greet ing. Will you kindly step this way?" As we slowly elbowed our way for ward, all desire to escape from the ordeal fled, and I assumed the risks of the masquerade with the reckleiis audacity of my years. Before we reached the ballroom my conducted, his fat countenance fairly beamiCJl with cordiality, bad stopped at lean* twenty times to present rae to various military titles, and I had accepted li* numerable invitations without In th» least knowing who gave them, dfr where-they were to be fulfilled. Final ly, however, we broke through the massed ring, and succeeded in reach ing the tall individual in spectacle* to whom the Major had spoken previ ous to seeking me, and I learned through the introduction which fol lowed that I was In the presence of Brigadier-General Carlton, chlet M staff. , . (TO BE CONTINUED.) Horrible! What's tbe diOeresee between aa Irishman frozen to death and a High lander on a mountain peak 7 One )e kilt wltb the cold, tbe other cold vltb the kilt.—Exchange. FATAL 111 l WRECK A REAR-END COLLISION ON THE SOUTHERN RAILWAY NEAR CATAWBA RIVER. TWO ARE SERIOUSLY HURT Caboose and One Car Brok« LOOM From Train and Runs Wild For A Mile and a Half.—One Injured* Man Will Die. Delmont.—Two men were seriously Injured, a third was slightly cat about the head, a number of cars were bad ly damaged and traffic on the South ern Railway was tied up for a few hours when a runaway cabooße and passenger coach ran into the other part of local freight train No. 64 on the west side of the Catawba river. The injured men were in the caboose and wero not aware that the cars had broken loose until the crash came. The most seriously injured was Mr. L. D. Caldwell, superintendent of the llftht and water department of Kings Mountain, who, it is feared, will die. Ho and Flagman J. R. Hardin, who was also seriously hurt, were taken to a hospital at Charlotte. It is not thought possible that Hardin's inju ries will prove fatal. Hardln'B home Is in Charlotte. The third Injured man is unknown here. He came back to the station and had his injuries dressed and later returned to the scene of the wreck. His name was not learned. The train had been o nthe sid ing here while the engine was en gaged (n shifting several carß into po sition. When this work had been completed, the train was backed into the main line and then started to wards Charlotte. , ,' A Very Interesting Suit. Lumberton. —Suit was instituted in the superior court which is greatly interesting. Tho peoplo of Lumber ton, after tho list takers for Lumber ton had valued the town property for taxation and after tlie equalization board of the county had adjusted with out making any change in values the county commissioners undertook to raise the valuation of real estate in Lumberton to the amount of ten per cent .and taxes had been charged against town real estate upon such increased valuation. The suit brought Is to restrain .the sheriff' from collect ing taxes upon the increased valua tion. la Charged With Embezzlement. Lumberton. —J. A. I'oythress, a trav eling picture show man of Durham, well known through this section for several years, was arrested here by Chief Redfern on a warrant from Dunn by Deputy Turmage, |he charge be ing embezzlement. The trouble seems to have been about moving picture films that wore shipped to Poythress by Harry K. Lucas of Charlotte. Lucas came from Dunn with Officer Tur mage. He was acquitted of the charge. Want To Retain Dismal Canal. Elizabeth City,—Dr. L. S. niadeß, a member of tho Eliabeth City dele tion from the chamber of commerce which appeared before the House committee on rivers and harbors, re turned from Washington, enthusiastic over the effort made before the Con gressmen for the retention of the Dis mal Swamp Canal as a part of the proposed intracoastal waterway. Mecklenburg Roads Are Bad Charlotte. —Tho roads of Mecklen burg county are worse than they hare been In 15 years. This Is the verdict of inhabitants who have traveled them for this length of time and longer. It is a fact admitted by the authorities that the conditions of the roads, Im proved and unimproved, throughout every community In Mecklenburg, is seriously bad. The macadam roads have been injured by the hauling and travel coming in from the unimprov ed districts in some places these im proved pikes being badly damaged for a mile either way from the inter section. Fire Destroying Tons of Coal Rocky Mount.—A fire, which has slowly, but surely, been destroying over four hundred tons of coal has been burning in the Atlantic Coast Line yards at South Rocky Mount for the past several days. It is no known what cause the blaze. The men at the railroad shops have been working in vain to extinguish the blaze, it being impossible to cope with the situation but they are managing to save some of the pile from around the edges, the seat of the fire being directly in the center of the huge pile. '■ " * Revenue Officers Are At Work. Sparta.—Revenue officers gave the people in Basin Creek section, JUBt over the Alleghany lino on tho south side of the Blue Ridge, a great scare. The officers caught one young man who had been connected with the blockading gang, and iiv, return for im munity promised, he "let the cat out of the bag." giving the names of near ly oyery clflzeh in the TJastn Creek section as having been eQgageV In on© way or abother with tho manu facture of the famous Wildes moon shine.
The Enterprise (Williamston, N.C.)
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Jan. 25, 1912, edition 1
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