Jasper County Democrat, Volume 15, Number 71, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 December 1912 — My Lady of the North [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

My Lady of the North

» TOT LOVE STORY OF A GRAY JACKET

by RANDALL PARISH

<xf \ / "'WHEN WILDERNESS MASKING* J/ ’lßusfrafions

SYNOPSIS. *_ G FA, I *T E S I -“ The story opens in a xent or the Confederate army at a critical stage of the Civil War. Gen. Lee imparts to Captain Wayne a secret message to Longstreet, upon the delivery of which depend great Issues. Accompanied by Sergeant Craig, an old army scout, Wayne starts out on his dangerous mission.

CHAPTER ll.—The two messengers make a wild ride, dodging squads of soldlers, almost lose their bearings and finally are within the lines of the enemy, having penetrated the cordon of pickets unmolested.

CHAPTER lll.—Encountering a small soldiers in the darkness, Wayne is taken for a federal officer who came to keep an appointment, is accepted as pls representative, and a young lady on horseback is given in his charge.

—The female companion ®i , e J wo southern scouts is a northern girl, who, when she becomes aware of their army affiliations, slashes Wayne with but falls 6 w h J P and attempts to escape

CHAPTER V.—One of the horses giving out, Wayne orders Craig to get through with the dispatches to Long- . He and My Lady of the’ North ■ate left alone near a rocky gorge.

CHAPTER Vl.—The Confederate officer the Union girl thread the mazes of the woods. He discovers a lonely hut, and entering it in the dark a huge mastiff attacks him. The girl shoots the brute Just in time.

CHAPTER Vll.—The owner of the hut, one Jed Bungay, appears and he and his Wife give the captain a welcome. Suddenly a party of horsemen are observed coming down the road.

CHAPTER VTll.—They are led by a man claiming to be Red Lowrie, who orders Mrs. Bungay to give them food, •nd her husband to act as a guide. The ■woman discovers the man to be a disguised impostor, attacks the intruder and there is a general melee.

CHAPTER IX.—The disguised leader proves to be Major Brennan, a Federal officer whom the Union girl recognizes. He orders the arrest of Wayne as a spy. The girl protests and says she will appeal to General Sheridan. - '

CHAPTER X.—Waine held prisoner in • copse, sees files of Confederates pass J. *. ro ?d at a distance ■ and knows that Craig has delivered the message.

CHAPTER XL—The captive is brought General Sheridan who refuses to set him free unless he reveals the secret message.

♦n C ,F^ PT * KR^^3 I —Capta,n Wa yne is led J° S 5?X rs X and that the woman he admires is Edi uh Brennan, wife of the Federal officer, who hates him. He Is given the choice of revealing the Lee message or of being shot as a spy.

CHAPTER Xlll.—Wayne Is rescued from his prison by Jed Bungay. One of them must get a quick report through the lines to General Lee and Jed starts on the mission.

CHAPTER XlV.—Finding the garb of an absent officer of the Union artillery, Wayne penetrates ,to the ballroom, where a social army function is fn progress, and pretends to be Col. Curran of Ohio.

CHAPTER XV.—The disguised scout is introduced to a Miss Miner. She knows the Curran family and Wayne barely escapes being unmasked. Edith Brennan appears on the scene.

CHAPTER XVl.—Mrs. Brennan recognizes Wayne. She having been led to believe that he had been sent away, learns of the treachery of Maj. Brennan and cays she will save him.

CHAPTER XVII.—Mrs. Brennan secures a pass through the inner lines and goes part way with Wayne when tjiey are suddenly confronted by Brennan.

CHAPTER XVlll.—Brennan attempts to shoot Wayne, but the latter throws his enemy to the ground senseless.

CHAPTER XlX.—Bidding My Lady of the North adieu, Wayne starts alone on * wild dash for liberty. Encountering a •nan in a lieutenant’s uniform, he com*els him to accompany him. CHAPTER XX.—His companion turns out to be Jed Bungay in disguise. They clear the Union lines and face towards the Confederate camp.

CHAPTER XXL Reinforcements for Early. “Come, Wayne, wake up, man!” Captain, I say, you must turn out of this.” ’ I opened my eyes with a struggle and looked up. The golden glow of sunlight along the white wall told me the day must be already well advanced, and I saw the lieutenant of my troop, Colgate, bending over me, attired in service uniform. "What is it, Jack?" “We have been ordered north on forced march to join Early, and the command has already started. I have delayed calling you until the final moment, out knew you would never forgive being left behind.” Before he had finished I was upon the floor, dressing with that rapidity acquired by years of practice, my mind thoroughly aroused to the thought of active service once more. "Was It the news I brought in yesterday, Colgate, which Las stirred thia up?” I questioned, hastily dipping into a basin of water. “I Imagine It must have been, sir," replied the Lieutehant, leaning back comfortably upon a cracker-box, which formed eur solitary chair. “Things have been on the move ever since, and it certainly resembles an advance of some Importance. Staff officers at it all night long, McDaniel’s division off at daylight, while we go out ahead of Slayton's troops. Reede was in beastly good humor when he brought the orders; that usually means a fight” “Any artillery?” “Sloan's and Rocke’s batteries are with us; did not learn who went out with McDaniel’s. Longstreet has crossed the White Briar.” “Yes, I know,” J said, drawing on the last of my equipments, and quickly glancing about to assure myself 1

had overlooked nothing likely to be of value. “All ready, Jack, and now for another ‘dance of death.’ ’’

Our regiment was drawn up in the square of the little town,’ and as we came forth into the glorious sunlight, the stentorian voice of the Colonel called them into column of fours. Staff officers, gray with dust from their allnight service, were riding madly along the curb, while at the rear of our men, just debouching from one of the side streets appeared the solid front of a division of infantry. We had barely time to swing into the saddles of the two horses awaiting us, and ride swiftly to the head of our command, when the short, stern orders rolled along the motionless line of troopers, and the long, silent column swung out to the northward, the feet of the horses raising a thick cloud of red dust which fairly enveloped us in its choking folds.

With the ardor of young manhood I looked forward to the coming battle, when I knew the mighty armies of North and South would once again contest for the fertile Shenandoah. It was to be American pitted against American, a struggle ever worthy of the gods. Slowly I rode back down the files of my men, marking their alignment and accoutrements with practised eye, smiling grimly as I noted their eager faces, war-worn and bronzed by exposure, yet reanimated by hope of active service. As I watched them thus, I thought again of those many other faces who once rode as these men did now, but who had died for duty even as these also might yet be called upon to die. One hundred and three strong, gay in bright new uniforms, with unstained banner kissing the breeze above our proud young heads, we rode hopefully forth from Charlottesville scarce three years before, untried, • undisciplined, unknown, to place our lives willingly upon the scared altar of our native State. What speechless years of horror those had been; what history we had written with our naked steel; what scenes of suffering and death lay along that bloody path we travelled! To-day, down the same red road, our eyes still set grimly to the northward, our flag a torn and ragged remnant, barely forty meq wore the “D” between the crossed sabres on their slouched brown hats, in spite of dll recruiting. The cheer in my heart was for the living; the’ tear in my eye was for the dead.

“Colgate,” I said gravely, as I ranged up beside him at the rear of the troop, “the men look exceedingly well, and do not appear to have suffered greatly because of short rations.”

“Oh, the lads are always In fine fettle when they expect a fight,” he answered, his own eyes dancing as he swept them over that straight litfe of backs in his front. “They’ll scrap the better for being a bit hungry,—it makes them savage. Beats all, Captain, what foolish notions some of those people on the other side have of us Southerners. They seem to think we are entirely different from themselves; yet I reckon it would puzzle any recruiting officer up yonder to show a finer lot of fighting men than those fellows ahead there.” I rode slowly forward to my own position at the head of the troop. As I swung my horse into our accustomed position I was too deeply burled in reflection to be clearly conscious of much that was occurring about me. Suddenly, however, I became aware that some one, nearly obscured by the enveloping cloud of dust, was riding without the column, in an independence of military discipline not to. be permitted. In the state of mind I was then in this discovery strangely irritated me.

“Sergeant,” I questioned sharply, of the raw-boned trooper at the end of the first platoon, “what fellow is that riding out yonder?” “It’s ther pesky little cuss as come in with ye yesterday, sir,” he returned with a (grin. “He’s confiscated a muel somewhar an’ says he f s a goin’ back hum ’long o’ we uns.” Curious to learn how Jed had emerged from his arduous adventures, I spurred my horse alongside of him. The little man, bending forward dubiously, as if fearful of accident, was riding bareback on a gaunt, longlegged mule, which, judging from all outward appearances, must have been some discarded asset of the quartermaster’s department.

"Going home, Jed?” I asked, as he glanced up and saw ine.

"Jlst as durn quick as I kin git thar,” he returned emphatically. “By gum, Cap, I ain’t bin ’way from Mariar long as this afore in twelve year. Reckon she thinks I’ve skedaddled fer good this time, aa’ ’ll! be a takln’ up with some other malo critter lest I git back thar mighty sudden. Women’s odd, Cap, durn nigh as ornary ’bout some things as a muel.” He eyed his mount critically. “Durned if ever > thought I’d git astraddle o’ any four-legged critter

agin,” Tie said, rubbing himself as ft Iq. sudden and painfal recollection of the past "But I sorb r picked up this yere muel down et ther corral, an’ he’s tew durn wore out a totin’ things fer you uns ter ever move often a walk. I sorter reckon it’s a heap easier a slttln’ yere than ter take it afut all ther way ter ther Mountings.” It was long after dark the second day when, thoroughly wearied, we turned into an old tobacco field and made camp for the night. To right and left of our position glowed the cheery fires, telling where Early’s command bivouacked in line of battle. From the low range of hills in front of where we rested one could look across an intervening valley, and see far off to the northward the dim flames which market the position of the enemy. Down ill the mysterious darkness between, divided only by a swift and narrow stream, were the blue and gray pickets. The opposing forces were sleeping on their arms, making ready for the death grip on the morrow.

As I lay there thinking, .wondering what might be my fate before another nightfall, seeing constantly in my halfdreams the fair face of a woman, which made me more of a coward than I had ever felt myself before, I was partially aroused by the droning tones of a vqjce close at hand. Lifting myself on one elbow I glanced curiously around to see where it originated, what was occurring. Clustered about a roaring fire of rails were a dozen troopers, and in the midst of them, occupying the post of honor upon an empty powder keg, was Bungay, enthusiastically reciting Scott. I caught a ling or two: “ ‘At once there rose so wild a yell Within that dark and narrow dell, As all the fiends from heaven tha* fell Had pealed the battle-cry of hell.’ ” and then the drowsy god pressed down my heavy eyelids, and I fell asleep. (To be continued)