Harrison press-journal. (Harrison, Nebraska) 1899-1905, July 09, 1903, Image 6

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    V
Meadow Brook
BY
MARY J.
ri r
' CHAPTER XIII. (Coutinued.l
Tbt night I made up my mind to be
fen "old miid." Nobody would ever want
A), I knew, I wm to homely; and with
calni rei-i!at!oc I thought how much
koed 1 would do in the world, and how I
would honor the slstwhood. Very slow
ly the morning light came struggling in
through tha windows, routing the woary
passengers, who, rubbing tfeeir rod rim
fcied eye, looked around to we who their
jcimipanloui ware. So carefully had I
k't my face bidden from view that Ada
hakl no suspicion whatever of my pres
ence. At Canaudalgua, stepping out up
on the platform in front of the depot, 1
looked aiixloualy around for Herbert, but
be wa not there. I found my way to
the public parlor, which for a few mo
menta I occupied alone. I had just re
moved my duaty bonnet, and was brush
ing my tangled hair, when the door open
ad and I stood face to face with Ada
Montrose. 1 aimply nodded, aa 1 would
to any stranger, and went on with iny
toilet, while throwing herself upon the
oft, ah exclaimed, "Dear me, how tired
1 im Do you live here?"
"Of course not," I answered; I am
on my way to visit my sister Anna,
whom you perhaps remember."
She turned very red, and replied by
asking if I were in the train which bad
Just paaaed.
"l"es," I anawered, "I occupied the
aeat behind you and your husband is
it not?"
, Affecting to be a little embarrassed,
the aid, "Not my husband yet. He
cam on to Boston to accompany me
home, and wlehing to see a friend of
his wbo Urea here, we have stopped
over one train."
I was on the point of asking her about
my aunt, whan the door again opened
and there stood before us a slovenly look
ing; man, attired in a slouched hat, gray
coat, and hog cowhide boot. Ho com
plete was tha metamorphosis that neither
of as recognized him, until he bad ex
claimed: "Ada! How came you here?"
Than we knew it waa Herbert LangUy.
He waa rather disconcerted at being
aeen by Ada in such a plight, and after
little ha stammered out an apology,
saying he waa a fanner now, and lived
ta tha country, and of course could not
he exported to dreae aa he need ia the
eity.
"Hew in your wife. Mr. Langiey?"
naked Ada in a mocking, deferential tone.
iaetantly the whole expreealoo of Her
heft's face waa changed, and there waa
look of tenderness and pride in hie eyee
'aa he advanced toward Ada, and whisperer-in
ber ear something which I did
Bat understand. Whatever it waa, it
made bar blush, aa aha replied, rather
aoaarlngly, "Of course I eoogratala:
fan."
It waa a cold, raw, autumnal day. The
roads were horrible; and aa we plowed
through the thick mud I took my first
: lesson in genuine homesickness, which,
. In my opinion, ia about aa hard to bear
as love-sickness. It waa in rain that
Herbert pointed out to ma tha many
handsome farm houses which we paaaed,
expatiating upon the richness and fertil
ity of the soil, and telling ma how great
ly superior In everything New Tork was
to New England. I scarcely heard him,
far even though in all If aaaachueetts
there was naught aave the rocky hills
and sterile plains, it waa my home, and
from that spot the heart cannot easily
be weaned.
Rockland ia a large, wealthy town,
bile scattered through it are two or
Ore little villagea, each bearing a dis
tinct name, by which they are known
abroad, first, there was Laurel Hill,
famed as the residence of certain fami
lies who were atyled proud and artato
aratte. Next came tha "Center," with
Its group of red hovasea, and ita single
spire, tall, straight and square. Lastly
M riattvtlle, by far tha largest Til
ings) in Rockland, and tha home of all
tha "lama" in tha known world. To tha
Mtk of FlattvUle la a email lake, re
nowned for it quiet beauty, and tha pie
lareaqae Wtldnese of its shores. Bound
id on three aide by high hilla. Its watsrs
sleep calmly in tha sunlight of summer,
ar daah angrily npon tha aandy beach,
wheat moved by the chill breath of win-
On the brow of one of the high hills
stood the borne of my slater. It was a
hags, wooden building containing rooms
enumerable, while even the basement
Wm large enough to accommodate one or
ore f ami! lee. Being the Drat frame
house erected In the town, It was of
course looked upon with conelderable In
terest, and as if to make it still mora no
torious, it bore the reputation of being
haunted.
"Come this way, Rosa," said Herbert,
aa I entered the narrow "entry" so com
mon in old-fashioned houses; and follow
big him, I waa aoon nsbered into a large
square room, where a bright wood lire
WM biasing. In one corner of the room
WM bed, and on it lay Anna, who, the
moment aha saw me, uttered a cry of joy.
"Have yew told her?" she aakod of
Herbert, whan the first plaaaure of our
Mating waa over.
He replied in the negative, whereupon
aha brought np from under a pile of pil
low, coverlids, blanket and sheets lit
tle, tiny, red-faced, wrinkled thing to
which she Mid I waa aunt! I knew then
why Ad congratulated Herbert, an I
mentally chiding myself for my stupidity,
Ltsok the bundle of cambric and flannel
my anna, while Anna said, "We csl!
him Jamie Lee, and w think be look
like yon."
- Wearied wltb my ride, I asked wr
Bjaawion to retire early; whereupon Dame
afataon, the nnrae, volunteered to show
get the way to my room. Up the nsr
rew stairs, which creaked at every step,
tad en through one gloomy room -after
Msftber. abe led roe until, at lot, we
easae to t chamber, lighter aad more
try, which, at tat, my sister bad pa
avtvd. pelMtaji aa4 aWted ay far aa.
' II tfc but a few day far ana te-dl-Tiwtht
Herbert wm exceedingly pop.
car ft Breear Hill, m the MlghbocWwl
C w"S be lived wm called. His free,
-rlaC.. r bad waa far
tew a ax
V.trrt- Ai kmt, I
4'tt (be tang winter
it with bat baby
wbea
Up.
HOLMES
listening for the footateps of her hus
band, who, at some neighbor's fireside,
was cracking the merry joke and quaf
fing the sparkling cider, which, at Brenze
Hill, waa considered essential to hospi
tality." And all this time Herbert pro
fessed to be strictly temperate; and
when, about the middle of March, a trav
eling lecturer held forth in the old log
school house, thundering bis anathemas
against the use of all spirituous liquors,
Herbert was the most seslous of all his
listeners.
Knowing this, I was greatly surprised,
after our return home, to see the young
orator go up to the sideboard and drink
off. at one draught, a goblet of the por
ter which had been ordered for Anna.
She saw it, too, and for an instant her
face was pressed sgainat that of her
Bleeping boy; end when next the lamp
light fell upon it, 1 ssw there traces of
tesrs, while a faint smile played aronud
her mouth, as she said, "I am afraid,
Herbert, your audience would hardly
think your theory and practice agree,
could they see you now."
The words were ill-timed, for they
awoke the young men's resentment, and
with s flushed brow be retorted angrily,
that "if porter were good for her, it was
for him; be ssw no difference between a
drinking woman and a drinking man; ex
cept, indeed, that the former waa the
most despicable."
The next morning the bottles of porter
were gone from the sidebosrd; but out
In the orchard, where the grass cf an
early spring waa just starting into life,
they lay shattered in a hundred pieces.
Would, oh, would that she, the life of
little more than a year, could thus easily
have broken the habits of him she loved
better than ber life! But It could not
be; and all through the bright spring
dsys she drooped, and faded, and strug
gled hard to keep from roe the fatal
truth.
At laat Aunt Charlotte wrote to me.
asking to be assured of her son's safsty;
and then poor Anna begged me not to tell
that the wine cup was hia companion at
morn, his solace at noon, and his com
fort at night Tislding to her entreaties,
I anawered evasively; and thus the shock,
when it came to that mother's heart, waa
harder far to bear, from tha perfect se
curity she had felt At Bonny Bank, too,
they little dreamed how their absent
daughter wept and prayed over her fallen
huaband, who, day after day, made rapid
strides down the road to death.
CHAPTER XIV.
The long aummer daya had merged sa
te autumn, whose buy breath Coated
like a misty veil over the distant hilla.
Here and there busy hands and feet
were aeen gathering in the autumnal
store. On Herbert's farm, however,
there was look of decay. The yellow
corn and golden pumpkins were yet in
the field; the apples lay in heapa upon
the ground; the gatea swung loosely in
the wind; while the horse, uncared for
and unfed, neighed piteously in their
stalls. Alaa! their master wss a drunk
ard! Anna waa a drunkard's wife, and
mine a drunkard's home! It was no long
er a secret there, and the old men shook
their heads, while the young men sighed
to think bow he had fallen. Night after
night we sat up for him, my sister and 1
lifting him from ths threshold across
wbich he would fall, and bearing blm to
hia bed, where we would lay him be
slds hia innocent son, whose blue eyes
often opened with wonder at being 'bus
disturbed.
About thia time I went back to Sunny
Bank for a few weeks to be present at
the bridal of my oldeat sister. Anna,
too, waa urged to accompany me; but
she declined, extorting from me a prom
ise that if it were possible I would not
divulge the real Mat of thing. "Tell
them I am happy, and do not regret what
I have done," said aha, as she followed
me down to the gate.
Ab! who can fathom the depth of
woman'a love, and what punishment
shall be sufficient for him wbo wsntonly
tramples npon it? I wondered if 1
should ever love as she did. Involuntar
ily the doctor rose up before me a
drunkard, and I hia wife, and from my
inmost soul I anawered, "Rather death
than thatl" Then( though I blush) as
I did so, I fancied myaelf tba wife of
"the dark man," and ha a drunkard.
"Tea, I could bear that," I aaid; and just
there the car door opened and the subject
of my meditations stood before me.
There waa no mietaking him. The same
tall, manly form, the piercing eyes, the
coal black hair, and the aame deep cut
between the eyebrows. I knew him in a
moment and an exclamation of aurprise
escaped my lip. The aeata were nearly
all occupied, and aa be paaaed down the
aiele, my readera, I trust, will psrdon
me if I did gather up the skirt 67 my
dress and take my traveling bag upon
my lap, while I myaelf aat nearer to the
window, looking out in order to hide my
face.
"Is this aeat occupied, miaa?" aaid a
heavy voice, which seemed to come from
some far-off region.
"No, air," I answered, timidly, with
out venturing to turn my head, until I
feit myself uncomfortably crowded; then
I looked around, and behold! the dark
stranger waa sitting behind me near the
door, while at my side was a man of
mammoth dimensions, with immense
mustache, watery eyes and a brandy
breath flavored with tobacco.
He was exceedingly loquaclon, and for
several hours plied me with question as
to my own nsme, my parent, my grand
parents, my brothers, my sisters, our
standing in the world, our religion r.nd
our politics. At length, just as it was
growing dark, he gathered np his huge
proportions, and to my great joy bid me
adieu.
About nine o'clock w etopped for re
freshments, and on re-entering the car,
I found to my Joy that the dark stran
ger's Mat waa appropriated. Thia time
the fates were propitious, for after look
big around blm awhile, the stranger ask
ed permlMlon to it by me. It w quit
dark where we sst, aad tbe night lamp
batted bat dimly, w be did aat eae ob
taxa a fall view of my face. He proved
a asset agreeable and attaatlva ceapaa
lea, opening and shnttlag tba window
just ss eftM as I evinced an inclination
to have him, holding my satchel in hia
lap, placing his own trsveliog trunk at
my feet for a footstool, and offering me
his fur-lined overcoat for a pillow. At
almost every station, too, he asked "if I
wished for snything," but I did not x
j cept indeed to know whether be wa yet
the husband of Ada Montrose. At last
M made some remark about the country
j throrg-h which we were passing, and I
' replied that "I believed it wss not the
. first time be had been over that rosj, as,
I I L. ... I - . K; In tk. ..mwl
u. a uiuiwt uui, mm w UlUI . " ,u, .mm
with his wife the yesr before."
The wrinkle in his forehead grew deep
er, and his fsce flushed as he said,
quickly, "1 do not remember of meeting
you before, though I was here last fall,
but not with my wife, for 1 have none.
It waa my ward, Misa Montrose."
Nothing could have given me more aat
isaction than this announcement for if
Ada were hia ward, it explained, in a
measure, bis attentions to her; and aa I
cast stolen glsnces at him, I felt more
and more convinced that there could be
no affinity between him and the hsughty,
imperious girl to whom be was gusrdisu.
It seemed to me a very short time ere be
arose, and offering me his hand, said
he must go, adding. "We shsll undoubt
edly meet again, as I occasionally travel
this wsy."
It waa nearly noon of tbe next day
when I reached Sunny Bank, where I
found my father at the depot, waiting to
receive me. I found them all busied wltb
the preparations for Juliet's weddiug,
which took place within a week after
my return, I officiating aa bridesmsid.
After Juliet had left ua for her i:ew
home, in an adjoining town, there eAeued
at our bouse a sesson of lonely quiet, in
wbich we scarcely knew whether to
laugh or to cry. There ia always some
thing ssd in ths giving up of s daugh
ter to the care of another, aud so my
parents found it particularly my fath
er, wbo, broken in spirit and feeble In
health, was unususlly caat down.
During my journey back to Rockland
I did not agsln meet with tbe stranger,
although I looked for him st every sts
tion. I had expected Herbert to meet
me, but be was not there. I waa juat
wondering what 1 abould do in caae ha
failed to come, when my attention waa
attracted toward a tall, athletic looking
young man who waa inapecting my trunk,
which stood upon the platform. He fixed
upon me a pair of alngularly bsndsome
haael eye, while at the aame time there
awept over me a atrange, undefined feel
ing as If somewhere, in a dream, per
chance, I had met that glance before.
"Are yoo M1m Lee?" he asked, and
the tone of his voice thrilled me Ilk
an echo of the past
I replied In the affirmative; and with
out once taking hia syee from my lace,
he aaid, "I am Henry Wataon, Mr.
Langlay'i hired men. H sent ms for
yon, a ad the wagon Is at tbe ether door."
Mechanically I followed him to the
place daetguated, and then, m If I had
bean fssther, he took me in hi arm
and placed me la the wide ehalr, wrap
ping to buffalo robe around me. H
did not seem ta me like klrellng, for hi
language waa good, hia mannr gentle
manly, aad ere w ware half way to
Brass Hill I wm vary much prepoa
ed in hi favor. He waa quit talkative,
aaking me of my parents, of my brothers,
nd appearing much gratified when I
told him bow well Charlie was doing as
clerk iu a dry goods store In Worcester.
"And Mr. J-angley is oosy your cousin
by marriage?" b aaid at laat. "Have
you any other male coualna?" he asked.
"I had a boy cousin nce," I ssld, "but
be is probably dead, for we bare not
heard from him In six long years."
Forgstful that Mr. Watson was to me
an entire stranger, I very briefly told
him tbe story of Cousin Will, who re
turned not with the vessel which bore
him swsy, and wbo bad deserted the (hip
at Calcutta. For many day they search
ed for him in vain, and at last left him
alone In that far-off land, where h had
probably met an early death.
"He wa wild," I explained, "but I
liked him very, very much, and cried my
aelf alck when be went away."
Again the stranger'a eyee fell upon m
with look I could not fathom. W
turned late tbe long, ahady avenue which
led p to the bowse. A wondrous chaag
bad been wrought in my beoce; for
everything around tba building wore an
air of neataea and thrift, which betok
ened that there wa aow a bead to man
age and direct. Herbert too, waa per
fectly sober, while Ann' fsce wm far
hippier than when 1 last saw her. The
canes of this ah m plained to me the
firet moment we were alens. Herbert
had signed the pledge! Had become a
sober man, and all through the exertions
of Mr. Wataon, whom ah pronounced
n angel in disguise. And, truly, hia in
fluence over Herbert was wonderful; for
never did an anxioua mother watch ver
bar sickly child more carefully than Mr.
Wataon watched over bis employer,
shielding blm from temptation, and gent
ly leading him In tbe path of rectitude.
Early in April, we received Invitations
to attend a wedding psrty st the house
of Judge Perkins, whose broad acrs
snd hesvy purse of gold had purchased
for him a fair young girl just his eldest
dsughter's sge. It waa to be a splendid
affair, and, as a matter of conrse, 1 forth
with commenced looking over my ward
robe, and declaring 1 had nothing to
wear. Anna, on tbe contrary, did not
seem at all intereated, and when I ques
t ioned her for her indifference, she re
plied, "What if they hsve win, and
Herbert should drink V
"They wouldn't have wine," I told her,
for Judge Perkina waa a stsnch temper
ance man, and It was not probsble that
be wonld do snything so inconsistent
with his profession.
Ah, would It had been so! Would that
the spsrkling champagne, tbe ruby wine,
and the foaming ale had not graced that
marriage feaat for then, perchance, one
grave at lent would not have been made
so soon, nor the widow weeds worn by
my sister ere the bloom of youth bid
faded from ber brow.
I ssw her cheek psle aa we entered the
supper room, but when amid the din and
uproar which succeeded tbe drswing of
the cork, Herbert stood firm to bis
pledge, refusing to drink, though urged
to do so, tb color came back to ber face,
ad ber eye proudly followed her hus
band, wboM y manners made him
favorite, and who, wltb ready tact,
moved among tbe gneata, doing far wore
toward their entertainment than the
master of tb bowe himself. If wa
tending Mar tbe bride, beautiful
young creator, with a sunny fee and
radlaat stall. Very affable and pail
bad aba bee t Herbert, aad now a be
apajroaebed bar, aba took from the table
twa geMet of wis, aad passing on to
J him, ssid, "Mr. Langley, I am ure, will
not refuse to drink with me. the bride 7"
I To refuse would bare seemed uncour
! teous, and so, with a hast) gUnce at hia
j wife, be drank the health of the lovely
j woman, who, in an angel's guise, lin
I cousciously tempted him to ruin. Invol
j untsrily Anna gasied as if for breath,
; while she started quickly forward to ttay
the raab act; but she was too late, snd
with a faint moao of anguish, she turn
ed away to hide her tears. One 'aste
awoke the slumbering demon, and set his
veins on fire; aud when at midnight Mr.
Wataon came for us, be took the insen
sible man in his arms and placed him In
the wagon, beside the weeping wife,
whose fond hopea wer now wrecked
forever.
(To be continued.)
WHEN THE STAR ENTERS.
Mast Be Aaplseded, end That fee Bee
tles eo Makee Trouble.
One of tbe stage convention alto
gether American, says tbe New York
Sun, concerns the "entrance" a It la
called. This Is tbe applause that
greets the star when be first comes
on tbe stage; and do American actor
who can bare a say In such a matter
would tbtuk of accepting a play that
did not allow blin to come Brat be
fore tbe public in eome atrtking fash
Ion that would a roust; tbe audience
to an outburst of enthusiasm.
Authors are compelled to rack tbelr
brains for effective way of Intro
ducing the star. And thia custom la
known In no other country.
In France and Germany the lead
ing actor enters whenever the action
of tbe play requires It If it seems
to tbe author more appropriate, he
will have the actor on the stage when
tbe curtain rises.
Imagine tbe American star quietly
seated on the stage when the curtain
rlsM in tbe first act What a con
trast to the uaual maneuvering and
planning to bring blm first Into view
In a way that will stimulate the au
dience to the moat enthusiastic out
break! It ta tbe librettist for the comic
opera star who find hi task In this
particular moat difficult He la
driven to ail aorta of straits to devise
a new means of hurling the star into
view. He may shoot blm out of an
automobile Into the middle of the
stage or roll hint down the step any
method permlMlble that bring blm
atriklngly Into view.
Tb task of tb playwright la aome
what Malar. But ha must under all
clrcumitance. pro v Id an effective
antraaca If ha want to awt another
order from a tar.
A Free eh play that bad been popu
lar for a long time la Pari was never
accepted bare bacauM tb heroin
wa discovered on tba stage when tbe
curtain roM and there waa no mean
of changing the aceae. try aa tbe
adapter might She bad to be on
tbe stage at that tlm. , So tb play
went begging, and to this day It ha
never been acted here, though It
would furnish an admirable vehicle
for a star. In England there Is no
such Importance placed on the ques
tion of tbe "entrance" as there 1
be re.
Two Compliments.
When tbe present King of Portugal
waa a youth of eeventeen, he vlaltexl
London, and there met Sir Edwin
Landaeer. Being very fond of natural
blatory, the young king waa delighted
to meet tbe great animal painter, and
aaid so.
King Carlos spoke English very well,
ys the author of "Some Eighteenth
Century Man of Letter," but like all
person who have lrad a language
by grammar and dictionary, be need
words In an equivocal sen.
"I am so glad to mak your acquaint
ance. Sir Landaeer!" be Mid, with en
thusiasm. "I am m fond of beast P' -
Iandseer accepted tha compliment
aa It waa Intended, and always pro
tMtad that wltb one exception It was
tbe greatest b had ever received. Tbe
"exception" came from a dog seller
who waa walking along a London
street wltb a terrier under bla arm.
Landaeer, aa always, waa attracted by
the bright little face.
"Hia ear ar not cropped," b ob
served. "No sir," replied tbe dog-seller.
"Landaeer say ear ought not to be
cropped."
Hair of tbe Hassan Head.
A scientist with a vast amount of pa
tlence ba counted the hairs of the
human bead. In fact, not content with
counting on head of hair be un
dertook several Tbe results of bis
Investigations ar curious. Blonde,
for Instance, have tbe greatest num
ber and those wltb red balr tba small
est. In no case Is there much varia
tion between sexe wben tbe color la
tbe same. I.lgbt-halred people have
between 140.000 and 105,000 balr.
Bninettea average only about 105.0UQ
balr. Red-haired people do not have
ranch more than 30.000. Tbla mean
that red balr Is coarser than other
shade, but It ba tbe advantage of
luting longer.
As Explained.
Mrs. O'Mulllgan Oi want a cake a
oap.
Polite Clerk Do you wish aometblng
for toilet purpoaea, ma'am?
Mrs.O Mulligan Indade an' OI don't
OI want It to wash me face an' hand
wld.
Boa ad to Occar.
Patient Bat, doctor, only last week
you akl I would auraiy dla, tad to-day
you I am aa well aa 1 aver waa.
Doctor Sir, I never made a mistake
In a dlaguoel. Tov ultimate derntae la
only a matter of time.
aT Mr A. alUvaa.
A tiMt of Sir Arthur SttUI-aa will ba
erected on tb TbantM laihaoliannf
facing tb Savor TbMtar.
OIVIL WAR GENERALS
CW OF THE OLD i.CfvVvAf DERS
NOW LIVINO.
Banks of tbe l oloo Lealers Tbinnlou
-lntercstiag Anecdotes Recalled by
Central "Hally" -iuilb' teatb -Coaspicaous
in the (ireiit Mruuulc.
In th: cuiiutiy we have uo mote
forcible reminder of Ibt- fact that we
re ent.Tiug uiou a new era iu our i.u
I.oiial h:.ory tiiau Uie l.ul.ctiUa wh.cU
I niuuw from da U (5,jy l!i,- ! -ulh f
I le iul'U who tlgurcU iiouiiuenJ in
,:. comma:, d if our auiij- durit.'ih?
'Ivil war. Tbe tiuef cvilef c uiuia.,d -m
Mg sliuv pai see J awjy. aid slue ibelr
t flllis the ranks of the ui -a vvlio
!.vHy upue-d I lie V'niou bjve be. n
Kiliailng wtlu stt-ud 1 lm-r.aing ra
jiiiilly. The deaths of iJii.erul H,u,il
inin 1". Butler. General KlaukHii a.;d ,
General William Fuirar Smith r muu-s
imorig the lat of thv W-H who li;aug
ruiod ami conduclcd '! a a e t'"
lalgii. There are now 11, 1. .g bti: fo;r- !
t.en major g-ii(Ta!s who b;1 that iau!i
liurlng the clv.l war. and of tlnie on'y
' tit r two evir couim.iml.! imlcpturt- 1
Kit divisions or conw. As these ng.irc
pass from the see-ne of pro"iit day af
fair many coxtfrest between the way
In which thoy met and solved the prob
lem of their day, utid the methods
f.41owed t the present time are pre
sents!. Much of the plctur.tguiiiea4
of civil war time has disai'iieuml iu
our ordinary II.'. and this U even truer
In -the caee of our military and uaval
eatablUhmeiJs. For Instance, In con
nection wltb tbe death of General
Smllh. "Bldy" Smith be wa always
called by bis Intimate, It wjl be pleas
ant to rarU a a key to tbe mau's
character die courage and reaourceful
neM with he conducted hia campaign
ith the Army of the Potomac in toe
action leading up to the attack ou
Richmond. No more picturesque Inci
dent stand out Jfrom tbe history of the
civil War. Smith's command wa a
'movable column," conaurtliic of 1600
Infantry, sixteen piece of artillery and
a squadron of cavalry, and ha was or
dered to join the Army of the Potomac.
On June 1 ha took up position near
Cold Spring Harbor, engaged the ene
my for nine daya, and on the four
teenth retired ta Bermuda Hundred.
Tba oaxt day b wa ordered to attack
Petersburg, and that night moved for
ward, meeting tbe arsamy seriy next
morning. Soma rifle pita were cap-
tared, and Smith formed line In front
of tb fortification of Petersburg.
Astlas a Bile Uwa acsat.
Ttte enemy's artillery wa etrong and
well served, and Smith could not bring
up bi own guna. H had no engineer
officer to mak a reconriouMance of ih
enemy's line to discover It weak
pointa, and so "BaJdy" Smith became
hi own scout, crawling da hi band
nd knooa for two hour. He coaxed
hlwmni forward. In email bodiei, grad
ually getting hi guna into poaltlon,
nd In thia wy they fought until 7
(clock la the evening, when a general
Mult wa ordered. Two hour later
tbe principal fortifications to the key
of tbe confederacy were taken.. Smith
lost 7&0 men In round number, fjOO of
whom were negroea. He took elxtecu
gun, six being captured by the black
troop, who fought gallantly. Han
cock' troop had been ordered to op
erate wltb Smith at this battle, but the
tnatructlona war defective and tb
oorp waa delayed. 8 in 1th always be
lieved that tha defective instruction
wer given to adbarraa him.
Of General Smith General Grant once
Mid: "SmlfA, wbll a very able officer,
la oharlnato, and la likely to condemn
whatever la not auggeated by hlmaeif."
Ha waa not avera to critic I log hi su
periors In command, and thia fact did
not add ta bla popularity In certain
quarter. Ha waa a fighter, not a
diplomat, and a a result hia career
during tbe war waa a stormy oue.
It waa la tb Virginia peuiueular
campaign that bla real active ervlce
began, and out of which there aroe
tbe famous contiuicray which was
ended but three yer ago. After the
battle of Cblckamanga, on September
21, 1813, General Rqaecrane drew up
bl army nar tbe southern aide of
Chattanooga, Term. Tbe railroad con
necting Chattanooga with Bridgeport,
which formed tbe then only available
be sc ef supplies from tbe north, left
the city, croaaed Chattanooga creek
near Ita mouth, followed the river
closely to the north end of Ixwkout
Mountain, paaaed through a tunnel an 1
then debouched into the northern end
of Lookout valley. All pa am in tbe
mountain were abandoned, for the
Union line waa behind Chattanooga
. creek and Lookout valley.
Around Chattanooga.
General Roaeucrans, In command at
Chattanooga, wa In a dangerous po
altlon, and the condition of hi army,
abut off u It waa from It base, was
described by General Grant In bl
Memoir follows: ,
"This country afforded but little food
for hi (Roaecrana) animal, nearly
10,000 of which bad already etsrved,
and not enough were left to draw a
Ingle piece of artillery, or even ambu
lance to convey tbe alck. Tbe men
bad been on half rations of hard bread
for a considerable time, wltb but few
other supplies except beef from Sash
villa, f-ro tba country. Tbe region
Along the road became to exhausted of
food for cattle that by the time tbey
readied Chattanooga tbey were much
'in tbe c inrlltlon of tbe few animal left
live there. Indeed, the beef waa to
poor that the otdlers wm In tha habit
of ajylng wllb a faint facMlouanes
:!ini tbey were living 'on half ration
if hard brMd tod beef dried on tbe
horf.' "
Grant arrived at Chattanooga on Oc-
tow 23 and th next day O
Smith, who wa then chief engineer of
tbe Army of the Cumberland, wltb tko
commander In chief innottered the
poKltlon which the former Mid be bad
discovered at the mouth, of -Lookout
valley. General Smith' plan waa t
mii-pilse the enemy, seize the bUU
south of the Tennessee river at
Brown' Ferry. hui pontoon brldg.
recover the lines of communication aad
Kjiu control of the river. General,
Grant tfavc bi sanction and deputed'
"ltalily" Kmltn to command the force)
hich were to capture tbe height and
lx.'(k(Hit valley.
The inovcmnit, carried out on Octo-I..-l!7,
.wa ucc?.sfiii and the army' ...
relieved, which allowed General Sher
man to reach Chattanooga, and made
poitlble the victory of Missionary
It'dg.-. Thanks were tendered to Geo
t iul nilth'aud his officers, and In gen
eral udir No. '.' iT), Issued on Novem-;
ber 7. 1 -iiWi. General Thomas, who had
uiificediil Horn:! aim, mild:
"To I!i!i,H(!ler General W. F. Smith,
cltl f eiii;!iuer, should be accorded
gr.wl praic f r the Ingenuity wbich
i'jmeivrd and the ability which ex
ecuted the movement at Hrown'a Fer
ry. Wheal the bridge was thrown at
Hiovfu'a I'Yny on yio morning of the
"7th the H!i"irle: was as great to the
army within aa to the army bealeglng
it from wlthmt." .
f to ea Thualer.
The enemy made lvo further attempt
to na n Ix .ko it allt-y. For mure than
thirty )(r Iheory of this inoT-'
ini-tit b.'longid to General Smith. A'
few yeura ago, however, the atla of
tbe Chlckamaugu ami Chattanooga Na
tional I'ark Commission waa Issued,
and In It was the legend which aa-sn-t-ctl
"that at daylight of October 27 tbe
river line of communication with
Bridgeport was opened by execution of
a p!n for recovering Lookout valley.
devised by General RoHecrans.'' "Baldy"
Smith uVcland thl wa Incorrect, and!
asked for an Investigation.
On August 23, 1900, a board of army
officer met at Governor' Island, la
New York harbor, to consider tbe mat
ter From the finding of tbe court
It would appear that "Baldy" Smith
had aloleii General Roaecran' thunder.
Among other thing, the report of tbe
Board aid:
"Th board failed to find vklerc
that Smith waa the originator of plat'
for the relief of Chttnooga by mili
tary over Hon to be conducted eat
Lookout vallsy, but abundant eridaaast)
that tbe plan which contemplated
crossing of tba Tsimeaeei river at
Bridgeport and at th northern end of
Lookout valley, and which waa exe
cuted by General Thoma October 36
28, wa devised and prepared by Roast
er u before relinquish lag command,
and that Ita execution wis begun un
der order issued by Thoma the very
night (October 10) that Roaecrana waaf
relieved from command of the Depart4
ment of Cumberland, without coneult4
tlon with Smith."
11 n u uiT?ua,ui oiu afc iuc iuveuga-j
tlon that General Ruaecran In Sep-,'
tembcr, 1813, had Iued order to rei
O'-cujiy Lookout valley" by reinforce-:
tnont from the north, which were to
operate with troops from OUattanoogs.
The plan Involved the c routing of tb
'i'eiiiy-eare river t Brown' Ferry by a
bridge. Reinforcement under General
Hooker arrived at Bridgeport on Sep
tember 30, and Smith, reaching Chatta
nooga about the ssme time, wa told
of tbe contemplated movement. Ac
cording to the testimony, Smith made
no reconnolanc of th river until
October 10, the day Oaneral Roaerraxsl
wa rslleved, and th latter wa really
rcwponelble for the detail of the move
ment which General Smith and Hook
er, directed by General Thomas, car
ried out. New Tork Evening Poet
Laat Tarsal ta Civil War.
Th laat man fired upon during tbe
civil war Uvea In Huron, 8. I. He la
Maj. Fred F. B. Coffin, wbo ha recent
ly attracted, attention a an author of
eeveral work on tuetaphyeice. Major
Coffin waa In the laat battle of the
war, which occurred at Palmetto
Ranch. Tex, on May 12 and 13, 1IWC.
Tbe Union force wer commanded
by fjen. The.dore H. Barrett; the Con
federate forces by Gen. J. E. Slaugh
ter. On the night of May 11 Gen.
Barrett sent Col. David Branaon with
the Sixty-second United (State In
fantry and two com panic of the First
Texas cavalry to destroy a Confeder
ate outKwt and camp it Palmetto
Ranch. Tbe camp wa captured aud
destroyed. About 4 o'clock on th
morning of My 13 Gen. Barrett ar
rived with the Thirty-fourth Indiana
Infantry. An advance wa made and
the Confederaree were driven about
two mile lwyoid Palmetto Ranch,
When the Union troop arrived ther
Gen. Barrett ordered Major Fred F,
It. Coffin, then cptaln. to take com
mand of the skirmishers. In a abort
time dipt. Carrlngton rode up to tbe
wet end of the grade with a detach
ment of Confederate cavalry nnd
ojieiM! fire. He soon ordered a re.
treat. A the Confidence were leav.
Ing one cavalryman wheeled his hom
round, dUmouiited, took delllTat
aim. ,!wl tlnd at Major Coltln. Thl
ball struck In tbe mind aliout tlx feet
In front of blm. Thl wss at unibwi
on May 13, l&Vi. The following mom
Ing an order was received to the ef1
feet that Gen. lilck Taylor and Geo
Klrby Smith bad umiulrrd to Gen
Hlierldan. which Incident rloaed th
wr.-lilcgo Inter Ocean.
Ixul XVIII. spent mot of (be yean
of hi nil In Knglind. II took i
bouse In Ixndon, where he lived quiet,
ly, and, It I ald, wa much faerr
concerned with the q'jallty of hia dia
ner (ban tbe nature of lb Oewa fro
lb war that Waa waved for hia rate
etatemeot on I be throne of rranra