The Post-Signal (Pilot Point, Tex.), Vol. 34, No. 11, Ed. 1 Friday, November 10, 1911 Page: 2 of 8
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Texas Digital Newspaper Program and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Denton Public Library.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
A
/T- . jJ&u •. Wv^,v.< - " •(■W.'- 1
1*1.,
^SSM^XX-XN'MKMSW
' * * ' 1^/1
#'# *f-
IS! ?k-..irj
*..-i
A 11FTIETH ANNIVERSARY WAR STORY
BY F A MTTCHE.L,.
Cooyright. 1892. by American Press Association.
ioii that we line! been remiss for the
world "
Laura obeyed tier mother and joined
the truest on the veranda.
"You are safe for the present," she
CHAPTER XI
a south carolina geoi.ooist.
WHEN the trap door of the at-
tic had closed over Laura
Fain after her Interview with
Mark he stood for a few iiiln
ntes pondering on her strange treat
inent of him Then he turned to the
breakfast lie had eaten noth.ng since
the evening before and the sight of the
greater part of n fried chicken (it had
been killed by Laura's orders for him
only that morning' was especially
grateful.
St on after he had finished his break-
,'ast a hand was extended through the
trap, a pitcher of water and toilet arti-
cles were left and the dishes taken. At
noon a meal was banded In by the
same fair hand.
Though but two meals had been thus
left, Laura began to perceive that, she
could not thus feed her charge without
soon being discovered. When she took
Mark's dinner to him she entered the
attic and hud him close the trap nfter
her.
"It will not do for you to stay here
much longer," she said. "My mother
has already become suspicious that 1
have something on my mind, and I fear
being detected carrying these meals. 1
dare not tell her all, and 1 dare not
risk her discovering that you are here."
"I will go tonight."
"It will be sure capture for you to
go. The negroes tell me that the coun-
try peoplo are all out looking for the
—the spy."
"I can't stay here and compromise
you."
"I have a plan. This evening I will
watch for an opportunity for you to go
down stairs. You can introduce your-
self as a guest, and though you will bo
every mloute in danger you will be
safer than here."
"And, In case I am discovered, will
not be caught like a rat in a trap."
"You can appear as a traveler. You
must have a hat. I will bring you one.
At the first opportunity after dark I'll
come to the trap and knock. Follow
me down stairs. I don't think any one
will recognize you in these clothes.
They have been packed away since my
brother went to Virginia a year ago.
Mamma only saw you, when you were
here before, after dark on the veranda,
and—well, I think there will be a very
good chance for you to play guest with
out detection."
"The servants?"
"They would never betray a Yankee.
They think you are all coming down to
free them, and they'll have nothing to
do but lie in the sun."
"Not an unpleasant occupation on a
pleasant day," said Mark irrelevantly.
"Should anything happen, I only fear
mamma. And, nfter all, she is a wo-
man," she added significantly.
k ."Which you pretend not to he."
"If all goes well you will be assigned
a room—the guest chamber perhaps-
and if it is not safe for you to be down
stairs, you may feign to be ill and keep
your apartment."
Mark was better pleased with the
plan than remaining where he was. He
did not expect to remain In the house
longer than till the next night, when
he hoped i hose who were seeking for
bitn would become tired of the liuut
and give him a chance for his life.
"I'll do all you suggest," he said to
Laura, "and whether you wish it or
not I am very grateful."
She lowered her eyes under his look
of gratitude anil then went below
As soon as It grew dark Mark lis
tened for the signal It came a few
minutes before nine o'clock. Mrs Fuiu
had remained in the parlor up to that
moment, when she went up stairs to
get some article necessary to a piece
of work she was doing Laura follow
ed her, turning out the lights b.v the
way and keeping on up to the attic
Within a few seconds after her
knock Mark was descending the stairs
anil in a twinkling was in the parlor
Not half a minute elapsed between the
signal and Ills arrival there
It was not long before Mrs Fain wa*
heard groping about up stairs In the
dark, wanting to know who had turned
out the lights and calling on a servant
to relight lliem When she entered the
parlor she was surprised to see bet
daughter in company with a strauger
who was standing, hat in hand, as
though he'bad just coiiip In from with
out.
"Mamma," said Laura, with her
heart in her throat, but with the most
assured of Innocent (ones, "this is a
gentleman who—Mr"—
"Rhett," supplied Mark.
"Mi lilielt. of"
"Soul ll < 'arolina "
Any old Virginia or South Carolina
name was quite enough to lusure a
welcome from Mrs. Fain Without
waiting to hear what he uiighl sa.\
further or an account of how he cauit
to lie there so suddenly, she said:
"I'm pleased to see you, sir; are you
related to the Rhetts, of South Cam
liua V"
"We all came of the same main
sieui. madam," said Mark, assuming
the lone of a southern gentleman
"Mr Rhett is traveling, mamma He
'ays ihat thai" —
"I am looking for mines, madam
Von may not know It. but you are In
the ceiitei of a rich mineral region"
ll Is pleasant to hear that fortune
mil) come soon, and Mrs Fain was
eviiiciitl.v much pleased at the inforina
lion
"Indeed"' she said calmly
"Yes tnadiiu. I have been looking
for ore I presume I need uoi sa,\
whether in govern men i interest or uot
we must have cannons, you know "
"liovernment officers are not bound
io disclose their identity or theii oli
jecis. sir "
"I nave iieeu prospecting, madam
and am separated from my pan\ ow
ing to the stupidity of the drivel of
the vehicle which contains my ertici
liles and chemicals. I appeared ai
youi door and your daughter wa> kind
anough to ask me In--not surprising
•onsldering your far famed Tennessee
hospitality "
"You are quite welcome, sir"
Mark bowed low with his hand on
his heart, like a South Carolina gen
tletnan of the old school,
"Have you supped?" asked Vrs Fain
"Yes. madam: I succeeded in getting
n meal by the way A poor one. indeed
a very poor one. with burned beans for
roffee Hut since the abolition Lincoln
government has violated all rules of
ilvillzed warfare by this cruel blockade
| — In.ending to starve us into subjection
— I suppose we must take what we can
get. 1 repeat it, we must take what
we can get, madam."
Mark's eyes flashed with well feign-
ed indignation.
"It is our duty to bear our deprlva
tions cheerfully," said Mrs. Fain. "We
shall gain our independence at last,
and that should be au incentive."
"It should, madam, and let me tell
you we are about to see stirring times
and great successes. This region has
become of especial military importance
Our forces will be In front of Nash
ville, perhaps Louisville, very soun.
while Genera! Lee can't fail with such
uoblo men as he has In his army—the
very flower of the south—the flower
of the south, madam—he can't fail, 1
say, to drive the Yankees out of Vir-
ginia!"
"You are very hopeful."
While Mark was thus performing.
Laura stood with downcast eyes, and
if her mother had not been so inter-
ested in the hopeful words of the gar
rulous South Carolinian she would
have noticed a slow heaving of her
daughter's bosom, with here and there
a slight spasmodic action
"And now, madam," said Mark, "may
I beg for a night's lodging? I fear it
is too late to find my party "
"Certainly, sir Call Miranda, my
dear."
Miranda was summoned and directed
to show the gentleman to the guest
chamber on the second floor in the
front of (lie house
Mark went with tlie servant and re
mained In his room long enough to
have made a toilet and then sauntered
down stairs At I he door of the par
lor in which Mrs Fain and her daugh
ter were sitting, he paused, as if wail
itig for an invitation to enter This
was given him. but he did not sia\
long For a hot blooded South Cam
linian. he seemed uot to bear the heat
well, and manifested a desire to get
out on to the veranda Indeed he had
a wholesome dread of the light He
sides he desired to be where he could
converse with Laura.
"If I may beg you to excuse me.
ladies," he said, "I will go out for a
little fresh air"
He strolled out into the night and
walked back and forth on the veranda
' Laura," said Mrs Fain, "go out and
entertain Mr Rhett. I'm afraid of the
night air myself."
"Do you think It essential, mamma?"
"Certainly I do South Carolinians
are especially particular about the en
tertalnment of their guests, and I
wouldn't have IJ go back to Charles
said, her eyes glistening in the moon-
light and a bright spot on each cheek
"Thank* to your courage and iugenii
It.v "
"Oh. no; no! That's absurd. For
you to speak of my courage! I)o you
know that the recklessness with which
you put your neck into a halter Is as
unintelligible lo me as mathematics
would be to one of our servants"
"For the cause." said Mark, "on
ought to"-
"Nonsense! The cause! You love
these dangers"
"There is a fascination in them. I
admit So long as there Is one chauce
for me. no matter how many there are
against me—so long as I have an arm
or a weapon to fight with 1 am a man
When cornered and taken 1 am the
veriest coward in the world. While in
prison in Chattanooga I moaned and
whined like a frightened child. The
truili is i hat danger is fascinating only
either before it is encountered or after
it ii.is passed When I am in it I want
to get out of it; when I am out of ll
I want to get in it again."
"I don't believe you know the mean
Ing of the word fear."
"Indeed you are mistaken If I did
uot feci fear there wouid lie no fasci
nation in danger"
"Then you have a way witli you of
making people do what you like. When
you were here before you fascinated
all the servants. You completely cap-
tivated Uncle Daniel, who has talked
of no one else since."
"Daniel is a good man. He'll be of
use to me yet."
"Yes. of use to you. You use every
one either openly or by deception. I
almost fancied you were professor-
somebody. Just now, when you were
deceiving poor mamma. You reminded
me of Mephistopheles for all the
world."
"You flatter." said Mark In irony
"You are Mephistopheles. You come
here and compel me to harbor you
You are seeking to injure the cause !
s
11
m
"I'm a couitlkr. 1 bf.'n cauryf.n dis-
i'atches."
favor, and I give you my brother's
clothes, when that brother is fighting
for that cause. Why do I not send for
some one to come and take you?"
"On account of your native lovelt
ness."
"You are a very devil."
"I never regarded myself a saint."
"And the worst of it Is." she went
on, her eyes sparkling all the while
and talking rapidly, "that such devil
try is especially fascinating to me t
would love to be a man I would do
what you do I would belong to the
cavalry I would be a scout. I would
be a"
"Spy?"
"Anything I had the courage to be
1 would delight In battles, in charges
In—heavens!"
The exclamation was occasioned b.v
a horseman who bad approached while
they were talking.
"Don't be frightened," said Mark
bending over her and whispering In
her ear. "It Is only a private soldier
He is not after me. nml If he is lu
can't have me."
Mark left her and advanced to thi
rail of the veranda
"(Jan you tell me how fyar 'tis tei
Chattanoogy?" asked the man.
"About two miles, 1 reckon, as the
crow Hies; three or four really."
"Straight 'long up the road?"
"Yes."
"I'm a courier. I be'u carryen dis-
patches; but I didn't go tills way."
"Well, you Just keep the road and
you'll get through all right. Any news
from (he front?"
"Don't know any. I be'n away from
Chattanoogy two days."
"Well, you haven't far to go."
"Good night, sir."
"Good night."
Mark went back to Laura. She had
uot recovered from lier fright, and in
was obliged to wait a few moments be
fore lie could get a word from her.
"I suppose you think me a drendfui
coward." she said at last. "After all.
I'm only a woman."
"Not cowardly for yourself; for a
poor devil whose neck is in a halter "
"Yes. I'm only a girl, but I own the
life of a brave man. a soldier, a reck
less monster, a fiend, a spy."
"Anything else?"
"There are no more words to express
what I mean."
"Laura." called Mrs. Fain. "If you
are going to stay out any later you'd
better get a shawl."
"I'm going in. mamma."
They walked into the hoTfse together
Mr Rhett. of South Carolina, made a
few commonplace remarks to Mrs Kan
and then begged to be excused, as In
had been prospecting during ihe <la>
and was very tired lie bowed low lo
the ladies and then went up stairs
CHARTER XII
suamtisKD.
THE next morning Mark hearing
a tap at I lie door got out ol
bed and opened It cautiously
lie half expected to see through
the slight opening he at first made the
muzzle of a revolver pointing directly
at him lie saw a very different sight
It was a large tumbler, with a straw
in it, on a silver tray in t he hands of
a negro
"Mrs. Faiu's compliments, sail." and
lie handed Mark a mint julep.
"Ah!" exclaimed Mark, with inteuse
satisfaction.
"Present my compliments to your
mistress and tell her I perceive with
pleasure that this noble Virginia ctis
loin has found its way Into Tennessee
as it has long ago Into South Caro
Una."
"Yes. sah!"
However. Murk desired to keep his
head cool, considering the clrcum
stances, and contented himself with a
few swallows of the Julep, and after
completing his toilet joined the Indies
at the breakfast table, lie praised
Mrs. Faln's fried chicken and light
biscuit and corn bread, and was aboui
to give the coffee a few words of en
comiuin when, tasting It beforehand
he discovered the prevailing chicory
So he entered upon a tirade against
the blockade, and ended by hoping
that Abe Lincoln would at last lie
hanged higher than Hainan, a refer
ence that gave him a disagreeable
sensation about the neck and caused
Laura's bosom to heave tumultuously.
After breakfast be took his pipe and
went out to smoke in the yard, lie
sauntered around io the iiarn and
found Daniel al work upon the horses.
"Daniel." he said, "good morning
"Morneii. sah." said Daniel, eying
him suspiciously
Mark suddenly turned and looked
him in the eye. knowingly.
"Daniel,' said he. "are you all right
on tile cause ot freedom'''
"Reckon I air. sail
"Suppose von had a chance to favor
that cause, the cause which if it tri
urnplis will make all darkles free
would you do it?'
"Reckon I would, sah."
"Well, suppose a I'liion man were to
ask you to"-
"Yo' countenance air berry familiar
to me. sah."
"Do 1 look like Mr. Slack?"
"God bress the Lo'd! I wonder tf
yo' air Mr Slack?"
"Or the colored girl who came here
the other night," Mark asked in a low.
confidential tone.
"Fo' de Lo'd!"
"Never mind who I am, Daniel. I'm
a Union man. Now I want you to go
Into Chattanooga and lenrn all you can
of (lie latest army news. Don't trust
your own eyes, but ask people what's
going on. I want to know if troops
are leaving Chattanooga, and if so
where they are going. Here are ten
dollars. Buy some things for the old
woman and the children, and ask quea
tions- of other people 1 mean, not me.'
"Trus' me fur dat," said the old
man. and going to the stable he began
to harness a horse to the family wag
on
When Mark finished smoking h.
went into the house. He passed ititi
the library, where he found Laura
She seemed lo feel easier than when
Mark had been up stall's, but she win
In continual dread. Mark asked het
to sit on a sofa facing one window
while he sat facing another. "Then
we'll have the position enfiladed." he
said.
Laura did uot understand what that
meant, but she did as he desired.
They sat thus without suffering the
watch to relax during three delightful
hours—delightful uot withstanding the
danger Mark was in. Laura wanted
an account of his adventures in Chat
tauooga and he gave It. When she
cauie to Sourl's part In Ills escape
Laura was visibly affected; indeed so
Intensely were her feelings wrought
upon by this portion of the story that
she started at every sound, realizing
the more perfectly that Mark's neck
was slill In jeopardy.
Then came an account of the trial;
the march to the courtroom; the wait-
ing for the counsel; the arrival of Cap-
tain Cameron Fltz nugb.
"Captain Cameron I'ltz Hugh!"
Then H was all out that l.anra's
lover had defended the spy, and I.ail
ra confessed that she was Filz Hugh s
bet rot lied.
lu tlie midst ot the excitement at-
tending all this Mrs. Fain entered car
rylng a silver tray, oil which was a
basket of cake and a decanter and
glasses.
"A little luncheon may not lie amiss,
Mr. Rhett," she said. "I don't know
your South Carolina customs in such
matters, but my daughter and I occa-
sionally lake a biscuit at this hour"
Mark rose and faced about, His
band went to his heart, and he bowed
low. Laura, too. rose and stood look-
ing at her mother.
"Madam, said Mark, "can 1 ever
forget this kindness?"
"If you will discover I lie ore you
seek on our property 1 shall feel am-
ply repaid." said the lady sententious
iy-
"Trust me. madam. I will have dill-
gent search made."
"Are you a geologist?"
"None but a geologist would be hunt
Ing for ore In the government service."
"Thai is a fascinating study." re-
marked Mrs Fain, who was a great
reader and a very Intelligent woman.
Now Mark, though an educated man
and born to a taste for the sciences,
unfortunately knew less about the
profession he had temporarily adopted
than any other.
"There are some curious geological
facts," Mrs. Fain went on. "which al-
ways Interest me. 1 was reading yes-
terday that a famous geologist has
said that centuries—I have forgotten
how many—were consumed while Ni-
agara falls were wearing their way
from Lewlston to the present site.
How long was It, professor? I'm sure-
you have that title."
"It could not have been less than
five hundred years, madam," said
Mark, laying great stress on the fig
ures as something enormous.
"Five hundred? 1 thought It was
something like twenty thousand!"
Mark perceived that he had made a
gross blunder, but If would never do
for him to acknowledge it.
"I am aware." he said, "that such is
the opinion of a certain school of
geologists with more assurance than
brains. 1 refer to those scoffers who
are continuously trylug to find evl
dence against the Mosaic account of
creation, but I regard their position
untenable "
There was a pleased look on Mrs.
Faln's countenance. Sfie belonged to
the Raptlst denomination and believed
thoroughly that the world was made
In six days of twenty four hours each.
"Professor." she said, withdrawing
from the room at the same fiuie. "I
trust that you will remain in the
neighborhood a long while, and I beg
you to honor us by making this house
your home In the meantime."
Mark was standing with a half filled
glass of wine In his left hand, while
his right was on his heart. Mrs. Fain
made her exit through the door by
which she had come, opening Into the
dining room As the door closed Mark
was bending to the floor, admirably
representing a South Carolina gentle-
man of the olden time.
He heard something like a low cry-
half surprised, half terror- from Lau
ra. Turning quickly toward her lie
saw her eyes fixed in a stare tin some
object at the door opening into the
hall Another turn of tils head and
there stood the figure ot Captain
Cameron Fit/. Hugh,
To be continued.
THE HALL OF FAME, t
*
'9
JOHN LOTHROI* MOTLEY—
American historian and diplomat.
Born Dor-
c h ester,
Mass., April
15,1814;died
Dorset, Eng-
1 a n d , May
29, 1877.
Graduated
from Ilar-
v a r d and
completed
h 1 s educa-
tion in Germany. Tried one or
two unsuccessful historical nov-
els and then found his true bent
ill writing history. Ills "Rise of
I lie I nu ll Republic" and his oth- <
i r volumes on the Netherlands
form his great life work and <
I .!:e rank Willi 111;'chief histories ^
id' Hi" v.i rid. j
. . . . ,v,., . , f ♦> .
Chilly.
"Meet nny i cnerus on your way
across?"
"No. but several of us tried to flirt
Willi a Huston girl who was on board,"
— Louisville Courier Journal.
DR. COX's
BARBED WIRE
L I N I M E
Guaranteed to heal without a blemish
or your money refunded. Price 25c,
50c and 1.00. 25c for family use only
For sale by all druggists,
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
The Post-Signal (Pilot Point, Tex.), Vol. 34, No. 11, Ed. 1 Friday, November 10, 1911, newspaper, November 10, 1911; Pilot Point, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth291191/m1/2/?rotate=270: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Denton Public Library.