Arthur Guy Empey - "Over The Top"

Hector St. John de Crevecoeur - "Letters from an American Farmer"

Thornton W. Burgess - "Lightfoot the Deer"

F. W. Moorman - "Songs of the Ridings"

New Philadelphia Book Publisher Highlights Local Talent
Book and Publishing News from Publishers Newswire(tm)

Looking for Child to be on Cover of a New Book, 'The Model Child'
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- The Philadelphia literary world will celebrate the launch of two new players today, April 10th: Kay Square Press, a new publishing company focused on Philadelphia-area artists, their stories, and their art; and Kay Square's first release, 'With the Rich and Mighty: Emlen Etting of Philadelphia' (ISBN: 978-0-9815129-0-7), a critical biography by Kenneth C. Kaleta.

FlatSigned Press Alleges Don Imus Remarks Damage Legacy of President Gerald R. Ford
NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Nathan Yungerberg, an accomplished model scout and professional child photographer is launching a nation-wide casting call to find the cover model for his highly anticipated book release, 'The Model Child: A Parents Guide to the Child Modeling Industry' (ISBN: 978-0-9817018-0-6).

Books: With Lee in Virginia; A Story Of The American Civil War

G >> G.A. Henty >> With Lee in Virginia; A Story Of The American Civil War




"I think that is the best plan," the woman said. "There are scarce
any villages between this and the river. It's only just when you
cross the road between Petersburg and Williamsburg that you
would be likely to moot a soul, even in the daytime. There is
scarce even a farmhouse across this section. I know the country
pretty well. Just stop a minute and I will run up to the wood and
fetch down the horse. There's a big wood about a mile away, and
you can turn him in there."

A few minutes later they started, Vincent leading the horse and
Tony carrying the bundle of food and his castoff uniform. The
woman led them by farm roads, sometimes turning off to the right
or left, but keeping her way with a certainty which showed how
well she was acquainted with the country. Several times they
could hear the dull sound of bodies of cavalry galloping along the
roads; but this died away as they got further into the country. The
horse had been turned loose a mile from their starting place.
Vincent removed the bridle and saddle, saying: "He will pick up
enough to feed on hero for some time. When he gets tired of the
wood he can work his way out into a clearing."

Here Tony hid away his uniform among some thick bushes, and
the three walked steadily along until the first tinge of daylight
appeared on the sky. Then the woman stopped.

"The river is not more than half a mile in front of you," she said;
"so I will say good-by."

"What will you do?" Vincent asked. "You might be questioned as
you get near home."

"I am going to put up at the last house we passed," she said, "about
three miles back. I know the people there, and they will take me
in. I will stop there for a day or two, maybe, then walk back, so I
shall have a true story to tell. That's all right."

Vincent said good-by to her, with many hearty thanks for the
services she had rendered him, and had almost to force her to take
notes for two hundred dollars from the bundle ho had sewn up in
the lining of his coat.

"You have saved my life," he said, "and some day I hope to be able
to do more to show my gratitude; but you must take this anyhow to
tide you over the hard times, and find food for your husband and
sons when they come back from the war."

As soon as the woman had turned back Vincent and Tony
continued on their way. The former had, as soon as they were
fairly out from the Federal camp, told Tony in a few words that his
wife was safe at home and their boy flourishing, and he now gave
him further details of them.

"And how came you to enter the army, Tony?"

"Well, sab, dere wasn't much choice about it. Do Northern people,
dey talk mighty high about der love for de negro, but I don't see
much of it in der ways. Why, sab, dey is twice as scornful oh a
black man as de gentleman is in de Souf. I list in de army, sah,
because dey say dey go to Richmond, and den I find Dinah and de
boy."

"Well, Tony, I little thought when I did you a service that it would
be the means of you being able to save my life some day."

"Not much in dat, sab. You sabe my life, because dey would, for
suab, hab caught me and killed me. Den you save my wife for me,
den you pay out dat Jackson, and now you hab killed him. I could
hab shouted for joy, sah, when I saw you hit him ober de head wid
de shovel, and I saw dat dis time he gib no more trouble to no one.
I should hab done for him bery soon, sah. I had my eye upon him,
and the fust time we go into battle he get a ball in his back. Lucky
he didn't see me. He not officer ob my company, and me look
quite different in do uniform to what me was when I work on de
plantation; but I know him, and wheneber I see him pass I hung
down my head and I say to myself, 'My time come soon, Massa
Jackson; my time come bery soon, and den we get quits.'"

"It is wrong to nourish revenge, Tony; but I really can't blame you
very much as to that fellow. Still, I should have blamed you if you
had killed him-blamed you very much. Ho was a bad man, and he
treated you brutally, but you see he has been already punished a
good deal."

"Yes, you knock him down, sak. Dat bery good, but not enough
for Tony."

"But that wasn't all, Tony. You see, the affair set all my friends
against him, arid his position became a very unpleasant one. Then,
you see, if it hadn't been for you lie would probably have got
through to our lines again after lie had escaped with me. Then,
you see, his father, out of revenge, stole Dinah away."

"Stole Dinah!" Tony exclaimed, stopping in his work. "Why, sah,
you hab been tolling me dat she is safe and well wid Mrs.
Wingfield."

"So she is, Tony. But he stole her for all that, and had her carried
down into Carolina; but I managed to bring her back. It's a long
story, but I will tell you about it presently. Then the knowledge
that I had found Dinah, and the fear of punishment for his share of
taking her away, caused old Jackson to fly from the country,
getting less than a quarter of the sum his estate would have fetched
two or three years ago. That was what made him and his son turn
Unionists. So, you see, Jackson was heavily punished for his
conduct to you, and it did not need for you to revenge yourself."

So he was, sah, so he was," Tony said thoughtfully. "Yes, it does
seem as if all des tings came on kinder one after de oder just out
ob dat flogging ho gabo me; and now he has got killed for just de
same cause, for if he hadn't been obliged to turn Unionist he
wouldn't have been in dat dar battery at de time you came dere.
Yes, I sees dat is so, sab; and I'se glad now I didn't hab a chance ob
shooting him down, for I should have done so for suah of I had."

They had now reached the river. The sun was just showing above
the horizon, and the broad sheet of water was already astir.
Steamers were making their way up from the mouth of the river
laden with stores for the army. Little tugs were hurrying to and fro.
Vessels that had discharged their cargo wore dropping down with
the tide, while many sailing-vessels lay at anchor waiting for the
turn of tide to make their way higher up. Norfolk was, however,
the base from which the Federal army drew the larger portion of its
stores; as there were great conveniences for landing here, and a
railway thence ran up to the rear of their lines. But temporary
wharfs and stages had been erected at the point of the river nearest
to their camps in front of Petersburg, and here the cattle and much
of the stores required for the army were landed. At the point at
which Vincent and Tony had struck the river the banks wore
somewhat low. Here and there were snug farms, with the ground
cultivated down to the river. The whole country was open and free
from trees, except where small patches had been loft. It was in
front of one of these that Vincent and Tony wore now standing.

"I do not think there is any risk of pursuit now, Tony.

This is not the fine on which they will be hunting us. The question
is-how are we to get across?"

"It's too far to swim, sah."

"I should think it was," Vincent said with a laugh. "It's three or four
miles, I should say, if it's a foot. The first question is-where are we
to get a boat? I should think that some of these farmhouses are
sure to have boats, but the chances are they have been seized by
the Yankees long ago. Still they may have some laid up. The
Yanks would not have made much search for those, though they
would no doubt take all the larger boats for the use of the troops or
for getting stores ashore. Anyhow, I will go to the next farmhouse
and ask."

"Shall I go, sah?"

"No, Tony, they would probably take you for a runaway. No, I will
go. There can be no danger. The men are all away, and the
women are sure to be loyal. I fancy the few who were the other
way before will have changed their minds since the Yanks landed."

They followed the bank of the river for a quarter of a mile, and
thou Vincent walked on to a sma]l farmhouse standing on the
slope fifty yards from the water. Two or three children who were
playing about outside at once ran in upon seeing a stranger, and a
moment later two women came out. They were somewhat
reassured when they saw Vincent approaching alone.

"What is it, stranger?" one of them asked. "Do you want a meal?
We have got little enough to offer you, but what there is you are
welcome to; the Yanks have driven off our cows and pigs and the
two horses, and have emptied the barns, and pulled up all the
garden stuff, and stole the fowls, and carried off the bacon from
the beams, so we have got but an empty larder. But as far as bread
and molasses go, you are welcome."

"Thank you," Vincent said; " I am not in want of food. What I am
in want of is a boat."

"Boat!" the women repeated in surprise.

"Yes, I want to got across to the other side, or else to get up the
river and land between Petersburg and Bermuda."

"Sakes alive!" the woman exclaimed; "what do you want to do that
for?"

"I will tell you," Vincent replied. "I know I can trust my life to any
woman in the Confederacy. I am one of General Wade Hampton's
officers, and I have come through their lines to find out what they
are doing. I have been caught once, but managed to slip through
their hands, but there is no possibility of making my way back
across the country, for the Yankee cavalry are patrolling every
road, and the only chance I have is of getting away by boat."

"Step right in, sir," the woman said. "It's a real pleasure to us to
have one of our officers under our roof."

"I have a friend with me," Vincent said; "a faithful negro, who has
helped me to escape, and who would be hung like a dog if they
could lay hands on him."

"Bring him in, sir, the woman said hospitably. "I had four or five
niggers till the Yanks came, but they all ran away 'cause they knew
they would either be set to work or made to fight; so they went.
They said they would come back again when the trouble is over;
maybe they will and maybe they won't. At first the niggers about
here used to look for the Yanks coming, but as the news got about
of what happened to those they took from their masters, they
concluded they were better off where they were. Call your boy in,
sir; call him in."

Vincent gave a shout, and Tony at once came up.

"Thank you, we don't want anything to eat," Vincent went on as the
woman began to put some plates on the table. "We have just had a
hearty meal, and have got enough food for three or four days in
that bundle. But we want a boat, or, if we can't find that, some
sailors' clothes. If I had them I would keep along the river down to
Norfolk. The place will be full of sailors. We should not be likely
to be noticed there."

"I can't help you in that," the woman said; "but there are certainly
some boats laid up along the shore. Now, Maria, who has got
boats that haven't been taken?"

"I expect the Johnsons have got one," the other woman replied.
"They had a small boat the boys and girls used to go out fishing in.
I don't think the Yanks have got that. I expect they hid it away
somewhere; but I don't know as they would let you have it. She is
a close-fisted woman is Sarah Johnson."

"I could pay her for its value," Vincent said.

"Oh, well, if you could pay her she would let you have it.

I don't say she wouldn't, anyhow, seeing as you are an officer, and
the Yanks are after you. Still, she is close is Sarah Johnson, and I
don't know as she is so set on the Confederacy as most people. I
tell you what I will do, sir. I will go down and say as a stranger
wants to buy her boat, and no questions asked. She is just to show
where the boat is hidden, and you are to pay for it and take it away
when you want it."

"That would be a very good plan," Vincent said, "if you wouldn't
mind the trouble."

"The trouble is nothing," she said. "Johnson's place ain't above a
mile along the shore."

"I will go with you until you get close to the house," Vincent said;
"then, when you hear what she wants for the boat, I will give you
the money for it, and you can show me where it is hidden."

This was accordingly done. Mrs. Johnson, after a con sidorable
amount of bargaining with Vincent's guide, agreed to take twenty
dollars for the boat, and upon receiving the money sent down one
of her boys with her to show her where it was hidden. It was in a
hole that had been scooped out in the steep bank some ten foot
above the water's edge, and was completely hidden from the sight
of any one rowing past by a small clump of bushes. When the boys
had returned to the farmhouse the woman took Vincent to the spot,
and they then went back together.

Here he and Tony had a long talk as to whether it would be better
to put out at once or to wait till nightfall. It was finally determined
that it was best to make an immediate start. A boat rowed by two
men would attract little attention. It might belong to any of the
ships at anchor in the river, and might be supposed to have gone on
shore to fetch eggs or chickens, or with a letter or a message.

"You see, both shores are in the hands of the Yankees," Vincent
said, "and there will not be any suspicion of a boat in the daytime.
At night we might be hailed, and if we gave no answer fired upon,
and that night bring a gunboat along to see what was the matter.
No, I think it will be far best to go on boldly. There are not likely
to be any bodies of Federal troops on the opposite shore except at
Fortress Monroe, and perhaps opposite the point where they have
got their landing below Petersburg. Once ashore we shall be safe.
The peninsula opposite is covered with forest and swamp, and we
shall have no difficulty in getting through however many troops
they may have across it. You know the place pretty well, don't you,
Tony?"

Tony nodded. "Once across, sah, all de Yank army wouldn't catch
us. Me know ob lots ob hiding-places."

"Them broad hats will never do," the woman said; "but I have got
some blue nightcaps I knitted for my husband. They are something
like the caps I have soon some sailors wear; anyhow, they will pass
at a distance, and when you take your coats and vests off, them
colored flannel shirts will be just the right thing."

"That will do capitally, and the sooner we are off the bettor,"
Vincent said, and after heartily thanking the two women, and
bestowing a present upon each of the children, they started along
the shore.

The boat was soon got into the water, the oars put out, and they
started. The tide was just low now, and they agreed to pull along
at a short distance from the shore until it turned. As soon as it did
so the vessels at anchor would be getting up sail to make up to the
landing-place, and even had any one on board noticed the boat put
out, and had been watching it, they would have other things to
think about.

"It is some time since we last rowed in a boat together, Tony."

"About three years, sah; dat time when you got me safe away. I
had a bad fright dat day you left me, sah. It came on to blow bery
hard, and some oh de men told me dat dey did not tink you would
ever get back to shore. Dat made me awful bad, sah; and me wish
ober and ober again dat me hab died in de forest instead oh your
taking me off in a boat and trowing away your life. I neber felt
happy again, sah, till I got your letter up in Canady, and knew you
had got back safe dat day."

"We had a narrow squeak of it, Tony, and were blown some
distance up. We were nearly swamped a score of times, and Dan
quite made up his mind that it was all up with us. However, we
got through safe, and I don't think a soul, except perhaps Jackson
and that rascally overseer of ours, who afterward had a hand in
carrying off your wife, and lost his life in consequence, ever had a
suspicion we had been doing more than a long fishing expedition. I
will tell you all about it when we are going through the woods.
Now I think it's pretty nearly dead water, and we will begin to edge
across."

CHAPTER XX. THE END OF THE STRUGGLE.

VINCENT directed his course so that while the boat's head was
still pointing up the stream, and she was apparently moving in the
same direction as the ships, she was gradua]ly getting out to the
middle of the river. Had he tried to row straight across suspicion
might at once have been excited. In half an hour they were in the
middle of the stream. A vessel passing under full sail swept along
at a distance of a hundred yards, and they were hailed. Vincent
merely waved his hand and continued his course.

"I dare say those fellows wonder what we are up to, Tony; but they
are not likely to stop to inquire. In another quarter of an hour we
shall be pretty safe. Ah! there's a fellow who might interfere with
us," he added looking round. "Do you see that little black thing
two miles ahead of us? that's a steam launch. If she sees us
making over she's likely enough to come and ask us some
questions. We had better head a little more toward the shore now.
If it comes to a race every foot is of importance

Up to now they had been rowing in an easy and leisurely manner,
avoiding all appearance of haste. They now bent to their oars, and
the boat began to travel a good deal faster through the water.
Vincent glanced over his shoulder frequently at the steam launch.

"She is keeping straight on in the middle of the channel, Tony;
evidently she hasn't noticed us yet."

Ten minutes after passing the ship he exclaimed sharply:

"Row, Tony, as hard as you can; the launch has just passed that
ship, and has changed her course. I expect the captain has called
their attention to us. It's a race now."

The boat, at the moment the launch changed her course, was rather
more than halfway between the center of the channel and the
shore. The launch was in the center of the channel, and
three-quarters of a mile higher up. She had evidently put on steam
as she started to cut off the boat, for there was now a white wave at
her bow.

"I think we shall do it, Tony," Vincent said. "I don't suppose she
can go above eight miles an hour and we are certainly going four,
and she has more than twice as far to travel as we have."

Those on board the launch were evidently conscious that they were
likely to lose the race, for in a few minutes they began to open fire
with their rifles.

"Fire away," Vincent said. "You ain't likely to hit us a thousand
yards off, and we haven't another three hundred to row."

The bullets whistled overhead, but none of them struck the water
within many yards of the boat, and the launch was still four or five
hundred yards away when the bow of the boat touched the shore.
Several muskets were discharged as Vincent and Tony leaped out
and plunged into the bushes that came down to the water's edge.
The launch sent up a sharp series of whistles, and random shots
were for some time fired into the bushes.

"It is lucky she didn't carry a small gun in her bow," Vincent said;
"for though seven or eight hundred yards is a long range for a rifle,
they might likely enough have hit us if they had had a gun. Now,
Tony, we shall have to be careful, for those whistles are no doubt
meant as an alarm; and although she cannot tell who we are, she
will probably steam up, and if they have any force opposite
Burmuda will give them news that two suspicious characters have
landed, and they will have parties out to look for us."

"Dey can look as long as dey like, sah. Ef dose slave-hunters can't
find people in de swamps what chance you tink dose soldiers
have? None at all. Dey haven't got no reward before dere eyes, and
dey won't want to be going in ober dere shoes into de mud and
dirting dere uniforms. No fear ob dem, sah. Dey make as much
noise when dey march in do wood as a drove oh pigs. You can
hear dem a quarter ob a mile away."

They tramped on through the woods through which McClellan's
force had so painfully made their way during their first advance
against Richmond. From time to time they could hear noises in the
forest-shouts, and once or twice the discharge of firearms.

"Dey call dat hunting, 1 s'pose," Tony said scornfully.

They kept steadily on until it began to grow dark in the forest.
They were now in the White Oak Swamp and not eight miles from
Richmond, and they thought it better to pause until it became quite
dark, for they might be picked up by any raiding party of cavalry.
Vincent was in high spirits. Now, that he had succeeded in his
enterprise, and had escaped almost by a miracle, he was eager to
get back to Richmond and carry his news down to General Lee.
Tony was even more anxious to push on. At last, after three years'
absence, he was to see his wife and child again, and he reluctantly
agreed to Vincent's proposal for a halt.

We sha'n't stop very long, Tony; and I own I am waiting quite as
much because I am hungry and want to eat, and because I am
desperately tired, as from any fear of the enemy. We walked
twenty miles last night from Union Grove to the river, then I
walked to the boat, back to the farm and then back to the boat
again-that's three more miles-and we have gone another twenty
now. I am pretty nearly dead beat, I can tell you."

"I'se tired too, sah; but I feel I could go on walking all night if I
was to see Dinah in do morning."

"Well, I couldn't, Tony; not to see any one. I might be willing
enough, but my legs wouldn't take me."

They ate a hearty meal, and almost as soon as they had finished
Vincent stood up again.

"Well, Tony, I can feel for your impatience, and so we will
struggle on. I have just been thinking that when I last left my
mother a week since she said she was thinking of going out to the
Orangery for a month before the leaves fell, so it is probable that
she may be there now. It is only about the same distance as it is to
Richmond, so we will go straight there. I shall lose a little time, of
course; but I can be driven over to Richmond, so it won't be too
much. Besides, I can put on a pair of slippers. That will be a
comfort, for my feet feel as if they were in vises. A cup of tea
won't be a bad thing, too."

During their walk through the wood Vincent had related the
circumstances of the carrying away of Dinah and of her rescue.
When he had finished Tony had said:

"Well, Massa Wingfield, I don't know what to say to you. I tought
I owed you enuff before, but it war nothing to dis. Just to tink dat
you should take all dat pains to fetch Dinah back for me. I dunno
how it came to you to do it. It seems to me like as if you been sent
special from heben to do dis poor nigger good. Words ain't no
good, sah; but of I could give my life away a hundred times for you
I would do it."

It took them nearly three hours' walking before they came in sight
of the Orangery.

"There are lights in the windows," Vincent said. "Thank goodness
they are there."

Vincent limped slowly along until he reached the house.

"You stay out here, Tony. I will send Dinah out to you directly. It
will be better for her to meet you here alone."

Vincent walked straight into the drawing-room, where his mother
and Annie were sitting.

"Why, Vincent!" Mrs. Wingfield exclaimed, starting up, what has
happened to you? What are you dressed up like that for? Is
anything the matter?"

"Nothing is the matter, mother, except that I am as tired as a dog.
Yes, my dress is not quite fit for a drawing-room," he laughed,
looking down at the rough trousers splashed with mud to the waist,
and his flannel shirt, for they had not waited to pick up their coats
as they left the boat; "but nothing is the matter, I can assure you. I
will tell you about it directly, but first please send for Dinah here."

Mrs. Wingfleld rang the bell on the table beside her.

"Tell Dinah I want to speak to her at once," she said to the girl that
answered it. Dinah appeared in a minute.

"Dinah," Vincent said, "has your boy gone to bed?"

"Yes, sah; been gone an hour ago."

"Well, just go to him, and put a shawl round him, and go out
through the front door. There is some one standing there you will
be glad to see.

Dinah stood with open eyes, then her hands began to tremble.

"Is it Tony, sah; for do Lord's sake, is it Tony?"

Vincent nodded, and with a little scream of joy she turned and ran
straight to the front door. She could not wait now even to fetch
her boy, and in another moment she was clasped in her husband's
arms.

"Now, Vincent, tell us all about it," his mother said. "Don't you see
we are dying of curiosity?"

"And I am dying of fatigue," Vincent said; "which is a much more
painful sort of death, and I can think of nothing else until I have
got these boots off. Annie, do run and tell them to bring me a pair
of slippers and a cup of tea, and I shall want the buggy at the door
in half an hour."

"You are not going away again to-night, Vincent, surely?" his
mother said anxiously. "You do look completely exhausted."

"I am exhausted, mother. I have walked seven or eight-and-forty
miles, and this cavalry work spoils one for walking altogether."