Springfield Globe Republic

MAJOR-GEN. RANDOLPH.

The Surprising Way in Which He Turned Out.

I was a young man of leisure. My physician had prescribed a vacation, and I was taking it in a summer boarding house among the hills, in company with an uncle and aunt and some pretty cousins.

One of these cousins was Alice Brantley. She was an orphan, my uncle's ward, and she added to the attraction of large, dark eyes and a fair face that of a lovely disposition and a strong character. This is not a story of my courtship, or I might tell how the grape vines were laden with their purple harvest, the apples were showing their golden color through the leaves - in short, how I had lingered far beyond my convalescence, all for the joy of sitting in the light of Alice's eyes and listening to her low voice.

But the time was coming when we must separate. She was poor. I had yet my name and fame to make in the world. Wanting a position as governess, she had replied to an advertisement from a lady in the South. Her application had been accepted, money had been sent for her outfit, and she was busy about her preparations.

Alice and I were together under a big apple-tree one morning, she stitching away on some numberless garments that women think they must have if they are going to make a journey; I lazily lying on the ground trying to make her stop to eat the golden fruit with which I was pelting her, when my uncle came near with an open letter which he threw into Alice's lap.

“I am glad you will have company, child,” he said.

Alice read it, and in answer to my inquiries told me that Dr. B., a well known divine from one of the large Eastern cities, who knew my uncle well, had written, introducing Major General Randolph, of the Confederate army, who was to come through our town and would accompany her to her destination

We thought no more of it except that I remember the inward curse I visited on the poverty that compelled me to allow a stranger to do the task that would have been so delightful to me.

Mrs. B., to whom she had engaged herself as governess, also sent a letter of introduction and we only awaited his coming.

Well I remember the morning that he arrived. We were sitting on the broad piazza in front of the house as he walked up the drive with my uncle.

He was a man of about medium height, rather slight, but giving the impression of great activity. His whole bearing was that of a soldier.

He had a remarkable face, wavy, brown hair brushed back from a high forehead, fair complexion, eyes that changed with every changing motion, now laughing, now pathetic, now keen and sharp, now earnest, never really sinister or wicked. His gray traveling coat and handsome brown valise became him well, and his slouch hat, of the honest, softest felt, gave him a distinguished appearance.

With an air of good breeding worn by a man of the world he acknowledged the introduction which my uncle gave in passing, and went to his room to remove the dust of travel

His coming marked an era in our quiet life. It was the last week of August. Many of the summer boarders had fled, and those that remained were perhaps the most cultivated who had been with us. In those hazy days of late summer and early autumn there was little to do but sit on the piazzas and watch the changing lights on the hills.

General Randolph was here and there and everywhere “I have seen much of the world since, and Alice, my wife, is a keen judge of men and things, but we can both freely say that he was the most fascinating man we have ever met. He had a keen intellect and was brilliant in conversation. His fund of information seemed endless. He would sit on the piazza an hour at a time, twirling the little cane which he always carried, discussing a favorite author or telling a funny story or pathetic incident of his army life. We asked no greater pleasure than to watch the lights and shadows of his wonderful eyes.

The ladies were charmed with him. One of my cousins mixed his brandy and water nightly, and a rich young widow, who had many suitors at her feet, received his attentions with evident pleasure. But he had the tact which made no one jealous or unhappy in his presence. Not a pang crossed my mind in thinking that Alice would travel with him. He was my ideal of a Southern gentleman and my only feeling was one of pleasure that Alice would be so well taken care of.

He formed a special friendship for a gentleman who had a school in the neighborhood. I remember that one evening as we sat in the parlor he asked this gentleman to purchase for him a number of books during a visit to New York. He wrote down from memory the titles of at least one hundred of the best of books, and our friend readily promised to do as he desired, and give the privilege of his discount. The General also proposed to bring his brother to our friend's school and offered a generous subscription to aid him in his work

He stayed two weeks and then left for a few days. He was expecting to return and bring his brother, then take Alice on their journey

He came back, but his brother was not with him.

“Harry came to the depot,” he said, in explaining, “but was suffering so much from a felon on his hand that I had not the heart to insist on his coming. He will be here in a few days.'

But all pleasant days must end, and the last of our pleasant season came.

He and Alice started. He had left a substantial check in the hands of our friend, and we were all sorry that we might never meet him again.

I lingered a few days to gather my things together, and was spending my last hour with my uncle and his family, when our friend, the Professor, came suddenly into the room with a dazed look, saying:

“General Randolph's check has been returned”

We could not believe our ears. General Randolph dishonest! Impossible!

My uncle telegraphed at once to his clerical friend in the East. Alas! Dr. B. knew no such man. He was blind, and wrote by means of a secretary, so that his signature had been easily forged.

I was crazy, maddened! Alice had gone with him: Where? O, where? I took a detective and started in search of her.

I gathered my own savings, the bank furnished more money and I determined to find him and bring him back to justice, dead or alive.

We followed them to New York, but they had left the day before. We traced them by means of a small cane which he had left to be marked at a jeweler's store. It was to be engraved: “From Randolph, of Virginia, to Bush, of Kentucky.” and was to be sent to Lexington, Ky. We followed them to Cincinnati. I recognized his handwriting on the register of one of the hotels in an assumed name. As I pointed to it the clerk laughed and said:

“I'd like to collar that fellow. He played us the neatest bit of roguery that I've seen for many a long day. He went to the theater one night and brought back with him a chap that he picked up there. They were as thick as hops. They must room together. I had charge of the safe and as they came to the desk to get the key, your friend said to the other in the airiest tones you know what a way he had - (Yes, I knew): Now, you must excuse me, sir; but of course we never meet each other before, and I think it would be better to leave our valuables in the safe over night. I have a package of papers beside me that is worth a good deal, and, with your permission, I'll take a check for it.' The other chap did the same, leaving a watch and quite a sum of money. Now, what do you suppose that infernal rogue did! Early in the morning, before the other fellow was awake, he slipped his hand into his pocket, got out the check, dressed himself, came down and handed it over to the clerk (a different one in the morning, you know), and received the watch and the money, leaving his friend his package of papers, worthless, of course. You may be sure we haven't seen him, since

We then visited the chief of police, who conducted us to the rogues' gallery. I hate to live over again the distrust of human nature that entered my soul that day when, in a conspicuous place, I saw the handsome face and brilliant eyes of our friend Randolph.

“He is one of the biggest rogues in the country.” said the chief. “He has been in prison twice for forgery, and has done more petty crime than any man I know of

We traced them in one slight way and another to Buffalo. There, in one of the first-class hotels, to my joy, I found Alice. She said that General Randolph had gone out for a few minutes, and they were to leave that evening. He had taken her even to the town where she had expected to go, showed her the house of Mrs. B., but regretted to find that the lady was still in the North on her summer trip. Alice had been treated with perfect courtesy, but rather by the power of his magnetism than any other way he had got her on the cars and taken her to Buffalo.

We subsequently concluded that his purpose in taking her was to make her of use in counterfeiting. She was a fine penman and that was one of his diversions

She promised the officer to board the train that evening, as had been agreed upon and after it was in motion to point out General Randolph. She did so and thus was he delivered up to justice. On the return home he escaped once, but was recaptured.

After he was fairly locked in the jail I went to see him. He looked haggard, but met me with all his polished ease of manner.

“…It is all a mistake.” he said: “all a mistake. It will be righted soon. I heard you were searching for me and was traveling to find you.”

“Strange.” I answered, “that we were looking so hard for each other and couldn't come together. I hope the matter may be righted as you say.'

But it never was righted. He was tried and sentenced to Charleston State Prison for seven years. I have heard since that he played insane and was released, and that he was feted in one of our smaller cities as Governor of Arkansas.

Perhaps one of the few truths that General Randolph ever told was that his brother had …a felon on his hand.”

The many questions that will arise in the minds of my readers I can not answer. I have given the facts; you must form the theories.-Chicago Inter Ocean.