Plymouth advertiser. [volume] (Plymouth, Ohio) 1853-1988, 1854-05-13

sdored them for their considerate kind>
ness; and that, though they always con-
demned crime, they united in suggesting
tha, he who committed it, might have been
led into it by circumstances rather than
desire.
HOW MR.. SMITH GOT THE CoU>TERsIGN.
The following is the conclusion Of a
letter Of correspondendent of the ST.
LOUIS Republican, wiring from Liberty,
Clay County, Mo.
Before | conclude this already uncon.
scionable letter, must tell you q bran
new anecdo,e that heard yes,erday-no
other paper has the news. To enjoy il,
however, you should have heard it nara.
tad, as | did, by an actor in the scene, a
Missouri volunteer. You know this is
Doniphan's country, and the narrator bit
Of wag, by the by, was volunteer in
his regiment. 1t seems that when the
regiment was at El Paso, some Mexican
mob had got up a big fandango, 10 which
all the officers and none of the privates
were Iinvited. The sentinels were
posted out round the encampment, the
word for the night was given out. and
strict orders were issued to the officers of
the night TO permit none Of the volunteers
to pass the lines without giving the ceun-
tersign. This done, the Colonel and
most of the officers Oil duty departed.
| IL bopnaoad tho =, oF crepslo
man, whom we will call Tom Smith,
graced the muster rolls Of the regiment,
and the gentleman in question, though ou-
ly a private was aware Of the party and
the restriction, and fancied that he could
enjoy the f7uity wines of El Paso, and
manage filtration with the Mexican SEN
oritas as well as his betiers. There was
one decided obstacle in the way, howev.
or. TO attend the landango it was abso>
lutely necessary to pass the guard--i. was
a bright moon.ligh. night, the sentinels
were Missouri rifemen, and could hit a
squirrels eye at one hundred yards. Now
Tom stood six feet nothing in his stock
ings (when he wore a pair) and was large
in proportion, The certainly of being shol
at, and the equal certainty of being hit.
made the risk of trying to dodge the
guard, as Tom first intended, entirely too
imminent, and after due cogitation he
was reluctantly compelled to admit to
himself, that before lie could participate
in the pleasures of the party TO which he
was uninvited. it was necessary 10 know
the countersgn. Tom, therefore. sought
his tent and consulted his messmates.--
Now, every man Of them was anxious to
60, but no one could devise any means oi
overcoming this insuperable obstacle.--
Toms mess was knowing one. Every
b'hoy's mouth watered when he though,
Of the 'fandango,' and they had already
frui,lessly tried oil the usual means of
learning the word for the night. They
had found the officers Of the guard unap-
proachabe. the guard was vigilant and
incorruptible, and, "What is the counter
sign :" was a secret as undiscoverable as
the identity of the author of Junius, or
the whereabouts Of Sir John Franklin.
The mess was in despair, and they were
} almost on the point of swearing that they
didn't believe it would be much of fan.
: dongo' after all, when lucky idea occur.
red to Tom. With him, TO think was to
act--he was philosopher, though not OF
the Grecian school, and instead of shout
ing Eureka" he proceeded coolly and
: deliberately adjust his uniform, (which
consisted Of brimess hat, leathern
, breeches, and linsey hunting shirt,) the
: efficiency Of the Missouri regiments, how.
ever, depended upon their trusty weapons
and their ability to use them, and when
Toms trus y sabre was buckled to his
side. his equipment arranged, and his
carabine shouldered. he was armed exact
" as were the sentinels then on duty.
, This effected, he proceeded to address
his wondering fellew soldiers:
Now. boys said he, NUNS the word
keep your eyes skinned and be ready
for start, and il | don't get the uord iu
forty minutes. may my carbine hang fire,
} and my sabre loose its edge, the mex. time
, we meet the Greasers.'
Within few feet Of the line Of sentin
and nearly equal distant from the post as
signed 10 two of the guards then on duty
. there grew large muskee, tree that threw
r its dark shadow full yard beyond tn,
r the line Of guards, while every object be
, yond the the shadow was VISIBLE in th,
moonlight. Tom took his station in TIL
deep shade, on the line between the tw.
. senlinels, whose forms could be dimly
traced. while his own tall figure was in
3 visible ut q distance of ten feet on ei,he
side. Half an hour elapsed. when III,
P distant sound of measured steps, the clank
2 ing of sheathed sabres, and the challang.
lof,he nearest sentry. announce that ths
: officer Of the guard was making ha