Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1861-06-04
NO. n.

Gentlemen" said the aged man
respectfully. . am an old man, and
do not know that | ever did any man
wrong. All ask is for the privilege
of getting home 10 my family | beg
that you will release me-
They laughed his entreaties TO scorr.
and bore h';n away in the dark.
screaming and yelling like demous,
doubtless 10 torture him with scourges,
and perhaps TO murder him. as they
have so many before him. During all
Tins time lay within a dozen feet of
some of the party. expecting every
moment that | would be discovered hy
some unlucky fend. 1t is we'll for him
and me that he did not, for that mo-
ment would have been the signal for
his death. | would have shot as many
as | could and died dearly
At last the train moved out of the
depot slowly around a curve, and when
Il was out of the range of the depo,
lamps, | dropped from my perch and
cIambered upon the rear platform OF
The car Going into the car | SAT down
IN the darkest corner, and drew my
hat over my face In order to escape
recognition. BY feigning sleep | es-
caped the attention and remarks of nv
toWnsmen. many Of whom were on
board of the train, until morning,
when We reached Atlanta, some 300
miles from Augusta. If | could get
beyond there knew | was comparatively
safe, as there was no telegraph be-
tween that place and Chattanooga,
though there was one from Augusta to
a lIanta.
1t was daylight when we left Allan
IA, so that further conceament was i'm
possible. Ny fellow passengers ex-
pressed considerable surprise at seeing
me and were anxious TO know where !
was gong. | informed them that [
was going 10 Chattanooga, as usual, 10
purchase a large quantity of bacon IN
which | was dealing extensively MANY
Of my acquaintances whom | knew TO
be IN the same business were also going
after baco beef, pork -four. grain, and
such other provisions as we were forced
TO purchase In the more Northern
States.
We all talked secession loudly; and
wore Cockades and invoked destruction
upon the Federal Government. and
none were more violent in the discus
sion than |. 1t was my only ALTERNATIVES
| was fleeing for life and the merest
hair might turn the race against me-
When we arrived at Chattanooga. we
found tie market almost as high as al
Augusta, 50 we all concluded 10 90 on
as far as Nashville, where we could
purchase at more advantageous figures
When we arrived al Nashville. we found
the Commssary of the Confederate
Army had fairly skinned the town Of
provisions; so that there was nothing
left bu for US to 60 on as far as Louis
vile, where w could obtain an unlim-
tied supply at reasonable rates
There were five cars Of US, all gcirg
for provisions. At last we landed IN
Louisville, and found to our disapp int
ment (!) the inducements were so small
for buying there that the only aierna-
tive was to 90 to the great fountain
head at Cincinnati and buy what we
wanted. We all went across the river
into Indiana, every soul Of Us, and got
aboard Of the cars for Cincinnati.
Just before the train was TO star. an
old man arose and made this rernars
Gentlemen. | don't know how you all
feel, bot / thank God am on free soil
once more" Oh. YOU should have
heard the shout that then went up
Eocry man of rs hod decn Hcelug
fr0n7 the SoUt/terp Troff1;-s and dared
not avow II 10 each other. We ali 90,
out Of The cars again upon the platform.
and there refreshed our throats for
once with three loud heers for FREE
DOM"