The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1861-07-30
From the New York Evening Post.
Adventure OF u Spy.

On TO my advantage 10 court oDscurlty.-
Known as spy "short shrift' and read
, rope would have prevented the blotting c
! this paper. Hanging, disguised, on the out
skirts of camp, mixing with its idlers
laughing at their jokes, examining their arms
' counting their numbers, enleavoring o dis
9 cover the plans of their leaders, listening t
this party and pursuing that, joining in tn
chorus Of rebel song, betting on rebel sue
cess, cursng abolitionism, reviling Lincoln
traducing Scott, cxtolling Beauregard, despis
ing Northern fighters, laughing at their tactics
and snoering at their weapons, praising th'
beauty Of Southern bellies and decrying tha
of Northern, calling New York den Of cut
throats, and New Orleans a paradise Of ina
culate chivalry, is but small portion Of th'
practice of any profession ss a spy. Ihf
may not seem honorable or desirable. AS tC
the honor, lot the country that benefits by the
investigations aud warnings OF the spy b'
judge; and the danger often incurred is more
serious and personal than that Of the battle
field, which may, perhaps, detract from it
desrabilty.
1t was dark night. Not star on the
gIimmer. | had collected my quotum of in
telligenco and was on the move for the north
ern line. | was approaching the banks Of 2
stream whose waters | had to cross. aud had
then some miles to travel before / could
reach the pickets Of our gallant troops. 4
feeling of uneasiness began to creep over me;
| was on the outskirt of wood irn"ing the
dark waters at my feet, whose presence could
scarcely be detected but for their sullen mur-
murs as they rush ed through the gloom. The
wind sighed in gentle accordance. [ walked
forty or fifty yards along tho bank. l thon
crept on all fours along the ground and groped
with my hands Il paused-I CROPPED again
my breath thickened, perspi' alton oozed from
me at every pore, and | was prostrated with
horror | had missed my Landmark and
knew not where | was. Below or above, be.
meath the shelter of the bank, lay the skf
had hidden, ten days BEFORE when commen-
ced my operations among the followers Of
JEFF. Davis.
As | stood gasping for breath, with all the
unmstakabe proofs Of my calling about me,
the sudden cry Of bird or pluugng Of a
fish would act like magnetism on nv frame,
not wont to shudder At n shadow. No mat
ter no" pressing the danger may be, if a
man sees an opening for escape hc breathcs
with freedom. But let him be surrounded by
darkness, impcnetrablc at two yards distance
within rifles length of concealed foes, for
what knowledge he has to the contrary :;
knowing too, with painful accuracy, the de-
lection of bis presence would reward him with
u sudden and violent death, AMI if he breathe'
no faster and feels bis limbs rs free and his
spirits as light as when taking favorite pro
menade, he is more fitted for a hero than
am.
In the agony Of that moment-in the sud
den and utter hclpessness felt to discover
my true bcarings-l was about TO Iet myself
gently into the a,ream and breast its current
for life aud DEATH There was no alternative.
The Northern pickets must be reached in
safety before the morning broke, or should
soon swing between heaven and earth from
some limb Of the black forest in which !
stood.
At that moment the low, sullen growl Of
bloodhound struck my ear. The sound was
ravyng; the fearful stiffness broken. The
uncertain dread fled before the certain dan
ger was standing to my middle in the
shallow bed Of the river, just beneath the jut-
ting banks. After the pause Of few Sec
ond~ | began to creep, mechanically and
steathlly, down the stream, followed, as |
knew from the rustling Of the grass and fre-
queut breaking Of tvigs, by tho Unsuitable
brute; although by ccrtsin uneasy growls,
felt assured he was at fault. Something
struck against my breast. could rot pre-.
vent a slight cry from escaping me as stretch
ing out my hands grasped the gunwalo Of
boat moored beneath the pank, Between
turprisc and JOY folt half choked. 10 an in
stant I had scrambled on board and began
searching for the painter in tho bow, in or
der to cast her from her iastenings.
S ddeny bright ray of moonlght-thc
first CLEAN Of hope in that black night!- fell
directly on the spot, revealing the silver
atream, my own skiff, (hiddcn there ten DAYS
tefore) lighting the deep shadows of the
vcrrinr wood, and on the log half buried in
the bank anl from which had that Infant
cast tho line that had bound me to il, the
supple form of the crouch ng bloodhound, his
red eyes cleaning in the moonlight jaws dis
tended and posing for the spring. With one
dart the light skitf was yards out in the stream
and the savage after It. With an oar | aimed
a blow at his head which, however, he eludcd
with ease. In the effort thus n ade the boat
carceucd over towards my antagouist, who
made desperate effort got his fore paws over
the side, at the same time seizing hold Of the
gunwalc with his teeth.
Now or never was my time to get rid Of
the accursed brute. / drew my revolver and
plac ID the muzzlc between his eyes, but hesi-
tated to fire. for that one report might bring
on me volIcy from tho shore. Meantime
the strength of the dog carecned the frail craft
so much that the water rushed over the side,
threatening to swamp her. | changed my
tactics, threw my revolver into the bottom Of
the skiif, and grasped my "bowie" keen as
Malay crceso, and glittering, as | released it
from tie sheath, like n moonbcan on the
stream. Tn an instant had severed the
sincwy throa, of the hound, cutting through
Drawn AID muscle to the nape of the neck.
The tenacious wretch gave a wild, convulsive
leap half out Of the water, then sank aud was
gone.
Five minutes pulling landed mo on the
other side Of the river, and in an hour afte',
without further accident, was among friends
cncompassed by the Northern lii es. That
night | related at headquarters the inteli.
rencc | had gathered, and in few DAYS shall