Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1862-04-19

cape, but not altogether in the manner
first intended. He went on the roof,
it is true, and tied the long rope to the
chimney, casting one end of it down
toward the street, but this only For q
blind He had seen that the bricks of
the dividing wall between the h ouse
occupied by his mother and one Of two
adjacent buildings had been loosely
put up under the ridgepole, and his
present intention to remove a few of
these, crowd through into the loft of
the other house and then replace them
This purpose he effected before the
soldiers searching for him came up
near enough to hear the little noise he
was compelled to make. The open
trap-door Of the roof and the rope
around the chimney served to mislead
them as he tad hoped, and it was with
intense satisfaction thathc heard them
announce the manner Of his escape
Immediately after the whole party left
in haste, first threatening Mrs. Rug
giles with subsequent vengeance for
harboring, concealing, and conniying
at the escape Of a rebel spy, even tho
! the man were her son.
When fully satisfied that the sol
diers had gone young Ruggles attempt
cd to return into his mothers dwelling
b. the way he had left, but in again
displacing the bricks for t his purpose
one slipped and went down through
an open trap-door upon the floor be-
low, making loud noise. Immediate
| ly light flashed up through the open
ing, and tinid female voice demand
el who was there.
Here was a dilemma. Should the
young soldier reply he would be expos
ed, and should he keep silence a search
woul be made which might prove
more serious in its consequences
What was to be done? A sudden in
spiration seized him. 1t was a wo-
mans voice, and women are seldom
steeled to pity. He would make him
self known to her, appeal to her sym
pathies, and throw himself upon her
mercy.
'Lady," he began, in gentle ,one,
calculated to reassurc his fair hearer,
''be not alarmed. I am a friend in dis
tress, the son of your next nei ighbor.
am hunted as spy by British sol
diers, and if found my life will be for
teited. If you cannot pity me, for
Gods sake pity my poor mother, aud
assist me for her sake -
He presented himself at the open
ing to the loft and boldly descended
before the lady, sweet beautiful girl
of eighteen, who stood with light in
her hand, end seemed dumb and mo.
tlonless with commingiing sense of
fear, surprise AID curiosity. The young
man continued to speak as he descend
| ed, and hurriedly went on to narrate
| all that had occurred, concluding with
| the search Of the soldiers and his es-
cape into the loft above. .
"Thank God, it is in my power to
aid you, sir!'' were the first words of
the girl, spoken with look and feeling
Of sympathy that made the heart of
the young soldier bound with strange
| emotion.
She then went on to tell him that a
cousin from New Jersey, about his size
and build, and looking not unlike him,
was on a visit to the family, having a
pass from General Howe. This pass
she had been looking at, and by acci-
dent it was i'll her possession, the cons
in having gone out with the rest of the
family and forgotten it.
''Take it and fly, and may G)l pre-
serve you," she said ~ can arrange it
with my kinsman. I can have lost it,
and be can easily procure another"
She hnrricd him down stairs, throw
ING a cloak on his shoulders in the way
in which she insisted upon his wearing
it, saying that it had belonged to de-
ceased brother, and he could return it
at any future time. She then hastened-
to get the pass, which she placed in his
hand, and urged him to 90 at once.
''If I could but see mother for a mo-
ment," he said.
''No, no-leave all to mel will ex-
plain all to her-go while you can, be-
fore it is too late''
Good In heaven bless you, sweet Ia
dyr' he said, impulsively seizing his
band and touching it to his lips, Il will
never forget You"
The next minute he was gone. He
escaped. And true to his declaration,
he never forgot the sweet girl who be-
friended him in his hour Of peril.
Years after the honorable wife of Gen
eral Ruggles was many time heard to
tell of her first romantic meeting with
him she loved, when a hanted fugitive
from the Continental army.
Floyd said he was enlistedfor the
whole war, and he has been looking
for the hole ever since.