Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1865-12-16

4 HAH " VI. " w HG hNVITV 10
| sumed tdkes ! 4 Ii sure enough, Ned was
sentenced to be hung that evening. He
couldn't or wouldn't give any account of
himself, further than to Say that he de-
served his fate; but he begged he might
be shot instead of hung The major, how
ever, shook his head, and remarked that
hanging wastoo good for him, About an.
hour before the time appointed for poor
Neds execution, he sent for me to come TO
him. had kept away on purpose for 1
was afraid I should make a baby OF my
self if l had any talk with him. How
ever, as he sent an earnest message to see
me, l put on stiff upper-lip and went.
corporal Jukes," says he, in a low but
firm voice. you have acted very, friendly
toward me always, and l want you TO do
me q last act Of friendship. / want you
to ihtercede with the Major to have me
~ daren't do il, +" says l., choking down
my feelings; sit's contrary to my rdisci-
pine. Why in thunder did you desert
US 1 asks as mad as blazes. r-,.r
Corporal," says ne, after looking at me
awhile in silence, "if you will by any way
get your commander to order me shot in
stead ofLyou know will tell you a secrety
otherwise, not a word more shall eyet pass
my lips. .4.,s vi o. 100. sre 81
I looked at him a minute and rushed
cut Of the tent.
qMajor," says I, pretenting.myself as a
messenger from the condemned
Major, what l am going to say is contra
~ to discipline, I know, and I must bear
the consequence; buff / was to be beat
with ramrods the next minute, I would
beg you to let Ned Kenton be shot instead
of hungP and 1 told him what Ned had
said. Ar 5'l.o M Do si-7
The Major had an easy disposition at
bottom, and, besides, he was as curious as
awoman. Our discipline, too, was not as
it is in the regular line-we being a sort of
guerrillas ourselves, you know. Well, the
end of it WAS the Major agreed that Ned
should be shot. "But," said he, ,"I shall
order you to make n of the shooting
party, Corporal Jukes, in return for your
interference in the matter. No words, 60
sir" .ei.q .af t5rr'- .,.s "a -s- -.
: When / told Ned the result Of my mis-
sion, he seized my hand, and said eagerly /:
$50 much the better, Jukesl You can. be
my friend to the last, for you can give me
an easydesth' by shooting me through the
heart. The other men fire. badly, you
know" said he, with a smile, "bht you
are q dead shot, and l lookto you to plant
the ball right here" and he put his finger
on the spot. .H-fl.rr -fff Taf 'I
- This gave me such a turn that I felt
as If I was suddenly sea-sick, and for q
while 1 couldn't utter a word. Ned, how
ever, went on to prove to. me how this
was in truthuan act1lof friendship, and at
last l began to think maybe he was right,
though 1 still felt very pale about II.
Nov corporal says nS,bI promised to
tell you a secret, and. here it is: George
Kenton was not my hPpther he was no
kin Of mine. His name was not Kenton.
deserted to. you because he had re-
ceivedia mortalainiury atthe hands OF, Jour
own peeple-thatA Isl Of one of the chief
Confederate officers, and finding it inn
possible to obtain satisfaction, or rather.
resepgsssxcept by an assassination, which
hesSorned,-he entered xour service, in the
lof meeting fheHmah1 who had
xroPggd him him iP SOM fair fight and slay-
TBdE : he seemed to hate al the
tebs pretty bad, and $3.50 o.. "A
"a he eared.nothihg for'them n way or
the ptheE ReaKaETt think, alas that
he49yed carnage,fH e had a monomaniA
for battle4SoE sho1Ia1 think his wrong
made him mad, 'sndoihe saw in every
Southern soldier he encountered a man
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