Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-06-27

! perate expe1ents
10 the prison was young Texan who had
served on Bragg staff, and under Morgan II
kentucky, and was, therefore acquainted Will
Hines, Grenlell, and the other rebel officers llC
lulIy believed in the theory Of Stale Rights
that IS, that part is greater than the whole
but was an houest nun, who, when his word was
gwen, could be trusted One glance at his opln
res)nte face showed that he feared nothing
that be had, too, that rare courage which De.
lights 10 danger, and courts heroic enterprise
from pure love Of peril Early in the war, fC
had encountered Colonel De Land, former
commandant OF the post, on The battlefield, and
taken him prisoner A friendship then spranQ
up between the two, which, when tie tables
were turned, and the captor became the captive
WIS not forgotten Colonel De Land mado Inn
CHIEF clerk ia the medical department, and gave
him every possible freedom. At that time It
was the custom to allow citizens free access to
the camp; and among the many good men and
women who came to visit and aid the prisoner
wasa young woman, the daughter Of well.
known resident of Chicago, She met The Texan
AM a result as natural as the union Of hydrogen
and oxygen followed. But since Adam courted
Eve, who ever heard Of wooing going on in a
| prison A" 1t lie not exactly the thing" said
Colonel De Land " had YOU not better pay
your addresses at the lady, house, like gen
tleman A guard accompanied the prisoner;
but it was shrewdly guessed that he stayed out
side, or paid court to The girls in the kitchen
This was the state of things when the present
Commandant took charge Of the camp. lie
learned the facts, studied the prisoners face,
and remembered that he, too, once went account
ing. As be walked his room that Friday night
he bethought him of the Texan. DID he love
hs State better Than he loved his alh lnced wife +?
The CJmmandant would test him
/" But shall betray my friends Can DO
that in honor " asked the Texan.
Did you ask that question when you be
trayed your country " answered the Command
ant
" Let me 60 from camp an hour. Then will
give you my decision
"Very we'll
And, unattended the Texan left the prison
what passed between the young man and the
young woman during that hour DO not know
and could not tell il did know for am not
writing romance, but history. However, with
out lifting the veil ON things sacred | can say
that her last words were, " Do your duty. Blot
out your record of treason God bless her for
saying them and let "Amen be SAID by eve
~ American woman
On his return to camp, the Texan merely said,
will do it, and the details OF the plan were
talked over. He was to escape from the prison,
ferret out and entrap the rsbel leaders. How to
manage the first part OF the dangerous pro.
gramme was the query Of the Texan. The Com
maldants brain Is fertile. An adopted ctileo,
in the scavenger lre makes periodical visits to
the camp in the way OF his business, and him
the COmmsndant sends for.
"Arrah, yer Honor, the Irishman says, al
ha'n't q tr-raitor Bless yer beautiful sowl /
love the kintry and besides it might damage
me good name and me purity profession. "
lie IS assured that bis name will be all the
better for dieting lew weeks in dungeon, and
did not the same thing make Harvey Birch
immortal,
Half an hour before sunset the scavenger
Vo'..os law v...A.p -t,h hiv Wagon. ~ ans I,I
with dry bones, broken bottles, decayei food
and the rubbish Of the prison; and down belJw,
under blanket, he stows away the Texan. A
hundred comrades gather round to shut oil the
gaze Of the guard but outside is the real dan.
ger. lie has TO pass two gates, and run the
guantlet OF half dozen sentnels His wagon
IS fuller than usual and the late hOur--it i,
now after sunset-wlll OF itself excite suspicion
1t might test the pluck of brayer man 10,
the sentries bAyonets are fied, and their guns
at the half trigger but he reaches the outer
gate ln safety Now ST. Patrick help him tor
be needs oil the impudenc3 OF an lrishman
The gate rolls back the Commandant stands
neryously by but sentry cries out
You can't pass it sagin orders. M wag-
ins kun 60 out srter drum beat
"Arrah, don't be fool Don't be aither
obstructln' honest mans business answers
the lrshmAn, pushing on into the gateway.
The soldier is yigant, for bis officers eye is
on him.
" Halt he cries again, "or III fire.
FIRE. Waste yer powder on yer friends,
like the bloody minded spapeen ye are says
the scAyengcr, cracking his whip and moving
forward
Ii is vel he does not look back. II he should, |
he might be melted to his own soap-grcaso
The sentrys muskct is leyelled he Is about to
fire. but the Commandant roars OUT
Don't shoot and the old man and the old
horse trot of into the twilight
Not an hour latcr, two men, in big boots,
sloucbed hats, and biownsh butternus, come
out of the Commandsnt's quarters. With mul- |
hed faces and hasty strides they make their way
uNNE Nlo uiulN llkuttu lo1d lutu lht wy aus
ing, after while, before u largo maDsion, they |
crouch down among he shadows. l. Is the
house Of the Grand Treasurer Of the Order OF .
American Knights, and into 1t very coon they /
see the Texan enter. The good man knows him
well, and there is great rejoicing leorders up
the iatted calf, and soon i; Is On the table, I
steaming hst and done brown in the roasting.
When the meal is over, they discuss a bottle Of
Champagne and the situation. The Texan cannot
remain 10 Chcagl, for there ho will surely lie
detected lie must be oil - Cincinnati 10y the
first train and he will arrive in tho nick OF |
time, Tor warm work is daily expected II rs he
any money about him? No he has | lt it 10 |
hind, with his Sunday clothes, in the prsju,
lla must have funds but the worthy gentle /
man can lend him none, I he is loyal mIn /
OF course he is was he not the " peoples can
didate fot Governor' But no one over heard
OF a woman being hanged for treason. With
this he mods to his wife, who opens her putse,
aud tosses the Texan roll OF greenhacks. They /
are honest notes, for an honest face is pu them
At the end OF an hour goodnight was said aud
the Texan goes out 10 fnd a hole b. hide 10 |
Down the street he hurrits, the long, dark shad [
ows following
III enters the private door Of public house,
sp,aks msgO word, aud rs shown 10 room
in the upper story. Three low, prolonged raps
on the wall, And-ho is among them. They are
seated about a small table, on which is plan |
OF the prison. Une IL about forty tye,-a tall, |
thin man, with a wiry frame, a jlyial face, and
eyes which have the wild, rowing look OF the
Arabs. lie s dressed after the fashion OF Eng |
lish sportsmen, und his dog-a tine gray blood |
hounds stretched on the hear h-fug near him, /
lla looks n rocklesa. dsspernte charaeer. ann |