The Democratic advocate., 1866-07-12
WESTMINSTER MD THURSDAY JULY u, 1866.


guarded, and in such fort as this p
at would serve no purpose" replied
Captain Titlow; "his orders are from
Washington, as mine arc from him"
"But he can telegraph" interposed
Mr.. Davis eagerly; "thcre must be
some mistake. No such outrage as
YOU threaten me with is on record in
the history Of nations. Beg him TO
telegraph, and delay until he answers" 1"
my orders are peremptory," said
the officer, "and admit of no delay
For your own sake, let me advise you
to submit with patience. As a soldier
Mr.. Davis, you know must execute
orders"
These are not orders for n soldier" :"
shouted the prisoner, losing all control
Of himself. "Thcy are orders for a jail
or--for hangmaD which no soldier
wearing a sword should accept! / tell
you the world will ring with this dis
grace. The war is over the South is
conquered | have no longer any coun-
try but America, and il is for the honor
Of America, as for my own honor and
life, that ! plead against this degrade.
ton. Kill me kill me e. he cried pas
siouately, throwing his arms wide open
aud exposing his breast, rather than
iuaict on me, aud on my people through
me this insult worse than death"
DO your duty, blacksmith, 4" said the
officer, walking toward the embrasure
ar IL not caring to witness the pcrfor.
nance =" |. only gives increased pain
on all sides TO protraet this interview"
At these words the blacksmith nd.
vauccd with the shacklcs, and. seeing
that The prisoner had one foot upon the
chair near his bedside, his right hand
resting on the back of il, the brawnoy
mechanic made an attempt to slip one
OF the shacklcs over the ankles raised;
but, as If with the vehcmeuCc aud
strength which frenry can impart, even
to the weakest invalid, Mr. Davis sud
denly seized his a,sailant aud hurled
him half way across the room,
On lhi. Capisin Titlow turned, and
,ccing that Davis had backed against
the wall for further resistance, began
&, rcmoustrato, pointing out In lrief,
clear language, that this course was
madness, aud thst orders must be On.
forced a' auy cost why compel me, .
he said "to add the further indignity
of personal violence to the necessity Of
your being ironcd! 7"
i an prisoner Of war" hercoly re.
tor,od Davis; II have been soldier in
the armies of America, and know how
lodic Only Kill me aud my last breath
shall be blessing upon your head
hut while have life aud strength to
resist, for myselfsad for my people, this
thing shall not be- done"
Ilcrcupon Captain Titlow called in a
sergeant aud file Of soldiers from the
next room, aud the sergeant advanced
to seize the prisoner. Immediately
Mr.. Davis few on him, seized his mus.
kct aud attempted to wrench it from
his grasp.
Ofcourse such a scene could have but
one issue, There was a short, passion
ate scuhic, In a moment Davis was
flung upon his bed, and before his four
powerful assailants removed their hands
from him, the blacksmith and his sssis-
tant had done their work ono securing
the riyet on the right ankle, while the
other turned the key in the paddock on
the left
This done, Mr.. Davis lay for mo
mcut as if in stupor Then slowly
raising himself and turning round, he
dropped his shacklcd feet 10 the floor.
The harsh clank of the striking chain
seems first to have recalled him TO his
situation, aud dropping his face into his
hands, he burst into a passionate flood
of sobbing, rocking to and fro, aud NUT
teriug at brief intervals, "Oh, the
shame, the shame"
1t may here be stated, though out of
its due ordcr-that we may get rid in
haste Of an unpleasant subject-that
Mr. Davis sorne two months later, when
frequent visits had made him more free
of converse, gave inc a curious explana-
ton of the last feature of this incident.
lie had been speaking of suicide, and
denouncing it as the worst form of cow
ardice and folly "Life is not like a
commisson that we can resign when dis
gusted with the service. Taking it by
your own hand is confession of judg-
nent to all that your worst enemies can
allege. 1t has often flashed across me
as a tempting remedy for neuralgia tor
tufe, but thank God / never sought
my own death but once, and then when
completely frenzied and not master of