Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1872-02-20


almost white with terror, and gasped out,
rs do JOS de ting yer say, Mass Cap'n.
Ef yer tells me to 90, rs go. An rs do
ehery word do Missus say. an look af'er
de chilens do bes' | knows, onliI yer
comes dar. Ou'y please come right soon,
Mass Cap'n.' Aud as the Captain left
the tent Tobe laid his face upon his banjo
and cried as if his heart would break.
Captain Leigh found brother officer
whs WAS expecting to go home on n fur
Tough. and who readily agreed to take
charge OF tho boy in whom his friend was
so deeply Interested So it was settled
that Tobe. with his cavalry suit an banjo,
should start for the North the next day.
But that night there came news that
made everybody give up all idea of fur
loughs or going home The Richmond
government, determined upon the cxecu.
tion OF their thrent, to make the North
feel the war rs she had not yet felt it, by
carrying It into her own territory had
organized the grand raid : and all along
the slopes si the Maryl land hills, and
through the quiet Pennsylvania valleys,
the rebels sang their famous 'raiiing
song to the tune of Bonnie Dundee
"old Stonewall, the rebel, he leans on his sword,
And as wa are mounting speaks loudly the word;
Sow let each cavalier who loves honor and right,
Follow close on The feather OF Stuart tonight
CHORUS
"Comc, tighten your girth, come. slacken your
rein,
.lone, ,buckle your blankets aud holsters again ;
Try tho click OF your trigger, aud balance your
blade,
For he must ride sure who goes riding raid
There's man in the white House with blood on
h!s mouth,
IL there's knayes at tho North, there are braves at
the South
We have three thousand horses aud not one afraid,
We have three thousand sabro., and not dull
blade.
Come, tighten your girth," otc.
An order came for Captain Leighs reg
lment to march at daylight.
'Tobe, said the Captain; you can go
in one of the baggage wagons. Strap up
my blanket and poncho. aud take them
along; aud these boots, take particular
care of them for its not often can get q
pair OF cavalry boots to tit as they do
Yer needn't be feared, Mass Cap'n ;
I'se take keer oh 'cm dc bcs' knows.
The main body OF the raiders were re.
ported on the line of the South Noun.
tains. making Tor Gettysburg. Scouting
expeditions were sent out from the North
ern army in all directions and body OF
troops. including Captain Leigh's regi-
meni. were ordered TO proceed by tho
shortest route 10 Getty sburg, and head the
rebels of. Hurriedly they marched across
! Maryland, and reached Emmettsburg,
near the Pennsylvania border line Leav-
ing Emmettsburg, the road crossed u spur
OF the South Mountains. Here one of the
baggage wagons broke down. The drl.
yer Of another wagon stopped to help his
comradc These being in the rear, the
troops passed on, ignorant OF the disas-
ter; and the two wagons were left alone
on the mountain. In one OF them was
Tobe. with the Captains boots; over
which he kept constant watch. The men
worked busiIy ut the wagon, and Tobe sal
watching them. Suddenly trsmpling
Of horses feet WAS heard. and a party oil
cavalry came round turn in the road.
That's good. said one of the men
there's some OF onr boys. II they'll wait
n few minutes, we can 90 along with
'cm.
'Taint none OF our boys said the
other, after Teen glance 'them's rebs
AT the word lobe slid down in the bot
tom OF the wagon under some blankets
and lay silent and motionless with the
boots chspCd in his arms
As the soldiers advanced, the officer
said, apparently in reply TO a question, -
NO. let the men go. We can't do any
thing with prisoners here; but wen look
through the wagons, and If the Yank.
have anything we want. why, 'all's fail
in war;
They reined their horses by the wagons
and. after a lew short. sharp questions,
proceeded 10 break open the trunks and
bags, aud appropriate their contents. =
The General sat on his horse, silent in
spcctor, till from one tlunk was drawn i
perfectly new. handsome overcoat. Il be.
lieve I'll try that on he said. 1t look:
to be just about my fit Then as he but.
toned it up. THAT couldn't fit better il il
had been made for me. Whose trunk is
this ALI here's the name. Major Bar.
ton, -lh cavalry. See here 10 the team
sters; just give my compliments to Ma
jor Ilarton, and tell him I'm greatly
obliged for this coat it's just what need
ed. When he has another like it, shall
be happy to meet him. or his trunk
The soldiers were about finishing their
examination, when one OF them said,
whats that under the seat OF that wag.
on?'
'Oh nothing but torn blanket said
another. Tain. worth taking. We've
got all we want.
There may be something under it,
though
He pushed aside the blanket with his
sabre, and there lay Tobe, endeavoring
but unsuccessl uly, to hide the boots un-
der him.