The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1879-10-10

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scout stepped behind the one leading up
stairs. This door swung close to the
floor and hit the wall, SO as to leave
quite q corner where the walls joined.
The scout was scarcely hidden when
the house was full of men. All had seen
him enter, and they felt sure of captur-
ing him. While some stood guard at
the doors, others began q search. They
examined every room in detail, constant
" expecting to unearth the Yankee, and
two Of the kitchen doors were pulled
back for q peep in the corners. The
cellar was the last place searched. A
window in the wall was open, and after
q brief search the soldiers concluded
that the scout had crept out of this and
made off while they were searching
above. At this moment one of the col
ored women raised an Outcry and de-
clared she had seen blue-cOat enter
the corn-field about thirty rods from the
house. Away went the crowd, whOop-
ing and yelling, and the scout was left
alone with the women and children.
Dave now planned to step forth, cross
the highway and make for the cover OF
the forest, but just as he was ready to
execute the movement he heard the
rumble of wheels on the road. A force
was passing, and his appearance would
have been the signal for pursuit. The
only way was to remain where he was
and trust to luck.
After hunt of half an hour the pa
troll struggled back to the house with the
information that the Yankke had made
his escape for the time being, but that
patrols had been sent out to cut off his
return. The Lieutenant was offered
food, and he had just drawn up to the
table to eat a cold bite when he was
joined by a Captain of some Independent
command, whose men had just come
down the road. The two talked briskly
of army matters and movements as they
piled their knives and forks, and what
the scout overheard, as he crouched be-
hind the kitchen door, was regarded of
value when carried to Federal headquar-
tiers.
When the two officers had finished
their meal it was near shutdown, and as
they rose to 60 Dave had narrow es-
cape from discovery. In the room with
them was a white and cOlored woman,
and as the Captain rose up the white
woman remarked.
"Why, Captain, you are loaded down
with dust. Wait minute, and I'll
brush it off,"
She started for the broom. She was
doubtless in the habit of standing it be-
hind the stair door, for her hand was al
ready on the edge of the door to swingit
back from the wall when the colored
woman cried out from the
other room that she had it.
The Captain was vigorously busted, his
hostess duly thanked, and the two
officers departed together. However,
the scout was but little better off. He
could hear troops moving along the
road, and if he left his hiding place be-
fore night his capture or death would
be almost certain. But could he remain
where he was?
The excitement having somewhat sub
sided the women went about their
household duties, and one of the cOlOred
women was instructed to get supper.
Dave had been standing rs stiff as a
board for an hour and a half, but he
dared not change his position. The
woman talked pretty bravely, and his
escape from the house might not be ac-
complished as safely as he had at first
anticipated. The windows were open,
and he could hear sounds which con-
WINGED him that soldiers were in camp
not far away.
BY and by twilight came and supper
was ready. Dave hoped that after the
meal was over the household might
scatter long enough to permit his exit
unseen, but Fate had trick to play
him. The meal was not more than half
over when some article fell to the floor
upstairs with loud bang. At this the
mistress of the house remarked to one
of the children:
"Albert, shut that stair-dOor and stop
that draft of wind.''
The boy left the table, walked over to the
door and pulled it shut, leaving Dave in
his corner without shelter. The lad gave
a start of surprise at sight of the intruder,
but before he could cry out, the scout
stepped boldly forward with a polite
good evening to all. No one was great
" startled, as soldiers were frequent
callers. II
"Who is it?" asked the mistress, as
she looked up.
"Gor' a mighty! it's dat Yank!" ex-
claimed one of the colored women in re-
ply, as she caught sight of his blue
clothes.
A frightened look swept around the
circle, and as the black woman turned
to fly the scout called out:
Don't be afraid-no one shall be
harmed. I am going right out doors
now"
He edged towards the back door, when
the mistress asked:
Shave you been in the house all the
timer"
"Behind that door," he answered.
The colored woman began laughing
in a hearty manner, and the others
couldn't help smiling at the idea of how
the soldiers had been tricked.
"You can't be SO very bad, or you
would have killed us all before now,"
said the woman, as she rose up; and