Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1879-05-15

Although still a hundred and
fifty miles from home and with
: out money or friends and sur
: rounded by enemies who, had
they known their designs, would
: have arrested them and sent
them back to prison to suffer the
penalty awaiting those who at
tempted an escape, yet they
seemed to view only the bright
side of the future. The many
obstacles they had surmounted
did not in. the least diminish the
remaining ones, but prepared
them to meet them to better
advantage. As they stood on
the bank of the Cumberland a.
waiting an opportunity to cross,
their reflections naturally re-
hearsed their eyentful career
since they had seen this river.
They were fearful of being de-
tected if they should ask any
enc to set them over; so with
daybook and pencil they were
making calculations as they ex-
! amined goods boxes, &C., that
lay promiscuous about the land
ing, as if they had been the prin-
Icipal business men of Clarks-
vile. Finally they slipped III
behind some barrels and boxes
that were piled near the water.
In short time a boy came row.
ing leisureIy down the current
i'll a small boat, and the young
men motioned for him to come
ashore. "What viii you have
for taking us over the i'iver?" It
was jim that asked the question
as the boy drew near. "Ten
CENTS" he replied. "Then here
is the money!" and jim began
to feel in his pockets for their
last dime with as much dignity
as if he had ten thousand dol
lars in them. "Will it upset?"
asked Jesse eagerly as the boat
began to rock, at the same time
stumbling and falling on his all
fours and looking as if he ex-
pected to be drowned the next
moment. "Oh, my head is swim
mingP' exclaimed Jim in a half
suppressed tone; and the youth
ful bOatman was not little di-
verted to see them both lie flat |
down in the bottom of the boat,
as they said ''to keep the thing
from turning over" The idea
that they were only hiding from
the blue groups of Federal sol
-diers on the shore never once en-
tered the juvenile mind. When
he landed his boat on the oppo-
site bank they thanked him
many times for delivering them
from a watery grave, to which
the boy replied by a roar of
laughter. "Well, those fellows
are back-woods green-horns and
never saw a river BEFORE" he So
liloquized as the boat glided |
swiftly back. The country south
of the river was found to be in
tested with Yankees. Flattered |
by their success in public trav-
cling, they concluded to attempt
their journey by day and risk
their chances for lodging at
night. Having again consulted
their compass for the direction,
they struck bee-line for home
through the Montgomery county
farms. "Look!' said Jesse as
they were crossing a pasture
fence; a blue line Of soldiers was
appearing on the summit of a
hill before them. In an instant
Jim was repairing the pasture
fence and Jesse was whoopiny
and running back and forth in |
vain attempt to start a large herd |
of cattle toward the opposite
side of the pasture. 'Drive your
cattle this way" shouted Yam
kee as he rode up and began to
throw down the fence, but Jesse
continued driving as if he did
not hear. They rode in and Sc
lected the choice ones, as they
expressed it., 'for the special use
of Uncle Sam" The young
men protested that they were all |
they had and that they would be |
ruined by the loss. 1t was of no
use, for the more they plead the
more cattle they took. 'It was
luck that they didn't take us in
stead of that lot Of CATTLE" said
jim after they were gone. In
the afternoon of the same day, I
as they were passing through a
field Of corn, another squad was
seen; the result was that some
Montgomery county farmer got
two rows of corn thinmed out
gratuitously. In fact the young
men were so very busy they
seemed to be unconscious of any
one being near. The soldiers
passed on without. suspicion.
Night found them again seeking
shelter. IN the dusk of the eve
ming they ventured up to an an