The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1880-01-15

an honest homeIy hospitality such as sore
ly needed just then. Motherly Mrs D.
made haste to fry platter Of enormous
slices of ham, and eggs, which, with hot
biscuit, and green corn, and yellow butter,
and creamy milk, Ia three gallon pitcher
full, made "a feast worthy OF the gods, In
my famished estimation. Then, with genu-
inc courtesy, she called everybody. out OF the
room-''to let the youngster eat" lie ate.
No use to make oath to that.
The storm continuing, l spent the night
at the farm house; and succeeded eventual
" in allaying the distrust which my Yam
kee ways" and ''brogue," and boyish po-
liteness to bare footed girls, had aroused
1t was hard for them to believe l could have
passed through the Yankee camps, and the
''Hoss' PEN culvert but they finally
agreed that it must have been rare stroke
of luck due to my patriotic vow to enlist IN
the first Southern corps [ should meet after
running the Blockade" This vow was
yeritable one, and had no thought of eva
ding it. now that the perilous passage was
accomplished. [ had come to serve my
State and section it mattered little as to
the rest, boyishy thought. On the NOR
row, therefore, [ should proceed to Lees
burg, the nearest post, and enroll myself as
Unless, indeed, there should be opportunity
for proceeding to Manassas where | hoped
nv brother Hamiton's regiment might be
found; though without knowledge of his
whereabouts for months. The reader will
see that at that period 1 was too simple
minded to know the difference between Pa
triotism, IN the ranks, and IN office. Had |
hunted up my friends, and looked around
for an easy berth, l might have done full
duty vet escaped thousand hardships, tor
which was perhaps less fitted by nature
and by training than any man IN the service.
ENCOUNTER WITH LUNATIC.
Early next morning, bidding adieu to the
j family, set out for Leesburg, passing
several Confederate cavarymen who We're
lounging at a shop near the point where
entered the turnpike from the plantation:
They did not detain me ), though informed
them of my recent arrival from 1ankeedom
Curious videttes, l thought, who will al
low stranger to enter their lines unchal
lenged.'
However was not to get off entirely un
molested. A mile or SO up the road was
country store, dwelling, ETC., which L hac
scarcely passed when a hoarse yell rang II
my ears, and [ felt myself seized by th'
neck and arm as suddenly and viciousy as i
tiger had vauted from the fence corner t.
NV back! 1T was only after considerable
strue Cling that | could twist around suffi
cientlv to see that my assallant was tai
gaunt, giant of a man, with halr like an In
dian, and eyes swapping wolhshly, as he KEEP
roaring -''Oh you internal hound Yo7
divilish ID dog of s. Yankee spy. Yo1
black hearted sneakin hell-cat OF traitor
I've got you! I've got you I've got you !!
And it really seemed that he had gotten me
as could hardly keep him from draggingm
backward upon the ground, much less shak
him off How long this singular encounte
might have continued is not easy to tell, ha
not a third party appeared upon the seen
in the shape of a bare headed screaming VIC
man, who proved to Be the daughter of th
madman, and knew how to deal with bin
At all events he ceased to struggle, and pre-.
emily walked away growing sullenly; where
upon shesbegged me mot to mind 1t, 9
her father was "a little Tightly Il shoul
think he was , and had fashion OF stol
ping travellers, because there had been S
much talk of Yankee spies, etc. Afterwaro
I learned to laugh at the old man S peculis
, mania for catching Yankees" but on tn
particular morning, stranger. as L was,
f seemed little like over-crowding of advel
lures. And they were not ended.
WOUNDED IN THE CAMP OF FRIENDS.
A. short time afterward [ heard the ella
, tering horse hoofs of a party of cavalrymel
, pursuing me in hot haste. Two dashed
; front; two closed in rear; fifth drew h
sabre, shouting Surrender "Allright
! said I,-s'please consider me surrende
edr' They looked little sheepish, land p'
: up their weapons. ''Are you the man TIL
come over the river last night ?" &C
| course, l am: told you all about it when