Daily Kennebec journal., 1880-10-22
Continued from Yesterday. }

Tok6R lSb1.
Continued from Yesterday
Jordan was sent for. lie was tall.
gaunt, sallow man oi about thirty, with
small gray eyes. II fine. talsetto voice
pitched in the minor KEY. and his speech
the rule dialect of the mountains. His
face h;;d as many expressions as could be
found in regiment, and he seemed
strange combination of cunning, simpici-
ty, undaunted courage. and undoubted
faith; Vet, though he might pass for a sim
plcton, he talked quaint sort of wisdom
which ought To have given him To history.
The Young colonel sounded him thor
oughly for the fate of the little army
might depend on his fidelity. The mans
soul was as clear rs crystal, and in ten
minutes the Yankee saw through it. His
history is stereotyped in that region.
Born among the hills. where the crops
are stones, and the shces. noses are sharp
ened before they can nihble the thin grass
between them, his life had been one lthc
hardest toll and privalion. He knew
nothing but what nature, the Bible. the
course of time. and two or three of
Shakespeare's plays had taught him. but
somehow in the mountain air he had grown
10 be a mana man rs civilized nations
account manhood
WIZ did YOU come into the war;? at
last asked the colonel.
To do my sheer fur the kentry, Ginral.'
answered the man. And l-didn't druv
no barg'in wi tn Lord. | guy Him my
life squAr' out; and ef He's mind ter
tuck it on this tramp why. it's a His'n;
I've no.hin' ter SAY agn it,
You mean that you've come into the
war not expecting 10 get out of itP
That SO. Gin raj
viii lou die rather than let the dispatch
be taken?'
4 wuil.'
The colonel recalled what had passed in
his OWE mind when poring over his moth
er's Billie that night at his home in Ohio
and il decided him. Very WELL he said
! will rust YOU
The dispatch was written on tissue pa
per. rolled into the form OF a bullet. coat
ed with warm lead. and put into the hand
Of the kentuckian. He was given a car
binc, n brace of revolvers. and the tleetcst
horse IN his regiment, and, when the moon
was down started on his pcrilous Journey.
He was to ride ut night, and hide in the
woods or IN the houses OF loyal men in the
daytime.
1t was pitch dark when he set out; but
he knew every inch OF the way. having
travelled it often. driving mules to mar
kct. He had cone twenty miles by early
dawn. and the house of friend was only
a few miles beyond him. The man him
sell was away; but his wife was at home,
and she would harbor him till nightiall
He pushed on, and tcthered his horse in
the timber but il was broad dav when he
I at i1H
The good woman gave him breakfast. and
showed him the guest-chamber, where ly-
ing down in his boots, he was soon in a
deep slumber.
The house was a log cabin in the midst
of few acres Of deadening- ground from
which trees have been cleared by grid
ling. Dense woods were all about it
but the nearest forest was a quarter of
mile distant and should the scout be
tracked. it would be hard to get away
over this open space, unless he had warn
ing of the approach of his pursuers. The
woman Ghought of this. and sent up the
road on "a mule, her whole worldly pos
sessions: an old negro, dark rs the night
but faithful as the sun in the heavens. 1t
was high noon when the mule came back
his heels striking fire, and his riders eyes
flashing, as if ienited from the sparks the
steel had emitted.
'Dey in commin', missus,' he cried. -
not haff a mile away,-twenty Secesh -
ridin' as EFF de Debil was artcr EN-!
She barred the door, and fastened to
the guest chamber.
Go She cried. through the winder,
ter the woods They'll be here in n
minute.
GLOW many is thar?' asked the scout.
"Iwenty,-go,-go at once,-or you'll
be taken,'
The scout did not move; but fixing his
eyes on her face, he said:
Yes, / hear 'em. There's sorry
chance for my lite already. But, Rachel.
I've thet about me thet's wuth more than
my llfe-ithet. may be, III sav kaintuck. II
I'm killed, will ye tuck it ter Cunnel Cra-
nor, at Paris 2
minute 10 lose, tell YOU
Il know; but wul you swar ter tuck
this TO Cunnel Cranor for tn Lord
that hears us?'
Yes. yes, will. she said, taking the
bullet. But horses hoofs were already
sounding in the door yard. oh, why did
you stop to parley ?''
Never mind, Rachel answered the
scout. Don't tuck on. Tuck We keer o.
the dispatch. valu, it loike yer life
loike K5intuck. The Lords calm fur
me. end I'm Already
But the scout was mistaken. Il was
not the Lord, but dozen devils at the
DOORWAY.
What does ye want?'' asked the woman
going to the door.
The man as come from Garfield's camr
at sun-up-John Jordan. from the head O.
Baine, answered voice from the outside
'Ye karn't hev him fer the akin, said
the scout. Go away, or Iii send some o
We whar The weather's warm, recon-
.Pshass, said another voice-from hi.
speech 'sne of the cbivalry. There art
twenty CT US. Well spare you life, ii yot
give up the dispatch; il you don't wei
hang yoa higher than Haman.'
The reader will bear in mind that thi