The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1881-11-24
SAVED By A SHDOw.
How one of Mosbys Scouts Once lIear(
His Own Death Warrant Read.

How one of Mosbys Scouts Once Hear
His own Death Warrant Read.
!, EstM Cooke, IN he Philadelphia Tb'cs)
The scout was surrounded. HI
took in everything at glance, ant
determined to cut his way through
aud risk the chances. But the la
dies represented to him that this was
certain death. They could conceal
him, and s. assented. The
young ladies acted promptly. Oue
went to the window and asked who
was there, while another closed the
back door--that in front being al
ready fastened. 5. was the hurried
up the staircase, one of the ladies
accompanying him TO show him his
hiding place All had taken place
in few minutes, aud the federal
troops gave sudden evidence of their
estimate of 5. They fired volIey
through the front door, and the bul-
lets whistled by the young ladies. -
Then the door wac burst in and the
troopers swarmed 10 the house.
s., had been conducted to gar
ret bare of all furniture, but some
planks lay upon the sleepers of the
ceiling, and by laying down on these
a man might Conceal himself. S.,
mounted quietly and stretched him>
self at full length, and the kind lady
retired and returned to the lower
floor. From bis perch S. then heard
all that was said 10 the hall beneath
Where is the guerilla 2 exclaimed
the Federal officer commanding the
d etschment.
What guerilla ? asked one of the
ladies'
The rascal S.
He was here, but he has gone
That is untrue, the officer said,
'and | am not to be trihed with. |
shall search this house. But first
read the orders to the men, he ad-
ded, turning to sergent.
The sergent Obeyed, aud 5. dis
tinctly overheard the reading of his
death warrant. The paper chroni-
cled his exploits, denounced him as
a guerilla and bush whacker, and di
rected that he should not be taken
alive; the men were expressl or
dered to kill him, not to take him
prisoner. This was not reassuring
to the scout concealed under the
rafters above. Ii was probable that
he would be discovered, 10 which
case death would follow. There was
but one thing to do-to sell his life
dearly. After ransacking every
room on the frat and second floors
the Federal troops asceDded to the
garnet. The ladies had attempted
to divert their attention from it, but
one Of them asked
'WheL room ia that up theref'
'The garrett was the reply.
He may be there show the way
'Yol see the way returned the
young lady. 4 do not wish to go
up in the dust; it would soil my
dress.
You go before, them said the
trooper to negro girl who had been
made to carry about lighted can
die, for night had come new. The
girl laughed and said, There was
nobody up there, but at the order
went up stairs to the garrett, followed
by the troopers. The decisive mo-
ment had come. S. heard the trampy
feet and cooked both pistols. The
light streamed into the garrett, and
looking over the edge OF his plank
saw the garnet was filled with troop
ers. All seemed over and his dis
covery certain; be was about to
spring down and fire, when the men
growled, Hell, there's nothing here
and went down the stairs again. -
The servant girl had saved him by a
ruse. She had taken her stand di-
rec,ly beneath the broad plank upon
which S. was extended, and the deep
shadow bad concealed him. To this
ruse he doubtless owed his life. An
hour afterward the federal detach
ment left the house in extreme ill
humor, and before morning 5. was
miles away from the dangerous To-
cality where he had overheard his
sentence of death. S. is now one Of
the leading clergymen in Virginia.