National Republican., 1881-11-05
SAVED BY A SHADOW.
How One or Mosby's scouts Once Heard
Ills Own Death. Warrant Read.

hs own DPneh'Hurrant Read.
The scout was surrounded. He took in
everything at glance, and determined to cut his
way through and risk the chances. Butthe ladies
represented to him that this was certain death.
They could conceal him. aud S. nssented. The
young ladies acted promptly. One ran to the win
dow and asked who was there, while another
closed the back. .door-that IN front being already
fastened. s. was then hurried up the staircase,
one OG the ladies accompanying him to show him
his hiding place. All had taken place in few
moments, aud the Federal troops gave sudden evi.
dence of their estimate OFFS. They fired vol
ley through the iront-door, and the bnllets whls-
tied by the young ladies. Then the door was
burst In and the troopers swarmed into the house.
S. had been conducted to Il garret bare of all
furniture, but some planks lay upon the slecpers
of the ceiling, and by lying down on these q man
might conceal hmselfat full length, and the young
lady retired and returned to the lower floor. From
his perch s. then heard all that was said In the
hall beneath.
"Where is the guerilla?" exclaimed the Federal
officer commanding the detachment,
"What guerilaT 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 trined with. shall search this house. But
first read the orders to the men," he added, turn
| ing to q sergeant
Inc sergeant ODcyeu, ana - ulstlnctly over
heard the reading of his DEATH warrant The
paper chronIcled his exploits, denounced him as a
guerilla andbushwhacker, and directed that he
should not be taken alive. The men were ex-
pressly ordered TO kill him-not to take him pris-
oncr, This was not reassuring TO the scout con-
ceaed under the raters above. 1t was probable
| that he would be discovered in which case death
would follow. There was but one thing to do-to
sell his life dearly. After ransaoking every room
on the first and second floors, the Federal troops
assembled to the garret. The ladies had attempted
to divert their attention from It, but one Of them
asked
"What room is that up thereT
"The garrett" was the reply.
"He may be there-show the way"
"You see the way" returned the young lady.
do not wish to 60 up In the dust 1t would soil my
dress"
"You go before. then,' said the trooper to ne
| gro girl who had been made TO carry about can
die, for the night had come now. The girl laughed
and said "There was nobody up there" but at
the order went upstairs to the garret, followed by
| the troopers. The decisive moment had come.
s. heard the tramping feet and cooked both his
pistols. The light streamed into the garret, and
| looking over the edge of his plank he saw the
garret filed with troopers, All seemed over and
his discovery certain he was about to spring
down and fire when the men growled; " He'll,
there's nothing here" and went down stairs again,
The servant girl had saved him by a ruse. She
had taken her stand directly beneath the broad
plank upon which S. was extended, ana the
deep shadow had concealed him. To this ruse he
doubtless owed his life. An hour aiterward the
Federal detachment left the house IN extreme Ill
humor, and before morning S. was miles away
from the dangerous locality where he had over
heard his sentence of death. S. is now one Of
the leading clergymen IN Virginia.-J Eaten COOKE,
n Philadelphia Weekly Times.