Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-03-11
Yankee "Cuteness."

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out many "reminiscences OF which the
following. told by Joseph WingAsld.
once guard over the Union prisoners,
we'll illustrates the Yankees fertility Of
resource:
$50 the old prison Is sold, is it?" 10
said. "Well, gentleman, l never 90
by that place without laughing now. I
can't help thinking Of the cute trick
played by lot Of Yankees there. The
fact is, it was so good that although ]
had been ordered to shoot in among
them, L disobeyed orders. It was
about '63. and, the Libby building was
so crowded that it wouldn't hold any
more prisoners, so they put large lot
Of them in the second story Of tho
building across the street. Soon after
these prisoners came, the prison OH
cials got large supply Of sweet pota-
toes Irregular yams) from North Caro-
lima, and stored them on tho frat floor
Of the building in which these prisoneSD
were confined. Big sweet potatoes
we're Injuries in those days, and Tur-
ner and those fellows kept . strict
watch over the building, can tell you.
The third day after they had been
slowed away, it was noticed that they
we're disappearing at the rate of about
bushel day. At first 1t was thought
that the rats took them, but second
thought showed that the idea WAS
absurd. Sentinels were placed all
around the building with orders 10
shoot any man they caught stealing
those yams. but they didn't see any
body to shoot. and although they were
posted there day and night, and no one
was allowed to enter the room in which.
the potatoes were kept, they continued
to disappear at the rate of bushel ..
day. The Confederates saw their yanss
disappearing in this way and were IN
rious. The thing was an unacoountable-
mystery. The doors and the windows
of the room were sealed, and private
marks we're put on the wax, 30 that il
any one of them was opened it would
be known. The next morning the. Of
ficers went into the room. The wax
was all right, but another bushel Of
potatoes had vanished. Well, sir, il
was the maddest crowd you ever Nsw.
They came after me and ordere 49, 10
take my stand in the room they
locked me in, and a lighted Oh. ~. was
put at each end of the room SO ikus y
could see. I was ordered to shoot on
sight anybody I saw stealing thossa
yams.
st was terribly lonesome In that
room. Just as fast as could light one
candle and go to thu other end OF the
room to light the other, the rats would
cut the first one down. They were
regular Confederate rats, and q candle
was god .send to them. After lot OF
worry got the rats ont OF the way, and
set down near the door waiting for de-
velopments. There I stayed till IL
o'clock, but though l kept my eyes on
the potatoes all the time, I couldn't see
any of them going. Shortly after IL
O'Clock 1 heard q creaking, grating
sound which seemed to be all over the
ON at once. I cooked my gun and
held my breath, but still couldn't SEQ
any sign Of life except the rats creeping
about the aoor. BY George!' ]
thought, this darned place is haunt
ed The sound stopped, but abOut
looked at the pile OF potatoes, and
presently I saw something shoot from
the ceiling and fall on them. saw il
was brick, and could distinguish
rope tiedto it. l crept little nearer
to get good look at the thing. but boz
fore I could examine it, it was drawn
slowly up, aud there was about peck
of yams sticking to it. It went mp
thi ough hole which had been cut ia
the floor above, and presently came
down again with thump right among
the potatoes. It Was the most artful
arrangement you ever saw. The brick
had about fifty holes drilled in it, and
through each hole q sharpened ten-pen-
Dy-nail had been run, SO that when the
brick fell among the yams these nails
stuck into every one they fell on. ]
couldn't help laughing at the smart
dodge those Yankees had taken to get
at the yams. gently put my hand for
ward and caught hold of the rope.
Pretty soon they began to draw on Is,
and when it did not move heard some.
one say, Steady, boys; the bricks
without jerking They did pull stead
lily, and fairly lifted me from the floor.
No jerk; easy, boys, easy the direo-
tor said. and they tugged away. got
red in the face holding to the rope. !
was AFRAID 70 let go because 1 thought
some of those spiked nails might strike
me in passing.
at thought OF my pocket-knife, and
hauled it out just as they were putting
all their weight on the: other end Of the
rope. I cut it!in two. and the end shot
back Through the hole in the ceiling
and I could hear rolling and tumb-
ling on the floor above, showing that
the sudden giving way Of the rope had
had disastrous effect. ! heard anoth-
er voice say, There, now. I told you
so. You've broken the rope. We've
lost our brick, and tomorrow we'll BE-
found out Then another voice called
out. Cant you see il? We might
hook it up Next saw long neck
through the hole. and fsl-
low peering down. Then I called ous,
If You trouble any more Of these POI
tatoes, I'll shoot That fellows head
shot back through the hole Just like
a terrapin, and it was % still as death
up there. hated to tell on them, be-
cause it was such q sharp scheme d
on the enemy; bat / had 10.
When the officers went up next morn
ing to examine the room IL took . long
time tn find the hole. Theea YaniAa1 Is