Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-11-09
IN COLD BLOOD.
How Hard IN Old soldier Foand u TO XIII
Young Guard.

Young Guard.
"Ive killed many a man." said an
army colonel, "but always In battle. I
never was 80 placed as TO iccl obliged
to kill man in cold blood but once.
never want to be placed in such po-
sition again" "HowDit?" asked.
"well," said the Colol'9F. sighing. with
unwillingness to go back 10 that di.a.
greeable day, "you see ] was one of
the 100 Federal prisoners brpugh, down
from Savannah to Charleston 81 stop
the shells and balls from Gen. Rufus
Saxton's batteries. You remember W.
were stockaded there on a space In
front Of Charleston ~ a sort of tarve,
for the Federal guns. Well. ON th.
way down from Savannah to Charleston
We were 10 escape. We planned u In
Savannah. The train. rambling.
shambling affair, drawn by q wbccxy
old locomotive capable Of something like
ten miles an hour ON n dead level, was
to be guarded by old men aud young
boys unfit for field duty. They were
|e.Hsa si, courssi est - cusns'nbsssd
secret I'd d D. = s..s.' y 'ss =
give, guard to watch, asun 10 seine.
Each of Us carried an improvised
weapon of some sort. / remember
picked up the bolt OF an old car coup
ling and hid it under my shirt. and
suppose all the others had arms of a
similarly terrible description. My duty
was to kill a guard who stood right in
front of me at the end of the car when
the signal should be given. II was an
old passenger car. sat in the last
seat facing the wood box, and the guard
stood by the stove. Presently he came
over and stood by the wood boz. And
such guard! A white.haired farmers
boy Of some IL years, 10 sleepy with
long duty that he could scarcely keep
his eyes open. He had good face,
with very innocent expression, that
refined the appearance Of his coarse
clothes and dirty shoes. He had an
old-fashioned musket-a muxale- e-loadcr,
with big percussi IN cap. And this
was my victiml looked him sh over
and measured him carefully. One blow
of my hard bolt on that soft head would
end him.
TRYING NOT TO KILL HIN.
~ have no idea OF the scenery Of
that route. saw but one thing oil the
way-thst boy. I watched him - the
hawk watches the little chicken. And
as I watched pitied him more and
more. He was no young, 10 fair, 10 In
nocent. i stecled myself with the
thought that he must die IL va would he
free. At tho Gp1e, though, was look
ing for somesNlyin which could do
my dpty and yetsave the boy. I tell
you it's . terri4le thing 70 sit for hours
oppejfe . 1eE;haG1ed boy measuring
is, but confess without hesitation 10 q
tremor every time thought Of his dy-
ing gasp. As watched him land
everybody else in the car. was watching
me) l wondered whether I could not
disable his gun and then content my
self with stunning him when the mo-
ment came. With such care N you
can scarcely conceive reached forward
through those short legs for the nipple
OF his musket. After several trials I
touched the gun, oh, 10 carefully, and
in moment moro had the cap In my
hand. l threw il out Of the window.
Then the whole car breathed freer.
know l did. The guard still slept. I
wondered whether I coujdnt Get that
musket away. could Try. did, with
inconccivable patience aad scars.
slowly disengaged the dangline leW; I
carefully lifted the clasped fingers; I
put the hands in his lap; took the
musket slowly from between his legs,
and quietly pushed It under the seat on
which sat. As I did m, he shook
himself, turned over with his head
against the wall, and went on with his
nap. Now l was myself again. He
was in my power, and no blood would
be shed. But just at that moment word
was passed TO me that the plan had
failed. The coward who was to give the
signal was afraid to give Il; the point
was passed; il was all over. the loco
motive was whistling for the next town.
Oh, how mad I was! ! could have
killed that coward without q quivcr.
But there was no help for il. I slowly
and carefully pulled out the gum Of the
sleeping guard, put il between his legs
again, and quietly clasped bis Nns.-.
around the barrel. And then we rolled
into town; and. he awoke and shook
himself, and yawned and looked sharp.
ly at me, better for his sleep. But he
never missed that cap -[Philadclphia
Record.