The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-05-03
with Wirtz's assistance, stepped upon the
large stump Won see thsrs

"'5oidiers OF The Confederate States he
began; What news is this that has been
borne to your district commander from the
commandant of this post? Can 1t be posi-
BILE that soldiers of the South-Georgisns-
have been guilty OF desertion-of abandon.
ing the duty assigned them Of guarding yon-
der horde of vandsls, whom your more val
orous brothers in arms have captured upon
many q wellfought fieldT
AT this instant, IL o'clock. from the GEN.
ter Of the prison pen was heard sound OF
song. Turning my eyes In that direction, saw
that several thousand men bad congregated,
while Others were Fastening toward the assem-
blsge. Perhaps not more than fifty voices
were wording the first verse of the familiar
anthem. The speaker outside was continu-
ing expressions of establishment at what he
bad heard, when the chorus was reached. and
with detonsiions like sn explosion 5000
voices pealed:
The starspangled banner, o long may it wave
Ger the land OF the free and the home OF the
| brave
the song-burst had startled the speaker or
drowned his utteraDce, for he had suddenly
stopped and turned his face toward 1t. When
1t had ceased, and only q few score voices
were singing the second stanzs, he CON-
manded Wiriz: Go stop that noisep Writ
fastened away and Howell Cobb resumed:
"'Would you see that horde turned loose
within your State, to pillage and burn your
homes, with your wives, sisters and dsugh-
ters at their mercyT
1.-THE verse was sung and the chorus reac1e
again. The congregation numbered 1000
more than before. Heavens what a
swell of soundl The very air
seemed to culver with the concussion-
on mount were stunned with wonderment
Wirtz, who had reached the great gate, stood
stock still as if paralyzsd. The soldiers
forming the square were all now facing the
prison.
1.-THE storm lulltd, the speaker sought to
resume, bat his manner was disconnected.
Writ was moving nervously about but es-
saying nothing. They heard the breeze of
song sweeping the lines of the third
stanza, but knew 1t only ioreboded the re.
turn of the tempest. And now it comes:
The star-spangled banner
"There are twenty thousand throats swell
ing the call of the pennant under which
they had fought, aud five thousand more
joined in the invocation
% long may II wave.
! Ger the land OF the free and the home OF the
brave.
"rhe echo of the last word has but struck
the branches of the pines, when they begin
to repeat. Higher, wider, deeper, stronger,
louder, the SWELL 1t peals-it roars-it
I'm Ts 10 arft
OF song The speaker outside
stands transixti. He has heard the
anthem before, but never as now.
Perhaps it is reminding him of
the high position he but lately held under
the flag it deities, The listeners appear al
II ost panicked. a Churchman's gun drops
from his hands without his missngit.
Again they repeat, and now the scene grows
wild. Thirty thousand voices are changing
the chorus-thirty thousand bosoms swell
ing with thought Of country and flag and home
and loved ones from whom they are parted.
Men with but one leg Chamber up and, sup.
porting by their stronger comrades wave
their caps aioft and join the chorus:
The star spangled banner, o long may 1t wave
Ger the land OF the free and the home of the
brave.
"Once more they repeat. and now all the
prison is in the sky.rending peal-the very
walls, the ground. Poor fever wasted frames,
within an hour OF dissolution from their
spirits, half uprise and propping upon one
hand raise the withered fingers of the other
aloft while they unite their cracked voices in
the refrain they will hear never more:
The star spaneled banner, o long may Il wave
n free Of
brave"
On the Northern, western and southern
sides CT the old prison grounds there was
scarcely any trace remaining OF moat or
wall. Over at the eastern side, which was
the rear of the Inclosure we found q few
scattering stock ade timbers, none entirely
erect, but still standing. In the shadows OF
the twilight they lowered grim reminders
OF an unhappy past Many of their
fellows had fallen and been used for
feel by the colored people whose homes were
near. But here these remained, fit emb'ems
OF a few old bourbons of the 6oath and our
radical Republicans OF the North, whose
only mission in the Republic appears to be
to keep alive memories OF and sententious
feelings over the civil war. I mentioned
what they suggested 20 me when Graham
said to Merritt: Lets overthrow the
radicals ard bourbons.' Graham 90.
lecied one and Merritt another, and
in a moment the two old timbers, rotten at
their base, were thrown to the ground.
Each OF the young men had laid out Three OF
the fanatics when Graham assaulted the
only remaining one. He pushed 1t with his
hands; 1t swayed, but did not yield. He pat
shoulder to II and bucked against it, bat
without success. "Hs Is q tough old polit.
ict sinner" said Merritt "but let ms see
what the South and North united can do
with him."
THAT is good" Graham responded With
laugh. Both together now-one, two,
three" and the old timber fell to the earth.
The Engineer Was Injured.
II seems that Lew Thomas, engineer on