The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-08-15
FairPIay.
''Git upr

II was in 1864 down in front of
Grants army, and was mile or so
outside of the Union pickets, having
been on a scout. In making my way
back l had been followed pretty
closely by half dozen Confederates,
and had eluded them by hiding in a
thicket. After an hours rest | was
creeping along on hands and knees
towards the nearest field fence when
the above command reached my ears
and "reb" stepped in view from be-
hind large tree.
"Yank, in course ?" he queried, as
he looked me over, holding his car
bine ready for shot.
/ nodded in the affirmative.
"How are you heeled ?"
had a navy revolver in my belt,
and showed it to him.
He threw down his carbine, drew
a navy from his own belt. and, com
ing quite close, he said:
"Yank, one of us has got to die !
A week ago some of you 'uns set the
cabin afire and turned my poor Old
mother out into the fields to take sick
and die. / swore on her grave that
/ would kill the fust Yank | could
draw bead on, and you're my meat ="
"Are you going to shoot down a
prisoner in cold blood ?"
"That amt Silas Curtis-not much (!
It's ten Observation-Disclosures
fire !! You shall have fair play"
You mean we shall fight duel ?'
"SOrter one. | expect you'll shoot
at me and miss, and I'll shoot at you
and put ball into your head. Pm
no bush. Whacker to shoot a man down
without show, but FIN dead certain
to kill you all the same"
We backed away from each other.
The woods were fairly open, and
when we had 80 feet between us there
was no obstruction to defect a bullet
or annoy the eye.
"All ready, yank ?"
Eyes"
"pll be fair. You may do the
counting, Good.by to you, for Pm
a dead shot"
"One-two-three--fire !"
The two pistols made one report,
but as the noise filled my ears / went
down. l was bewildered, half I'M
conscious, but realized that [ was
hurt.
"Shoo, now, but [ just raked his
scalp ~ | heard the man say as he
bent over me. "Say, Yank, we must
have another shot. You cut power.
full close to my ear, and mebbe [
lodged bit. Come. fair play, we
know"
/ tried to rise up, but fell back, and
at that moment two bush whackers
pushed out of the woods and came
mp. | heard loud talking,
oaths, threats, and a bullet from a
pistol tore through the cloth on my
shoulder. Then | must have tainted,
for the next thing | remember was of
being carried on the mans back
through the woods. When he felt
me moving he laid me down and
asked
"Say, Yank, how far is it to your
lines?"
about mile from where we
fought"
"Straight north ?"
yes"
because those bushWackers was
bent on killing you, and to see you
fair play, L had to plant 'em both.
Reckon | hain't no more business in
the Confederacy after this. Reckon
Uncle Sam won't be any wuss on me
nor Jeff Davis. Yank, kin we hang
to my neck ?'
Eyes"
"All right. Keep this 'ere hand
kerchief sorter waving as signal to
the pickets, and I'll carry we safe as
an ambulance"
And clinging to the back of the
man who had thirsted for my blood,
/ was soon inside the lines, and Sam
was explaining to the pickets:
mo, / hain't no deserter. rve
been sorter driven in here because
SiIe Curtis will see fair play if it takes
a leg. "-DetrOB Free Press.
TtOri.c bnut fats