The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1885-08-27

sils Carts Was souad to Haze nj
8 Tock Lee.
rrl-fr,rf - pr-rr

eiis Curtis Was B0uai 10 Hare nj
& Toek Lee.
IDOtrOit Pre- Prsaa-l
Il was In 1854, down in front Of
Grants army, and I was q mile or 90
outside Of che Union plckets, having
been on q scout. In making my way
back / had been followed pretty close
" By halfa dozen Confederates, and
had eluded them by hiding IN q thick
et. Afler an hours rest, / was creep
ing sl0ng on hands and knees toward
the nearest field fence, when the q
bOge command reached my eaFa, and q
''reb'i stepped in view from behind q
'iYank, in couFse2' he sueFied, e. be
looked me over, holding bis carbine
ready for . shot.
nodded In the Affirmative.
How are you heeied2n
had 3 navy revolver In my belt,
and showed It 10 him.
He threw down bis earbine. drew q
navy revolver from his own belt, and,
coming quite close he, said;
Yank, one Of us has got 70 die. A
week ago some Of you 'uns set the cab
In aiire and turned my poor old moth
or out IN the fields % take sick and die.
/ swore on her grave that would kill
the fust Yank could draw q bead Ons
and you're my meat"
Are you going TO shoot down a
prisoner In cold blOOd?"
That amt Slias Curtis; not much
It's ten Observation-Disclosures
You shall have fair play
You mean We shall light duel"
'SOrter one 1 expect you'll shoot
at me aud miss, and IN shoot ct you
and put ball Into your head. I'm
no bushWaekeF, 70 shoot q man down
without show, but Pm dead certain
to kill you all the same"
We backed away from each other.
The woods were fairly open, and when
we had thirty feet between US there
was no obstruction 10 defect bullet
or annoy the eye.
"All ready, Yank?"
YES"
I'm be fair. You may do the count
ing. GOOd-by 70 you, for I'm dead
RhOt.n
Zone, two, three-frei"
The two pistols made one report,
but a. the noise filled my ears / went
down. / was beWildered, half uncOn-
scious, but realized that / was hurt.
"ShOO, now, but / Just raked his
scalp!" / heard the man say Is he
bent over me. Say, Yank, we must
have another shot. You cut powerful
close 10 my ear, and mebbe lodged
bit Come, fair play, ye know"
l tried 10 rise up, but fell back, and
at that moment two bushWackers
pushed out Of the woods and came
running up. / heard loud talking,
Oaths, threats, and q bullet from q
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 medOWn and asked:
Say, Yank, how fur is Il to your
llnes?b
About q mile from where We
fought"
Straight nOrth?n
''Yes.H
Because those bushWhaekeTs was
bent on killing you, and to see fair
/ play, had to plant 'em both. Reckon
/ amt no more business IN the Con-
fsdeFacy after this. Reckon Uncle
Sam won't be any WIS on me nor JEFF
Davis. Yank, ain We hang to my
neOk?'
Yea
"All right. Keep this ere handker-
chief sOrter waving, as q signal 10 the
piekets, and III carry ye safe TO an
ambulance"
And, clinging 10 the back Of the
man who had thiFsted for my blood l
was soon inside the lines. and sam
was explaining 70 the piekeis:
"NO, I amt no deserter. I've been
sOrter driven in here because Sile
Cnrtis will see fair play II it taseS 3
leg"