The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-11-25

of their own, and we three prisoners
were sent to the rear under a guard Of
three men, two of whom were wounded
and unfit for rough work. We three
were on foot but not pinioned, and oul
guards rode along behind US.
tom had always sworn he would
never 60 to Libby prison, but here lie
was on the way to it, and it looked as
though he would have a chance to see
Libby in spite of himself.
"Well, we tramped along for five OF
six miles and then the corporal in charge
called a halt.
"'Cover these yer Yanks with your
irons, boys he said, as he dismounted.
'We may as we'll hobble 'em while we
rest
"He %dismounted, and taking one OF
his blanket straps approached Tom.
"'Set down, Yank,' he said, but the
next minute he got a crack from Toms
right that sent him heels up over a log,
and Tom was off into the bushes like q
deer. The other two shot at him but
missed, and the corporal jumped up and
chased him, but he was a tride dazed by
Toms blow, and anyhow was no match
for him in a foot race, so Tom got clear
away.
"We were glad of it, of course
though our arms were pinioned the rest
of the way.
"Now, Tom, you tell your part of the
story. Hearsay evidence is not admissi.
b1o ~ fb;c oourt Won know
Our host laughed, and his daughter, a
pretty girl of eighteen, went over to
him, as if to lend the encouragement of
her presence, and stood beside him with
her hand on his shoulder.
"Roscoc has made a fairly good story
of it." said he, "but he hasn't done
himself justice. It was my horse that
was shot and he made me take his own.
That's how he happened to be. captured.
His memory always was a little treach-
erous. Well, I ran through the woods
until my wind gave out and then walked
on two or three miles until I came to a
narrow road running north. Following
this awhile and keeping a sharp lookout
I presently saw a horseman coming down
the slope across a little run. You may
believe 1 hid as quickly as I could, and
watched him from behind a tree. He
was a Confederate officer, well mounted
and riding carelessly.
CHOW, in the hurry, u captors had
overlooked a little revolver which car
ried in one of my boots. So l got 1t
ready, and when he was opposite l
stepped out aud had him covered at ten
feet distance. There was nothing for
him to do but come down, and we ex-
changed clothes, and I tied him securely
and left him quite comfortable with his
head on a bunch of moss by the roadside.
Then I rode off on his horse toward OF
lines. In a few minutes l struck the
road that we had marched over so
YEARLY in the morning, and after one or
two narrow escapes got back to our lines,
and who should I find there but Bill and
Richards, who had managed to get the
b.st of their guard shortly after my es-
cape. and so we were all safe back TOR
our Thanksgiving dinner after all.
ooh, I forgot to say that my Reb 9TH
Ger was a bearer of dispatches which
proved to be very important, and l got
my promotion in consequence"
"Now, look here, Tom-that won't
do! broke in Roscoe, glazing with pre-.
tended wrath at his friend. Il shall
have to take up your dropped stitches"
Every one turned expectantly toward
him as he paused, and, seeing that the
colonel was not inclined to proceed, he
went on:
"When Tom struck that main road, as
he told you, he didn't 90 north at all.
but just cantered along south on our trail
and overlook Vi in an hour. He had got
himself up 80 we didn't know him at
first, but he rode along with US, told the
corporal who he was, heard the story OF
the mornings fight (the corporal took
care not to mention his escaped prisoner),
and then said, carelessly
"'That strap is rather tight. corporal.
Their hands are swelling. They can't
march long that way. There are four OF
us now. I'll take the responsibility
Then he halted us and unbuckled
the strap, slipping his revolver into my
hands as he cid so. In a few minutes
Richards tumbled the wounded man ut
his lett OH MS morse. ION udu LIS plStoA
at the corporal's ear and the tables were
turned.
"We thought it prudent to keep in tho
woods on our way back to the lines, so
it was right in our way to pick up the
bearer of dispatches, whom we found
where Tom had left him, and you can
just bet we were cheered when we rode
into camp next morning with our four
prisoners"
The young girl slid her arm round her
fathers neck and kissed him while he
modestly kicked log into position on
the andirons, amidst a buzz of admiring
appreciation. ..
'"Colonel," said the Southerner, rising
and coming forward and extending his
hand as a silence fell over the little COM
pany, II want to thank you, sir, for hav.
ing put that roll Of moss under my head
when you left me by that road in Wiz.
ginia, sir. You tied me pretty blamed
tight, but that moss was a great comfort,
sir."-New York Telegram.
Long.Lived Soldiers.
The death of Mcclellan from natural