The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1886-04-07
couple did not go away unprOvided with

I hh IfD-oAytt W uufAFeL IL. nt ldpAl IIU-
gress Of the war, however. soon absorbed
public attention. and the Dutton episode
ceased to be talked about
Some time ago, in a little town IN
Western Texas, l accidentally ran against
Jim DuttOn. There was no mistaking
the man. Time had dealt gently with
him, and be looked prosperous. slap
ped him on the back with hearty
Hello, Jim Dutton,'
Jim turned and fell all to pieces, 50 to
speak. He recognized me and shook
hands After long and pleasant con
versation, Jim said
4'CoIoDel reckon you would like to
know why my wife and I left Blue
Rock r
We'll you may explain if you feel ike
! it, - 1 replied.
Later in my room at the hotel before
blazing fire and with a good cigar to
stimulate him Dutton unbosomed himself
to me.
Colonel. " sand he, lit makes me blush
now 70 think what greenhsrn, what
miserable ignoramus I was at the begun
ming Of the war"
''Oh, no. I suggested deprecatingly.
''But was. y continued Jim Il verify
believe was the biggest fool in Georgia,
and yet thought l was the smartest
man In the State. You see, being post
master had pulled me up SO that felt as
big as the governor himself. Well. after
the Confederacy organized went ahead
under my old Federal commission, attend
ing to the postal business Of the
Confederate States. One night nv
wife. who was a great reader, limited to
me that may be l had laid myself liable
for high treason. At first / laughed at
the idea. and then l rummaged through
some old histories and found that in
every civilized country where there was
a rebellion and a government officer sided
with the rebels he was held guilty of
treason. Now, il struck me that our Sc
cession was in fact rebellion, and if we
were whipped, as I feared we would be,
/ would be in bad box. l told my wife
about il, and she reminded me had a
copy of Blackstone, and advised me to
read up on the punishment of treason
Dutton paused a moment, and then
said:
'sYou see I was so badly scared that
was afraid to consult anybody, and be-
side there was no lawyer at Blue Rock.
| had heard a heap about Blackstone
and supposed everything in it was the
law of the land. SO that night I got the
book down and my wife and I looked
through it. I give you nv word that
what we read made our hair stand on
end Why, sir, we learned from that
book that | was liable TO be convicted of
treason, drawn TO the place of execution
on a hurdle, hanged, divided into four
quarters, beside forfeiting my property
and having my blood corrupted. Nv
wife burst into "a fit Of tears and threw
her arms around my neck blubbered
a little, too.
Just to thin'c.' said nv wife. that
my Jimmie must be cut into four quarters
Ike beef, and be hanged. and all sorts Of
horrid things
9 1T Is bad. said, and then 1 see my
blood is to be corrupted
How can that hurt your asked my
wife, after you are deadP
% Dunno, said, but don't Ike the
idea.'
'sWeI, the long and short Of it was,
we decided to skip. made nv arrange
ments about the property as you know,
and we slid out one Saturday night We
never stopped till we got away out here
1t was on the frontier then, and bless
your soul, the war never bothered US.
We never saw a soldier. +"
'.But. said |. didn't YOU find out
very soon that your fears were without
foundatiOnff'
mo, sir; 1t was years and years before
/ felt safe In fact 1t was some time
after the war ended 1 had begun TO
accumulate property My ranch was
turning cut well. and I had leisure TO
read books aud newspapers. You bet 1
looked up that treason business, and
found what a monumental fool I had
made Of myself
leaned back in my chair and laughed
heartily.
"Oh, you may laugh, said Duttou,
''but my folly and ignorance were the
making of me
You would have done well if you had
remained In Georgia, replied.
NO, l wouldn't. I'd stuck to Blue
Rock, and perhaps been postmaster there
vet on a salary of $75 a year. Now l
have ranch worth S150.000 I have
knocked about in the world 1 20 every
year TO st. Louis and New Orleans. and
/ am beginning 70 eniov life. Come home
{ WIN iuc a-1 sec ANr oA-f twenty
miles from here"
I had 70 decline the invitation, as I was
going 70 leave the next day.
'.You can tell the boys, if you ike, p
said jim, at parting. some Of those
Blue Rock fellows are as green as l used
20 be, and don't care what they may
think about IT, And. Colonel. tell them
that me and the old woman are getting
along Just splendid. and that my two
sons and two daughters are the finest lads
and lasses in Texas.
As rode OF turned when came to
the first hilltop, and half mile below
in the village street I could see the ex-
postmaster Of Blue Rock waving his som
brero after me.--Atlanta (Ga.J COnsfita-
ton.