News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-03-04
WHY HE DISAPPEARED.
A Romance of the yvar.-AbOut POST
master who Cut sticks and Ran.


western Texas, says newspaper cores
pondent, l accidentally ran against
Jim Dutton. There was no mistaking
the man. Time had dealt gently with
him, and he Locke Rsperous, I
slapped him on thS5 o hearty
t'Hello, jim Dz4l
Jim turned and felrad to pieces, so to
speak. He recognized me and shook
hands. After long and pleasant con-
versation, Jim said:
"Colonel, reckon you would like to
know why my wife and | left Blue
Rock2"
"Well, you may explain if you feel
like it." replied.
Later in my room at the hotel before
blazing fire and with good cigar to
stimulate him Dutton unbosomed him
self to me.
"Colonel," said he, ''it makes me
blush now to think what greenhorn,
what miserable ignoramus I was at the
beginning of the war"
ooh, no." | suggested deprecatingly.
"But was, " continued Jim. 81 verify
believe I was the biggest fool in Georgia,
and yet / thought 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 I went
! ahead under my old Federal commission,
! attending to the postal business of the
Confederate States. One night my wife,
who was a great reader, limited to mo
that may be had laid myself liable for
high treason. At first laughed at the
idea, and then I rummaged through
some old historys and found that in
every civilized country where there was
rebellion and q Government officer
sided with the rebels he was held guilty
of treason Now, 1t struck me that our
secession was in fact n rebellion, and if
we were whipped, as I feared we would
be, would be in bad box. told my
wife abont it, and she reminded me that
I had copy of Blackstone, and advised
me to read up ON the punishment of
treason"
Dutton paused moment, and then
said:
'FYou see, was so badly scared that
7 was afraid to consult anybody, and be-
sides there was no lawyer at Blue Rock.
I had heard 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 l looked
through it. give you my word that
what we read made our hair stand on
end. Why, sir, we learned from that
internal book that was liable to be con-
victed of treason, drawn to the place of
execution on q hu1ala. hanged, divided
into four quarters, Resides fOrfciting my
property and having my blood corrupted.
| My wife burst into flood of tears and
threw her arms around my neck.
blubbered q little. too.
"'Just to think, said my wife, that
my Jimmie must be cut into four
quarters like beef, and he han ged, and all
sorts of horrid things
q" 1T is burned bad, I said, 'and then
see my blood is to be corrupted,
"'How can that hurt your asked my
wife, after you are dead2'
Dunno said, but don't like
the idea.
"Well, the long and shot of 1t was,
we decided to skip. made my arrange
ments about the property as you know,
and we slid out one Saturday night. We
never stopped till we got way out here.
1t was on the frontier then, and bless
your SOUL the war never bothered u.s.
We never saw q soldiern
'IBut," said I, 'didn't you find ont
very soon that your fears were without
| foundation2"
"No, sir; it was years and years before
felt safe. In fact 1t was some time
after the war ended. had begun to
accumulate property. My ranch was
turning out well, and I had leisure to
read books and newspapers You bet l
looked up that treason business, and
found what O monumental fool | made
of myself"
/ leaned back in my chair and laughed
heartily.
ooh, you may laugh" said Dutton,
''but my folly and ignorance were the
making of me-"
"You would have done well If you
had remained in Georgia." replied
''No, | wouldn't. I'd have stuck to
Blue Rock, and perhaps been Postmaster
there yet on a salary of $75 year. Now
I have ranch worth $3.50, 900. | have
knocked about in the world. go every
year to St. Louis and New Orleans, and
| am beginning to enjoy life. Come
home with me and see. live only
twenty miles from here"
had to decline the invitation, as 1
was going to leave the next day
'FYou can tell the boys, if you like"
said Jim at parting, ''Some of those
Blue Rock fellows are as green yet Us |
used to be, and don't care what they
may think about it, And, Colonel, tell
them that me 81 the old woman are
getting along -cndid. and that
my two sons andt daughters are the
finest lads and lasses in Texas
AS | rode off turned when I came to
the first hill top, and a half mile below
in the village street could see the ex-
Postmaster of Blue Rock waving his
sombrero after me.-AttantG Ga. Con-
sttt4tion.