The Somerset reporter., 1886-02-24
SELECTED.
Why He Disappeared.
\ ROMANCE OF TIE WAR.

w men the war broke out jim IlUlIOl
was the Postmaster at Blue Rock. IL
had held the position for number o
wears, and no man in the settlemen
stood higher. .Iims strong point was hi
honesty. He had very little book-lcarn
ing, and was ignorant of the way of TIN
world Still. with the assistance of hi.
wife. n charming little woman. he sue
cecdcd in managing the business of tn,
Postoficc in such manner as to give
general satisfaction.
While the new Confederate Govern.
ment was getting its affairs in order, the
old postal machinery organized under the
United States authorities continued to
run on. This was public necessity, as
the post masters could not all be changed
in an instant, or be Reconnaissance. As
a clever &c rLian, through not IA strong
Confederate, Jim Button held ON under
the new regime and did his duty But it
was only for couple of weeks. One
Monday morning the villagers found the
Postolice closed. and investigation dis
closed the fact that button and his wife
had mystcriously disappeared The mon
ey and accounts of the Office turned out
to be all right. and nobody could under
stand why Jim and his wife should have
slipped oil at night without leaving a
clue. II was ascerraincd that a dav or
two before their departure the PostmaSt-
er mortgaged his cottogc and furnature
for almost their full value as security
for loan which he had obtained. SO the
couple did not 90 away unprovded with
money.
No event ever in the history of Blue
Rock created such intense excitement. 1t
/, ;,,,
possible to mravel it. The rapid pro-
gress of the war, however. soon absorbed
public attention, and the button episode
ceased to be talked about.
Some time ago in little town in Yves
tern Texas, | accidcntly ran against Jim
button. There was no mistaking the
man. Time had dclt gently with him,
and he looked prosperous. slapped
him on the back with a hearty
"Hello. Jim button :"
Jim turned and fell all to pieces so To
speak. He recognized me and shook
hands. After IA long and pleasant con.
ycrsation Jim said:
Colonel, reckon You will like tC
know why my wife and left Blue
Rockyr
"Well. YOU NAV explain if YOU feel likt
il =" | replied.
Later in nv room at the hotel before q
blazing fire and with "A GOOD cigar to slim
ulatc him. button unbosomed himself to
me.
Colonel" said he. lit makes me blush
now to think what grccnhorn, what q
miserable ipnoramus | was at the begin
ming of the war
ooh. no" suupcsted deprecatinply.
"But | was" continued Jim. IL verify
was the biggest fool in Georgia, and vet
thought was the smarteSt man in tn,
State. You see. being postmaster hat
pufied me up so that felt as biz as the
governor himself. Well after the Con
fcdcracy Organized | went ahead under
nv own Federal commission. attending to
the postal business of the Confederate
States. one night my wife, who was Il
great render limited to me that maybe
laid myself liable for high treason. Al
first laughed at the idea. and then
rummaaed through some old histories and
found that in every civilized country
where there was n rebellion and n GOV.
ernment officer sided with the rebels he
was held guilty of treason. Now, il
struck me that our secession was in fact
a rebellion. and if we were whipped as
feared we would Re. | would be in bad
box. | told my wife about it, and she re-
minded me that had copy of Black
stone, and advised me to read up the pun
ishmcnt of treason
Dutton paused moment, and then
said:
you see that was so badly scared
that was afraid to consult anybody, and
besides there were no lawyer at Blue
Rock | had heard n hpaD abOut Black
stone and supposed everything in it was
the law of the land. So that night | got
the book down and my wife and | looked
through it, give you my word that
what we read made my hair stand ON an
end. Why, sir, we learned from that in
fernal book that | was liable to be con-
ycted of treason drawn to the place of
execution on hurdle, hung, divided in
to -four quarters, besides forfetng my
property and having my blood corrupted.
t,.t. r Il