The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-01-12


probably did not suspect my true character
but his talk had the dangerous effect of calling
the attention of a great many of the regi ment
to their visiting comrade the Maryland refu-
gee" who was, by a stretch of the imagination,
almost as far from home es were the Texans,
because, as they said in their sympathetic way,
when speaking of their home, Z" We can get
home if we have occasion to go, but you can
not, because you live in q foreign country
that's at war with US, you know"
The Doctor came up presently to the group
where was, and said to me in a quizzical way,
his face wearing smiling expression, Say,
Blank, Jim Haws says he met you one night
at the theater and you wouldn't speak to him."
Right here | made another mistake that day
by replying, with much warmth, that had
refused to speak to no one.
That's what told him but he swears that
he and Bill Williams both saw you there"
/ realized that l had again put my foot into
it; but, suppose, on the principal that
LIE WELL STUCK TO
will answer for the truth, deliberately thrust
myself deeper into the mire by further insist
ing that had not met any one knew at the
theater. This was satisfactory to the friends
near me who had become interested in the talk
and it all might have passed off without any
further questioning or investigation if my for
mer enemy, Davy Crockett, jr., had not meddled
with the affair He had, as it subsequently
appeared, been volunteering his sympathies
and comments to the two comrades whose story
of the insult at the theater had reached him.
OF course the motive that prompted young
Crockett was simply desire to get even with
me for the duel episode in Texas.
If the idea of getting away from the Texans
had not been so fixed in my mind, or if / had
at all thought of being delayed perhaps I
should have conducted myself with more dis
cretion, and not have committed the blunder of
having so unnecessarily denied the meeting
with these two boys at the theater, only to
bring out more fully the entire story, if fol-
lowed up, and endanger my life.
When we were about ready to leave the
camp, and as | was fattering myself that once
out of sight should be able to get clear away, I
was confronted by the identical Jim Haws who
had brought to our part of the camp a few
friends" among whom was Billy Williams In
voice trembling with suppressed rage he said,
looking savagely at me:
Didn't you see me at the theater the other
night2"
l have before stated that it is, or has been,
one of my good points to always have been able
to meet a sudden danger coolly.
Looking him straight in the eye, for l was
riled by his savage manner, / answered resent
fully and boldly:
don't know whether [ did or not, for I've
seen so many fellows like you around town
Luab VIC uUb HltHQtQ Lu6DQ
For the moment my defiant manner served
to give me the advantage, and the fellow was
so badly stumped that he couldn't answer at
once; but, turning to his friend Williams, he
said:
"BILL, Amt HE THE FELLow?"
Whether it was disposition on the part of
Bill to prevent any outbreak don't know, but
he mildly answered:
Well it looks mighty much like him; but
you know, we might be mistaken. He didn't
have on uniform then" And turning to me,
Bill said politely:
:" My friend felt sure you were the man we
met that night, but as / had never seen you at
home, and it was SO dark and crowded there,
can't be certain myself"
Luckily for me at this stage, for had be-
come too much excited to talk coollv, my
friends stepped in and interfered in my behalf,
and Bill and Jim walked off with their friends
the latter muttering threats of all sorts of VEN
geance. The little ruffle on the surface which
looked like difficulty" created quite COM
motion about the quarters. You all know how
quickly fight viii gather a crowd in camp,
and how soon the officers get onto it, too.
The only dangerous or serious part of this
threatened fight was the fact that it served to
call general attention. TO me individually, and
Day, but couple of offer officers, attracted by
the crowd
Ofcourse the explanation that followed, that it
was case ofmistaken identity, was generally ac-
cepted good -naturedly enough The fact that |,
friend Of some of the best men in the regiment,
who were ready to vouch for me as the "nephew
Of my uncle" had been inhospitably or ungen-
erously treated By any of their men while a
guest, had the effect on these good, generous
hearted boys Of completely turning the tide of
feeling To sympathy for me- In the general
intercourse or exchange of courtesies which re-
suited from the officers coming down to see u.s.
it so happened that | was introduced to a Capt
Somebody, who, not hearing distinctly, had
asked for my name a second time, and on my
repeating it with some little pride on my un-
cle's account, he said, turning to his com
paniou:
"Why, isn't that the name of
THE YANKEE spy WHO WAS AT PENsAcoLAP' p
have often thought in the years that have
since passed of that one terrible moment of my
| life. A single word, improperly spoken at that
| time would have condemned me to the scaffold
! in "a hours. 1 can only remember that felt
| for the moment that / was lost, realizing thai
/ the mere reopening of my difficulty with the
/ Texas boys must now result in an investigation
| and that would undoubtedly lead in the one
! direction only-to the gallows. / said moth.
| ing; perhaps | was too much stunned for an in
! stant, and ] have often thought that my
| flushed face was misinterpreted by those who
! saw it to indicate resentment at the coupling
! of my name in such way.
My friend, the Doctor, relieved my tempo
rary embarrassment by speaking up for me
| saying, IN laughing way:
Come on; let's getaway from here or some
body will swear they saw you some place else.'
Thus relieved, | quietly suggested to tht
| Captain that / had been wearing gray uni
form up in Virginia since / left Texas. saw
at glance that ! was again TEN porarily out O
| danger, and breathed little freer; but takt
notice that ! became reTy anxious to get away
and hurried up the boys who were to go along
| into town.
While still talking to these officers, the young
er one, to whom the Captain had addressed the
inquiry as to the name of the Pensacola spy
very considerably volunteered the informa
tion that his company, now part of this regi
ment, had been organized about Galveston il
the early days of April and May, and whil
waiting for the enlistment of the regiment
full quota they had been sent to New Orleans
and from thence were assigned to duty at Pen
sacola, Fla, aRd were actually there about tn
time of my adventure at Fort Pickens.
l did not feel like pursuing the conversation
much further in that direction, and quiekl.
changed the subject, so as to leave the impres
sion on their minds that had been in activt
service in Virginia right along.
This was not difficult, and had the salts
faction of seeing that my gray uniform LAT
been of service again.
1T SAVED NY BACON That DAY SURE.
TT saapnad in &bat Tba hnx