The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1888-08-10

''The old man. He ct In the Mexican
war, and wants to see how things look
in Corinth."
"And II was ten years younger I'D
shoulder a musket," added.
"Bully for you'll" shouted the three or
four men on the post, and they were
laughing as we drove on.
The inner picket did not stop us at all,
and we drove into the town in the gray
OF morning. Although the hour was
early, everybody was astir and the streets
almost blocked with army vehicles. Dur
ing the last half mile of the drive the
young man inspected me very closely,
and when I finally left him he did not
seem altogether satisfied as to my iden-
tity. He asked me several questions
about Guntown, which / had to answer
at random, and my account of how ''my
son" had left home was not as clear as it
might have been. My first move after
losing sight Of the milkman was to go to
hotel. There l boldly registered as
"John William Richardson, Mobile, and
dropped q hint to the clerk that was
furnishing Beauregard with supplies. AS
soon as went to my room l peeled off
my outer suit, removed wig and spec
tacles, took out three of my false teeth,
which were on plate by themselves,
blackened my eyebrows, and in ten
minutes Twas in a new disguise. went
down to breakfast, and then slipped over
to the other hotel and registered and
took a room as Professor E. G. S. La
Due. New Orleans" had the French
twist to my speech, and l also had dis
covery relating to new explosive.
had come to the front to put II in practice.
1t was about 10 o'clock when 1 started
out, and who should run against the
very first thing but my friend Of the
milk business. He had a sergeant and
three privates with him, and as they
passed me he said:
''Oh, can tell him q mile of. His
gray wig got rumpled up, and saw
light hair under it, but he was off before
knew what to do"
followed them to the hotel where
had first registered, and entered it just
as they went up the stairs to my room.
They thought they had their man, but
were doomed to disappointment. Two
of the men were left in the Office, how
ever, while the other. two, accompanied
by the milkman, went out to look for
me on the streets. This was on the goth
Of May. Beauregard had concentrated
everything on the short line, and the Con-
fedcrates believed they had a sure thing
in case they were attacked in their In
trenchments. picked up the acquaint-
ance of a dozen army officers before
night, and the subject of the new ex-
plosive proved interesting to all. They
pumped me for particulars, of course,
but my reply was:
SIN a day or two hope to make a
test and surprise the Yankees"
Through the influence of Capt. John
son, belonging to Marmaduke's CON-
mand, and who had been wounded and
carried his right arm in a sling, secured
a pass to carry me abord Corinth, and on
the second day of my arrival I posted
myself in many details. Everything was
excitement and hubbub, as everybody
thought great battle imminent, and no.
body paid any attention to me. At my
solicitation Capt. johnson reported my
arrival to Beauregard's adjutant, and
asked permission for me to experiment.
He came back and said:
II found him upside down, and he
felt like ordering me under arrest for dis
turbing him."
On the afternoon Of the third day,
while was returning from the Confed-
crate left, a provost patrol picked me
up. My pass was all right and secured
my liberation, but it gave me an uneasy
feeling to observe that the milkman was
among the guard. He had evidently
pointed me out for arrest, for heard
him mutter to the officer:
81 may be wrong, but can't get shut
of the feeling that he's the man. No
two men could have such eyes,"
knew / should be under surveillance
now, and the first thing I did after
reaching the hotel was to replace my
teeth, rub the black from my eyebrows,
part my hair in the center and give a
new twist to my mustache, and as de-
scended to supper my left eye had a
slight squirt. After supper, as I sat in
in the Office smoking, I observed the
millxman moving about as IL looking for
me. Invent directly up to him and said:
"My friend, were you looking for me9"
mo SIR" was his prompt reply.
"Pnt you were with the man who ar
rested me this evening""
"Whatl Are you the fellow we picked
up near the depot9''
Il am" fa
He looked me from top to toe with Q
puzzled expression on his face, and re-
marked:
II overheard you say something about
my eyes. Is there anything wrong with
them?"
''N-no, sir. +"
"But why did you point me out to the
guard2 Indeed, why are you civilian,
tramping about with the soldiers? pre-
sumo you hold yourself accountable for
any trouble you may cause gentle
MANI" s.7. ar.
He turned pale in an instant, and ask
ing me to step aside, he explained:
There was an old man rode in with
me the other morning. He called him
self Judge Lexington and said he lived at
Guntown. No such man has ever lived
there. This man also wore gray wig
to conceal his natural hair, which was
little reddish"
"Well?' ~
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