Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1888-10-19

my pistol at tho intruder. This was an
old gray.headcd darkey. In lifting the
lid he held it between himself and mo
and did not see me. He leaned it
against tho wall and turned to come
back. AS he did so he caught glimpse
OF me. His lower jaw fell and his eyes
rolled wildly in his head rs lie stared.
said not word, but pointed the pistol
at his head. lie seemed struck with
paralysis. His legs shook and tottered
and ut last gave way and he fell on his
Knees. His hands went up in suppli-
eating manner and his lips moved as if
he was trying to say something. Evil
IDENTIFY he took me for ghost. AS /
wasn't one yet, and didn't intend to be
if could help it, l said: old man, you
see this pistol.'
sic could only nod.
We'll l went on, 1T is loaded to
the muzzle, and every bullet in it will
go into you if you make noise above n
Whisper
"This was practical sort of talk that
he understood and convinced him that
l was real flesh and blood.
'Bclo' God, Boss! l amt gwino to
breathe hardn
"As he spoke noticed spade and
other tools he had brought with him. A
sudden idea flashed through my brain.
1t WAS desperate one, but was in
desperate fix aud could not pick and
choose. took out of my pockctbook n
tcn-dollar bill. l held this in my left
hand and my pistol in my right.
You see thescf asked, rs l held
them before the terrified negro.
'Ycs, boss
"If you do just rs tell you the
money is yours; if you don't, the pistol
is and put it mn inch nearer his bead
n; spoke.
''lic cooked his head quickly to one
side and sworc he would obey me.
told him to get up and answer my Qucs-
tons
"Whcn is this man to be buricdp 1
asked
"'Dis cbcnin', boss. Use mado his
grave and was gwinc to put him in his
collin when l SEQ YOU
AFTER few moro questions | found
the grave was u little ways out of the
lines ut well known buiying- place, and
burial was to take place mt . T.. ~. 1t
was now near 8. 1 had very little time
to losc
"'Takc your spade and dig grave in
that corner rs fast rs you can.
g The negro seized his spade and
worked like lightning In few minutes
he had followed outa hole large enough
Tor my purpose. Then together VIC laid
the dead soldier i'll his shallow grave, tho
negro doing all had told him in terri
fed amazemcnt. After he had thrown
back the earth and fattcncd it l scat
tered straw around the spot, so that no
signs OF the digging would be obscrva-
BILE The first part of my task was done.
The last and worst was yet to come. L
took the lid and put it on the collin. 1t
lifted flush, with no overlapping edge.
THIS is what | wanted. | took n gimlct
from among the tools, and III the head
OF the lid as nearly rs could Judge
above where II mans mouth would be, |
bored lla.f dozen small holes. In the
dark pine box they were not noticeable.
Them took some nails and broke them
III half-all except two. These two
nailed i'll the lid about one third the
length from the top. l worked fast, for
every moment was of valnc. The negro
watched me meanwhile with open
eyes, and am sure thought
me lunatic. My next remark
convinced him of it. L am going to get
in that collin, said, land want you to
nail me down. Yes, sab, with pleasure
and he grinncd and looked happy for tho
first tine. This was way of getting
rid OF me- which he highly approved of.
wrote IL few lines on piece of tissue
paper to my Captain, telling him of the
fix was in. added that had i'm
portant news to tell him. put this in
because Knew it would make him take
more trouble TO save me- made copy
OF this and took out some silk thread.
Both of these things l had brought to
use with the carrier pigeons. | gave
them to the colorcd man and described to
him how 10 fasten the paper around each
birds leg and then to let them loose. I
had to tell him three times before he
showed any sign of understanding me,
and even then it was doubtful, but /
co Id lose no more time. drew nv
pistol once more, and, pointing it ut his
head, told him tnat if lie failed to obey
me or said word about me would kill
him. III l am killed. ADDED, Il will
haunt you till you die This threat |
believe had as much terror in it rs my
pistol. Then ! got in the collin and told
him to nail down the Id. The half nails
had broken he had used all around the
Id. They were too short to catch any
hold, and merely made IL show. The
two real nails caught but n s light hold,
for ] had made holes for them to fit in
with gimlet. My idea was, if not res
cucd, to force the lid, and in t terror
which would accompany my sudden res
direction to escape. was never a ncry-
Gus man. but tell you when heard that
negro hammcring on the coffin lid my
heart almost failed me- But it was this
or death i'll some other form. Ina few
moments he had gone and was alone.
The holes | had made in the lid enabled
me 10 breath with co nparativc case. AS
! thought over my chances of life felt
they were slim, indeed Granted the
negro proved faithful to me- he
might not fiad the pigeons. If he did
find them he might not fasten the paper
properly, or the birds might not return in
time, or-in fact, there were SO many
chances against me that knew my life
hung on very slender thread A norv-
GUS fear seized me that the negro might
not have used the half nails l had pro
vided, but had substituted Others He
certainly had hammered in way that
seemed harder than was necessary TO