Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1888-10-19
A SPY'S EXPERIENCE.
nY EwlNG gibson.

little hotel my eye was caught by tho
striking appearance of an old man sit
ting ON bench outside. lie was tai
and powerfully built, but his long era,
hair proved hin to he no longer Young.
l asked the clerk of the hotel who II,
was. This individual was busy, but
managed TO answer me rs well rs Inc
could. "That old man! why, that.
Jack l-awton. lie was brave soldier in
the last War and played the spy two OF
three times. Get him to tell YOU some
OF his experiences. They are right good,
aud those who know say they are true. u
escaped and made my way to the old
veteran. lie was smoking short clay
pipe and refused my olrcr of n cigar in
its place. After few well -dircctcd uues.
tons got him talking and asked him
to give me an account of what he consid.
cred the toughest scrapc lie was over in.
The old fellow looked at me calmly MS he
rcilllcd and lit his pipe, while made my
sell comfortable and waited for him to
begin. He had n short, strong way of
talking, and will try to tell his story in
rs nearly his own words rs possible.
Picture to yourself strong old man of
sixty or thcreabouts, with u rough face
tuli OF character and determination, and
you have Il fair idea of him.
'Wcll, stranger, about the worst fix |
was ever in, and I've been in good
many, WAS somewhat ip this way: j WINS
with my company in kcntucll '6l and
the enemy were not far OH getting ready,
we knew, to make an attack on us at any
time. we were cncampcd in small
town and the time passed slowly with
In In Int t.,t l.
Tor surprise. But the enemy seemed
10 be III no hurry and got tired of wait
ing. had been thinking over n hcmc
Tor some time. and Mt last suggested 10
my Captain that should go as a spy into
the cncmy's camp. lie jumi cd ut tho
idea and proceeded to get ready. There
were several prisoners in camp and |
took my choice of their uniforms In
the town there lived an old chap who
Kept fancy pigeons, and among them he
had some trained carriers. The CAPTAIN
suggested that should carry couple of
these with me and hide them i'm the
woods near the cnemy's line. Then if |
found out anything that needed imme
diatc action | should send message by
one OF these birds, which would carry It
lar quicker than could didn't take
much to the idea of the pigeons, but the
captain was seton it and got two for me
IN small basket. The next morninp
mad hid my birds and boldly walked into
the enemy's line. | was carried TO head
quarters at once. My story was a straight
one and no suspicion was aroused. we
mad taken prisoner not long before
who had belonged to Il regiment in Mis-
souri,, and passed myself off for him
giving his name and company aud few
Olhcr points Ind taken cafe to obtain
AS soon rs could went around picking
up information. 1t would not do for me
10 seem too inquisitivc, and was i'm
doubt what to do next when noticed
an old building with the door partly
open. looked in. The place seemed
empty at fist sight. Looking nearer
however, saw the figure OF man living
ON some straw in corner. thought he
was sleeping, but he seemed strangely
quiet. | went in and looked closer
and saw that he was dead
glance around showed me a collin with
the lid resting on it in another corner If
the room. Il d not much like to hnyc
ucnu Doay Tor n companion, but l
wanted to rest awhile, and under the cir
cumStantc l thought dead soldier
Womb nc less likely to give me trouble
than live one, who might ask trouble.
some questions, SO made up my mind
10 stay here awhile. Lying down on
some straw III the fnrthcst corner | was
soon asleep. How long slept am not
sure, but ! was aroused by a noise out
SIDE OF shouting and of galloping of
horses, mixed with the commands of Of
hcers given in loud, hasty tones. What
could IL all mean! l was not long in
doubt. l soon heard passing steps and n
voice asking what was the matter, .siat-
ter enough, colonel, was the reply.
there was fellow come here to. day pre,
tending to &c one of our men from Mis-.
e:ccIn, lie had hardly disappeared be-
lore the real man turns up and Their
voices faded away rs they walked past.
but | had heard enough to convince mo
OF the scrape was in. What hard Incl,
That the prisoner | was represcntinp
should have escaped on this day of ali
others. had no time for idle regrets,
however, for by the noise outside knew
an active search was being made for me-
l heard voice shout: look inside the
dead housed Quick a. thought / ran
to the collin and got inside. As we'll as
| could | pallcd the lid over and waited.
In second The door was pulled open and
nall dozen men ran in. They paused a
moment till their eyes got accustomed to
the darkness. lay in silence, expecting
instant discovery, but the idea Of look,
ing IN the coffin never SEEMED to occur
to them. heard one say: lie isn't in
here, and they left as quickly as they
had entered. Itell you II dead house is
good place for man to hide when inc
is in n fix like mine. The bravcst men
hive some superstition about the presence
OF The dead and like to get away as quicl,
as they can. was in regular trap now
and did not know what 10 do. ANY at
tempt at escape in the present excited
state of the camp would mean death
sure and certain. My only chance
was to stay quiet and try to make
my way out in the night. Whea
was that dead soldier TO be buricd2 That
was question that PASSED through my
mind several times as lay confined in
the rough coffin. Everything depended
on that. hoped for the best and lay
quiet. ] was badly cramrcd in nv
strange resting place, but fell asleep in
spite of it all. was aroused by hear
ing some one enter and close the door
after him. opened my eyes. Who.
nxTar L..