The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1888-11-02

wei. went on. II is loaded 70
he marie. aud every bullet in il will
g into you il you make q noise above a
whisper.
This Vas practical SORT Of talk that
he UNDERSTOOD aud convinced HIN that
I Mas real fesh and blood.
Be.o' tod. Boss ] amt gwine 10
breathe hard
As be spoke ! noticed q spade and
ether tools be had brought with him. 4
sudden idea flashed through my brain
. VA . desperate one. but was in
desperate IL and could not pick and
choose took oui Of ny pocketbook
Zen dollar bill ] held this in my left
hand and ny pistol IN my right
90 VOC sc fhesef I asked. as ] held
them before the terrified negro.
-'fes boss
II yoa do jas; IS tell VOC the
moley is g0uFs Il yoa don't. the pistol
D., and pat il a. inch nearer his head
o. I spoke
lie cooked his head quickly to one
side and sWofe be would obey me
told him 70 get mp and answer my ques-
lions
when Is this MAJ to be buriedr 1
asked
--Dis ebeuin'. boss. Tse made his
grave sud was gEins 10 put him in his
coma Ehea ] sec you
After few more questions / found
the grave was little WAYS cat Of the
lines 81 . well known baryizg-placc, and
blriai zss 10 take pIaoe at p. NJ /;
Eas nov near 3. had very little time
~ lose.
Take your spade and dig grave in
that corner as fast a you can.
The negro seized his spade ana
- ked ike Lightning. IN a few minutes
BE- had followed out hole large enough
fsr ms purpose. Then together we lard
the dead soldier in his shallow grave, the
Negro doing ell had told him IL terri
ied ANA emenL After he had thrown
back the earth and fatiened il ! scat
tered straH aroaud the spot. 30 that no
siEas Of The digging would be Obserra-
biz The ilrsf part Of MY task was done.
The last and worst vas yet 20 come.
took the I'D aud put II on the colin Il
cited la-h. with no overlapping edge
2 his j. Ehgi ] wanted. took q gimlct
from smo8g the tools. and IN the head
~ tle 30 s. nearly IS ] could Judge
ado where q MACS mouth would be- !
bored haf dozen small holes In the
larE pine box they were not noticeable.
Then took some nails and broke them
ia hlif-aii e1oep; two. These two
uaiied IN the id about one n RI the
.eagth from the top I worked fast, for
eFerF moment was Of valne. The negro
watched me meanwhile with open
eyes, and am sure thought
uie a lunstlc. Ny neat remark
consumed him Of il. / am going 10 get
ia that coin, said, and want You TO
rail me down Yes, sab. with pleasure
and be grinned ami looked happy for the
dni tiGe This was way OF getting
nd o. me which be ghly approved Of
! wrote 3 few lines or a piece Of tissue
payer 70 my Captain, telling him Of the
IA J Hss in. ! added that I had i'm
pgHanI news 70 tell him put this in
because ] knew il would make hun take
moHe trouble 10 save me. made a copy
u this and took out some silk thread.
Bo,h q these things ! had brought 10
use Eifh the carrier pigeons gave
then 20 the colored man and described 70
him how 20 fastenthe paper around each
birds leg and then 10 let them loose. /
had q tel him three times before he
showed any iga u understanding me,
aui even then il vas doubtful, but
20 u lose DO more time. / drew my
pistol o1rn more, aud. pointing il al his
head. told him that II be failed 70 obey
me- o. said a word about me ! would kill
q 4 4 IL n d
Lauat r0l til sou die This threat /
believe had a. much terro- in il as ms
pistol Then got in the coffin and told
han % nail down the Id. The half nails
had broken he had used all around the
"a They were 100 short 10 catch any
hold aud merely made q show The
two real nails caught but a light hold,
foE had made holes for them 70 iit in
with q gimiet Ny idea was, if not res
cued. 10 force the lid, aud in terror
which would accompany my sudden res
direction 10 escape was never merry
oas man but I tell you when heard that
negro hammering on the coffin I'D my
heart almost failed me But il was this
or death IN some other form. In a few
momenis BE- had gone and was alone.
The holes had made in the lid enabled
me 10 breath with co nparative ease. As
I thought over my chances Of life felt
they we're siim. indeed Granted the
nero proved faithful 10 me. he
might 10, fad the pigeons. II he did
ind thea be might not fssfen the paper
properly. or the birds might not return in
time. or-in feet. there were so many
chances against me that knew my life
hung on very slender thread. A merry
Gus fear seized me that the negro might
not hsTe used the half nails / had pro-
Fldcd, but had substituted Others BE
certainly had hammered in a way that
seemed harder than was necessary 10
drive 10 half asils If that was the case
I NJ ehf BE- barred alive, This thought
30 fiiei ne with horror that it was with
di9.cuify that could refrain from trying
the Id Only the knowledge that this
sou.d mean discovery if the lid yielded
restrained me L was a hot day, and
tic heat Vas intensr in ms narrow prison.
I Va fearfully cramped from my strained
position. and this and the heat added to
mT misery After waiting what seemed
an age heard 81 last the sound Of steps.
a party Of men had entered and came
~ 10 me. The next moment the colin
Wa lficd A sudden giddiness and a
rush ~ blood . the head followed, and
] kncE fheg m ~ have held the head
lower ihau tie foot felt the bottom
grufing something hard. ! vas being
puf into d Wagon- Thea ] was moving.
] could Dot hear very distinctly, but |
could make out the regular tramp Of
soldiers following. The road was rough
and Sas fearfully jolied Ny one
fheaght nov was Has that negro done I
as b. promised ard does my captain
know % ny fH, Wliat ] feared most
sas faiuting aud being buried alive
To preFeaf this was my aim. At last
tie wagon stopped aud was taken out.
a grating sound and the next moment
VA swinging IN the air Then I rested
que followed The movements in nv
mi1d and kneT now 7 Was in my grave
There VA q pulling AZ ms feet one Of
lie r0pes must have caught. ami the
neat inemeni d heavy body spraug on
tiie coiin. Then a voice, hosrse and
hn-kT but VII eh ! knew well. whis-
perad through the gimlei holes 4 let
dem birds loose pest As you told me For
Gods SAKE. don't haunt me, boss" The
neaf moment be Ma out Vow wa the
tins for ms help 10 come, II il was com
ing a. Ell. bat ] resolved 10 wait 10 the
H. 4