The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1888-03-09

BED sll mads up ready for ; person p ~ 70. 1
turned down the covers and found 3 rife and al
see s 5asnispse but POWDER end e there ges none
s.e two ears Of corn out Of the chimney with me.
There was fife IN some Of the ntumps on the
m . ana we roasted 1ns corn ana that vas
ther and camped Tor the night.
Ine next morning we continued down the
s Wv ss'ss gooa nrogres aoF noS ne tra
on he porch. We concluded 20 70 40 70 them
and ask how FART was % Cleveland. and maybe
and asked, enc o. the men came down 20 as and
told US u Was sixty miles. Ihen We asked Tor
some dinner, telling hin that We were sick sol 81.
for his part be was opposed 70 the war Wewere,
We got to aOms water end some soap, which
dinner was ready. There were two ladies, one
old and the other young. Jhe old leny was one
Of the Kind that DO 2 good deal Of thinking and
at the table, she said she wished the Yankees
would get there, so that they could set some Lin
coin cottee. Then said that Wished 90. too.
ourselves, and as We concluded that those two
men could not arrest Us anyway, We said that we
wsT Union soas ana sa e me Ssap party
that raid, and now made us welcome indeedi
They invited US 70 stay week and rest up. We
Mere WHINE y we . eonla Pc 1880 nay,
"frst great rebel" could not find US. ! told them
that was Just where wanted TO goi
We had good time, being kept in the back
room during the afternoon. They put Q large
dog out on picket and we told them army stories
and sung songs till dark. Finally the dog barked
and then stopped. They told Us not 70 be un:
him whom they had In the back room, and be
came In and took as by the hands, and laughed
and cried, and told US some hard tales about bis
Il was now settled that we should stay for Q
few days. A large basket OF grub was prepared
and their boy, pretending TO Be going coon hunt
low short distance behind. with quilts and pro-
visions. We first went down the river, and then
turned up the mountain and went up, up, till !
| thought we would never get 70 the top. We
turned into another rayine and again went up,
up till we came to solid wall across our ravine
| IL looked as If the top OF the mountain had aid
| little 10 the left, and among the bushes he got
down and showed us hole big enough TO crawl
in He entered With his torch and we followed
said we could have all the fire we wanted, and
halo as loud as we pleased without danger. II
did look as If the Eyn One would have quite a
| task to find US here Then he gave US counter
signs and promised to come again, and left US to
enjoy our good fortune alone. We began TO eat
nassP s SESss sHS SStnnd I'll
but get hungry again before going to sleep and
eat some more Finally we quit lest our friend
should not come back in time; but he did, and
brought plenty of food with him.
For 1--WE days we were fed and rested In this
safe retreat; then our kind friend took US down
again TO the river and gave us guide whom we
| followed over the mountains. After a long time
| noticed light In the woods and that he was
making for 1t. There we found an old house
| standing alone and surrounded by the forests.
/ When we got to the door my guide opened it.,
/ and to my surprise 1t was full of men. They told
/ us to come in, for we were among friends. We
had good handshake all around, and then one
| old man asked US IL we had any money. We told
/ him we had not. He said that our looks showed
/ that we had no clothes, and turning to the COM
| pany he said, I'VE must get them clothes and
/ money, for men cannot travel without them"
/ We were taken to q barn and kept till the next
night, and were then given suit Of clothes Uhis
was the first they had received since leaving the
| Union army and $40 each, and guide who was
to receive $50 for taking us three nights journey.
| This placed us across the Tennessee river.
when we were sent with instructions from on1
house to another.
This was comparatively easy travelling, and
1 we passed rapidly and safely on till we reached
our own lines. We had spent forty-seyen days
| and nights passing over some Of the toughest
country that ever laid out Of doorsl
ITO be Continued) -.