The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1888-02-24

and sAk how far IT was to Cleveland, and maybe
We could get something 20 eat. When we hailed
and asked, one OF the men came down to us and
told US IL was sixty miles Then we asked Tor
some dinner, telling linn that we were sick sol.
ders, lie said we could have some dinner, but
for his part he was opposed To the war. Wewere,
tool
We got TO some water and some soap, which
improved our appearance good deal. and finally
dinner was ready. There were two ladies, ono
old and the other young. The old lady was one
of the kind that do good deal of thinking and
say just what they think. After we were down
at the table, she said she wished the Yankees
would get there so that they could get some Lin
coin coffee Then / said that lwished SO, too.
Then she accused us directly OF being Yankees
ourselves, and as we concluded that those two
men could not arrest us anyway, we said that we
were Union soldiers, and belonged 10 the party
called "engine thieves" They had all heard of
that raid, and now made us welcome indeedl
They invited us TO stay n week and rest up We
were willing, IL we could be secreted somewhere.
They told US that they could hide us where the
first great rebel" could not find US. l told them
that was Just where wanted TO go
We had q 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 10 be I'm
easy as the dogs master was coming. They told
him whom they had in the back room, and he
came in and took us by the hands, and laughed
and cried, and told us some hard tales about his
being imprisoned because he was for the Union
1t was now settled that we should stay for q
rev days large BASKET OF pfuO was prepared,
and their boy, pretending TO be going coon hunt
ing made ready large torch We were TO fol.
low a 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 l
thought we would never get 10 the top. We
turned into another ravine and again went up,
up till we came to a solid wall across ravine.
It looked as il the top of the mountain had slid
down and barred the passage. Our guide turned
o little to the left and among the bushes he got
down and showed us hole big enough TO crawl
in He entered with his torch md followed
There was good sized room IN the cave and he
said we could have all the fire we wanted, and
halo as loud as we pleased without danger. II
did look as if the Evil One would have quite a
task to flnd 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
the provisions brought along, and continued till
it was nearly gone. We would eat and lie down,
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 five days we were fed and rested in this
safe retreat; then our kind friend took us down
again to the river and gave us n guide whom We
followed over the mountains After a long time
noticed a light in the woods and that he was
making for it, There we found an old house
standing alone and surrounded by the forests.
When we got to the door my guide opened 1t,
and to my surprise it was full of men. They told
US TO come IN, Tor we were among friends. We
old man asked us IL we had any money. We told
aim we had not. He said that our looks showed
chat we had no clothes, and turning 20 the COM
pany he said, 1--WE must get them clothes and
money, for men cannot travel without them"
We were taken TO a barn and kept till the next
night, and were then given n suit of clothes Qhis
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 We're sent with instructions from one
house to another
This was comparatively easy travelling, and
we passed rapidly and safely on till we reached
our own lines We had spent forty-seven days
and nights passing over some of the toughest
country that ever laid out of doors!
The rough and simple language of this
sketch covers truly heroic achievement.
The devotion to their sick comrade, who
was, in spite Of all, returned TO us in
prison, and gave an account of their ad-
ventures that far, led to their singular
battle with the hounds and the still more
terrible race in which they escaped from
horsemen and dogs.