Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1888-01-12
Bill RRADs
and then came slowly back, mutter.

= and then came slowly back, mutter-
ing curses on the "lazy niger"
Lewis just then slowly. and appar.
: emily half asleep or intoxicated, made
his appearance, and as he passed the
tiaring gas at the head Of the stems he
! lurched against it.
In a moment the corridor was in
total darkness. II seems the signal
. for perfect pandemonium of South.
! ern army yells and laughter, throwing
. Of boots. and cat calls.
The guard had no matches, and had
: to run to the head of the stairway and
call to the guard at the foot to send
him some.
1t all happened in an instant,
The light ont. and the rebel srv
sprung to bis shoeless feet. He made
no sound as he ran down the narrow
and dark passage-way until he felt a
hand grasp him. and voice said in
his ear:
"Dis wayr
de heard the click of the door be.
hInG him, and then he saw a glimmer
OF light above. He touched the round
OF the ladder, swiftly mounted, pushed
open the glass trap and was out on the
snow-covered roof.
1t was pitch dark, and the snow had
turned to rain. But it had covered
the steep roof and that gave him a
foothold. He crept on his hands and
knees to a tall chimney. There he
found lightning rod and let himself
down over the side o. the roof. He
Slid down, down; passed lighted
window. But thank hea.
ven the blinds were drawn.
His hands were bleeding; but he
never felt the cuts. His feet touched
the cold, wet ground, and in the same
instant he was aware that he had fal.
len just behind the sentinel.
He remained mOtionless against the
dark wall. Then followed the re
treating figure, whose footsteps re.
sounded loudly on the pavement. As
he turned the corner OF the. great
building without looking back, Cap
tain, Bowie ran across the corner of
the dark yard. climbing the high brick
wall, grasped the iron spikes at the
top, swung himself over and dropped
down..
He had not far to fall, as he wa.
six feet two inches in his stocking
feet. But his left foot turned on a
brick and gave his ankle a sharp
twist. He thought at first he had
, broken it, so great was the pain. Then
. he knew he had sprained it. But ho
must 60 on.
:, He crept close to the high wall I'M.
til the corner was reached, half
square away. He then got down on
his hands and knees and crawled past
tent where some soldiers were play
ing cards.
As it was early in the evening the
night sentinels had not been posted,
so he met no one. And partly crawl
: ing and STOPPING, he at last found he
: was on the suburbs Of Washington.
} He Strengthened up TO his full
height and tried to make a run for it.
! But his ankle gave him much pain,
: and he was an hour and half reach
!, ing the cross-road. 1t was still rain
ing and so dark he could not distin.
: guish an object rod from him. But
E he knew the way-every inch Of it.
!, And as he drew near large oak he
3 saw black object. Then he heard
the camping of the bits Of inpatient
3 horses.
He came TO the side of the carriage
: and saw the outline of solitary fg-
ure, cloaked from head to foot, sitting
r alert and holding the reins. 1t slight.
4 ly started as he came to the carriage,
| but at once said:
{ "What road is this p
The cross-rOad," replied the rebel
! spy.
l Then get in" whispered the dri.
yer.
!. And in he got.
. The reins were gathered up, The
z driver turned the horses, and away
o they went in the darkness and the
mud and the slush of the winter night.
s Will-o-the-wisp sank into the cor.
!, ner Of the light carriage that Just held
two. and if ever q heartfelt prayer
e assembled 10 the throne of Almighty
n God. one did that night.
4 Few words were spoken. for the
Q roads were terribly cut up and deep
!, with mud.
The horses were going at a mad gal
Q lop. and there was the danger of an
Il l.