The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-08-02

Iast ana then Slpped OYER TO the OInel
hotel and registered and took room al
Professor E. G. S. LaDue, New Orleans
| had the French twist to my speech anC
| also had the discovery relating to new
explosive. l had come to the front tC
put it into practice.
1t was about 10 o'clock when started
out and who should | run against the
very first thing but my friend of the
milk business. He had a sergeant and
three privates with him and as they
passed me he said:
Oh, can tell him half mile off. HIS
gray wig got rumpled up, and | saw
light hair und'r it, but he was off before
| knew what to do.
followed them to the hotel where
had first registered, and entered it just
as they went up stairs TO my room. They
thought they had their man but were
doomed to disappointment. Two of the
men were left in the Office, however,
while the other two, accompanied by the
milkman, went out to look for me on the
streets. This was on the Goth of May.
Beauregard had concentrated everything
on the short line, and the Confederates
believed they had a dead sure thing in
case they were attacked in their in
trenchments. picked up the acquain-
tance of dozen army officers before
night, and the subject of new explos-
i've proved interesting to all. They
pumped me for particulars, of course.
but my reply was
In day or two 1 hope to make test
and surprise the Yankees.
Thr,,,r,h t,,H nf Va ntai in
johnson, belonging to Marmaduke's
command, and who had been wounded
and carried his right arm in a sling, | Sc
cured a pass to carry me about Corinth.
and on the second day of my arrival l
posted myself in many details. Every
thing was excitement and hubbub, as
everybody thought great battle immi-
nent and nobody paid any attention to
me. AT my solicitation Captain John
son reported my arrival to Beauregard's
adiutant and asked permission for me to
experiment. He came back ard said:
found him upside down and he felt
like ordering me under arrest for dis
turbing him.
On the afternoon of the third day
while was returning from the Confed-
crate left provost patrol picked me up.
My pass was all right and secured my
liberation, but it gave me an uneasy feel
ing to observe that the milkman was
among the guard. He had evidently
pointed me out for arrest, for heard
him mutter to the officer:
may be wrong, hut can't shut of the
feeling that he's the man. No two men
could have such eyes.
I l.
now, and the first thing l did after
reaching the hotel was to replace my
teeth, rub the black from my eyebrows.
part my hair in the center and give a
new twist to my moustache, and as de
scended to supper my left eye had a
slight squInt. After supper, as sat in
the office smoking, observed the milk
man moving about as if locking for me.
| went directly up to him and said:
My friend, were you looking for me 2
No, sir, was his prompt reply.
But you were with the men who ar
rested me this evening.
What are you the feller we picked
up near the depot Z
| am.
He looked me from tip to toe with a
puzzled expression on his face, and re-
marked
overheard you say something about
my eyes. Is there anything wrong with
them?
N-no, sir.
But why did you point me out to the
guard Indeed, why are you, a civilian,
tramplng about with the soldiers l
presume you hold yourself accountable
for any trouble you may cause gentle
man
He turned pale in an instant and ask
ing me to step aside he explained:
There was an old man rode in with me
the other morning. He called himself
Judge Lexington and said he lived at
Guntown. No such man has ever lived
there. This man also wore a gray wig
to conceal his natural hair, which was a
little reddish.
Well, he told an affecting story and
passed him as my father, l believe he
was spy.
Yes.
And the soldiers believe it and want to
find him.
And hope they will. But you, my
friend, must use more discretion. If you
insult gentleman you must be prepared
to give HIM satisfaction. feel that
Say, I'm sorry about this thing and |
hope you'll let il drop. Come and have
drink,
held off for awhile and then bridged
the yawning chasm, and when he was
ripe for it said:
/ have brother here-a citizen-who
is Just able to move about after long
illness. l want to get him away before
the battle occurs. How far out do you
live?
About nine miles.
II paid for it couldn't you take him
home for a week or two?
I'll take him without pay and be only
too glad to do you favor.
But wouldn't have it that way.
bargained with him that be should re-
ceive $40 for his trouble and that he
should call at the hotel the next evening
Nothing was said about pass, but in
tended TO see to that. The next day
NJ rmaduke's captain helped me TO Sc
cure it. What | saw in Corinth satisfied
me there would be no fight. While the
Confederates were shortening their lines
and intrenching, and while the great
| mass OI bOluleTb utlltftu bndb Dcduio
gard was aching for an attack, the rail
road tracks told the story. l saw that he
was sending away guns and stores as fast
as possible, and was likewise bringing in
and side-tracking all the cars available
Several extra locomotives had come up
and believed had good grounds fol
suspecting a retreat FROM COrinth. This
belief was strengthened on the last day
of my stay by the confidence of tele
graph operator who informed me thai
supplies intended for Corinth had been
stopped down the road.
When evening came had seen to al
that was necessary, and half an hour af
ter supper l disappeared. The man who
took my place was an invalid. He wa'
very pale, weak in the legs and spoke IN
hollow voice. chalked my face bit
rubbed the black off my eyebrows, cuI
off the corners Of my moustache, pu'
on a different style of collar and hol-
lowed in my cheeks by suction. In thai
way heightened my face and made my
cheek bones show very prominently. Il
was dusk when the milkman drove up
When he came in stated that the pro
fessor, my brother, had been called Il
Beauregard's headquarters, and that
was all ready to be moving.
Been powerful sick, | take it, he sait
as he looked me over.
Yes, very sick.
! Consumption