The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1889-09-19
ODD BITS OF F

ODO btlS VI LITE.
Maj. p. @. Blud, who lives north nj tse
city on the Crown Hill road. says b
Indianapolis Nesos, n . Mississippian by
birth. His father was q and
n believer In the cause OF the south. Poll
sis-s led TO a separation Of the family, one
of the Hons who stoutly stood for the
union leaving the patcrnal roof and COM
ing north i'm his teens. When Lincoln
called for men this son was prompt to re-
.pond. In the service to which he thus
gave himself he became N major, and il is
through him that this story has its being.
During the war he learned that his father
and brothers had enlisted in the confed-
crate armies, and when the major with
his was forming a part OF the
Investing lines that held the starving
Vicksburg he wondered IL any of his own
kith and kin were in front of his gums.
81 have just received word hat my old
father Is dead" ne said. "Hc left u paper
which was tai be opened after his death.
Ii il "a strange document, as you will see.
In IL he asks for y reconciliation OF his
childrcu-estranged since 1850 by the
war. One cluase, directing particular at
tention to me. says:
II can not go To my grave w,.hon. ask
long my parental love. There IL no rea-
son why our family should longer live
apart. Our hot southern blood explains
our conduct. There is but one act of ex-
cessive vindictivcncss that needs tn he eN-
planned.
- WAS III y VI ~ y
burg in front OF your nina on the
18th Of June you made an assault upon tho
works. We were short oil battery snppiies;
Our last fuse had been fired: We had
neither torch nor match. You know, per
haps, that your sister Kate, then u young
girl. followed me all Through the w ALSO S tine
that characters our blood. II you will!
beard much of electricity on ''spiritual-
ismr--you will remember how all OF you
children used to rock ables and chairs by
Kate used tn comb sparks Off of her hair,
10 the terror of the colored people.
"'yvell. i'm our desperation one day in
trenches, I determined to have Kate lire
the cannon IL the worst came. BY rub
hing her hands or feet over a. rough cloth
or by strokinR her hair she could charge
of the end of her finger in sparks, When
you came up against our b~reastworks that
day tive did not then KNOW ina, you issi
"skate,' L called.
ing without further words. Stepping mp
to one of the gums she pcered through the
portfolio at the advancing column OF blue.
coats. l saw her turn pale and faltcr and
her eye was flxed on an object outside. ]
looked and saw you in the vano OF You!
ranks, =, fairly III, IN o fTSn for OF an our Instant. cannon" ON,
men were beginning tn yield ana you
troops, meeting feeble resistance. wert
coming OH trltl11pUhutiy.
"'Do your duty, Kate l said. and the
girl, setting her teeth together, rubbed me,
hand twice over her rough jacket ant
lightly struck the old Fashioned cannoI
right at the toucli-hole, where n little pile
of powder had been poured. There was
an instant discharge and r~esult-confu
sion i'm the federal lines.
~ do not know. unless providence
came directly to your aid, how you es
capped. But / loved my state and We
thought we were right, boy. You neet
never to have known this, for few saw II
and they art gone. But n fathers return
ing affection compel me to tell all. II
the fierce love we had for our cause W.
would have sacrificed you. I hank Cos
tina I'm the fearful rain of shot that da.
you were spared. Kate lives Ia join il
this request that you forgive"
There il nothing i'm this to excite an.
in~credulity,'' the major said, I'm speakin!
OF the letter. "My father is right. Al
our family are human electric batteries
Let me give you an illustration"
The major sat down, pulled OIL % sho'
and stocking and scraped his bare foot al
the carpet a few times. Turning ON "a ga
gas vent. Instantly the gas ignited fror
~ haven't done that for years." said Inc
..but ! knew that / could do il unless IN
physical makeup had It's nt
so remarkable. Many people doubtle
could do it IL they but knew their power
"Yes, i shall go back to Mississippi, an
Kate will TIE Just IA dear to me rs 1T sh
had blown up jeff Davis instead of ha'
ing fired at her Yankee brother"