Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-01-25
You'll be likely to be

ms information would ordinarily
nave scared me away Int ia th;nas
were, it had no effect on me-
~ be sure to be captured if Won
Iun., ,.1 me ln," was my reply. II
haro S on5 guerrlllas are plenty about
net - anu they'll be pretty certain to
ee ~, me- unless L can hide somewhere"
lhere was some talk between the
Two wh1cn was too low, with the door
oe'weeI' Tor me to make out. It end
Gu ~ the bolt being withdrawn on the
.ns.ue, end L was admitted. Ny en-
'ser5alners We're middle-aged, severe
looking lady, and q young and hand
some one. 1 was taken into a room
wnere there was table ready set for
supper. As the hour was past ten, the
circumstance was at once observed.
lou may sit down there and re-
fresh yourself" said the elder of the
Two. Il will take your gun"
Thank you, ma'am; prefer to keep
1t right with me. want it handy, in
case of need"
watched them, and saw that both
turned pale. What I had seen and
heard informed me at once of the true
state OF the case, and sudden inspira-
ton gave me a plan of operations that
thought would be likely to secure my
safety.
You are expecting some one," was
my abrupt remark.
Neither answered.
"And suppose it is somebody in the
Confederate service. Perhaps some of
Colonel Mosby's men,"
Still no answer; but from the looks
that passed between mother and daugh-
ter, it was easy to see that I had hit
the mark.
Without another word went out in
the hall and bolted the door.
"Now, before 1 sit down here"
said, II must have IN understanding
with you ladies. When those men
come you must hide me-"
1--WE will do no such thing" ex-
claimed the elder lady, with good
deal of spirit you were warned not
to come in here, but you insisted. We
admitted you, because we feared you
would use violence to get in-and we
knew that some one would be here
soon who would take care of you.
think the best thing you can do will be
to go while you can"
1 took my bayonet from the sheath,
and clapped it on the gun. "I'll shoot
the first man who tries to take me, "
said l, "and then defend myself with
the bayonet as long as I cam"
20 dear" cried the girl, wringing
her hands, 1--WE mustn't have any fight
ing right here-and with Charles, too.
Mother, let us hide him till they CO.
The elder lady looked angrily at me.
"You are foolish man." she said.
"You would certainly be captured.
Very likely. But should kill one
or two first"
Our discussion soon ended by the
women agreeing to conceal me. I ate
hearty meal, and had just finished
when we heard the galloping of horses
outside. [ was hurried into the next
room, and the door was locked. The
circumstances were such that 1 felt
justified in seeing what 1 could through
the keyhole, and by occasional glimpses
thus obtained learned there were two
guerrillas and Union soldier, their
prisoner. They remained about two
hours. during which supper was eaten,
and there was much conversation.
could not make out any OF it, but when
they left saw that one of the guer-
rillas and the prisoner went first, and
then I heard something that sounded
like kiss.
When I was released made the re-
mark:
IT have no doubt that you ladies feel
better now than YOU would have felt il
we had had bloodshed here; or even il
] had been taken and sent to one OF
your prisons"
Il hate the war;" sighed the mother.
"My husband was killed in it; have
son serving under General Early"
"Then you know what mother
feelings are. You know how my mother
would feel if had been killed or capt
ured here"
I had touched the right spot at last.
Her eyes filled with tears; she came
to me and laid her hand upon my head.
"NIy poor boy, you shall go upstairs
and have a good sleep. l promise you
no harm shall come to you here. [ will
be kind to you, and, perhaps, some
one will be kind to my own boy in his
hour of need"
Why should I not have trusted them
after that? 1 did implicitly. had a
glorious rest in feather bed, good
breakfast the next morning, and soon
after saw a company Of Union cavalry
scouting up the road. 1 babe hasty
but grateful farewell to my new friends,
and with the aid of the cavalry joined
my comrades at Washington before
night. Chicago Ledger.