Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-07-19

OF two very vigorous pairs q unSA bus vnns
they ~alked u shs SHADOW. bensafh IL
torches. the old man got The fail glare Of ths
Right upon his postiy figure. - though this
we're an Illumination or torchight processaoa
gotten up for his exclusive benefit What .
target vas presented by that extensive form
Pallsa ard shaking, he came to halt
--Boy.f- said he, family. .Boysf'
The vociferuos duet suddenly stopped. and
the TOYS looked tack at their father, Who
was inyosuntarly drawing beck into ths
shadow
Boys. Cm kinder tired You al 90 n up
the ruSsi fur as you want To- Iu - wait
here till you come back
They were goue before be was done talking
Another moment ard they we're around .
besd IN tie ruad. and be was aloue IN The
pitehy darkness
by Nsdl' he murmured. IN assonisned and
ave srruck tones, trembling In every limb,
and almost falling To the ground from weak
uszA He was able ~ distinguish nothing but
tho dim whirene=s Of the sandy rood. and .
huge pine tree that lifted its smooth. dark
trunk almost -sithin reach Of his band Over
IN tue U.,ssorl, the owls bad resumed their
grand " aCnerian concers, but nowhere. far
or ues.r. could any shout be beard except the
ones taar issued from the throsts Of Jiin and
Jvan algn.sr 81, OF bearing up the road
Rarst Was that u bird thai stirred the
leaves. 1t was not an excessively warm
night but the lonely watcher found himself
covered with perspiration He began vaguely
70 wish tha, he bad gone with the toys
Again the leaves stirred. and something
like u pallEd face Was thrust into his sight,
peering from behind the great pine treA
Mercifui powersi Where were Jim and joint
The face was Withdrawn. and for one swift
moment the trembling man began 70 hope
that he was mistaken The next moment tbs
twigs were brushed aside, and out into the
road stepped q tall form. within two feet OF
the miserable old man
"Wha'-wha'-whas matters Who're your
he cried inartlculately heartily wishing that
he were a woman, 50 that he could faint com
fortably away and have nothing further TO
do with the affair.
I'm Yankee" was the self possessed re-
ply
Keep of, Keep Off" exclaimed the old
man. trying to back bodily through the
trunk Of the pine, which, however, main
tanned its ground Keep of. | tell ye!
These woods is plum full Of my boys !
wasn't in no notion Of secession, no way.
said the whole time | didn't b'lieve it was
ped"
oh. shut up" was the impolite reply.
I've tried TO get away. but rm lost and
hungry want you to arrest me and send
me over to Mansfield to join the other prison
ers. Better he prisoner than starve to
death in the woods"
These overtures instead Of having the de
sired effect. increased the old mans alarm
ha f1la
"Idont know what good it'll do you to muir
der ole man like me- amt never done
you no harm | amt got niger to my
name, and don't want none-lyin, thievin
rascas There my boys a comm back
now Don't hurt none Of US, mister We
amt never done uothn' to you"
Arrest me Do you heart" commanded
the stranger, threateningly. Arrest me
and tell those men that you have arrested a
Yankee"
The tone Of 20 imand and the gesture that
accompanied /. were not to be resisted As
Jim and John turned the bend in the road
the old man SUM out in a quivering falsetto
oh BOYS, boys, come here quick. I've ar
rested Yankee"
The boys came running, and were wild
eyed with establishment at .behoding their
father with his trembling hand grasping the
collar of u stalwnrt young fellow in blue uni
form
Why. how did it happen, father' Are
there any more Of themf
There are two of US, replied the stranger
but we got separated, Yesterday was
shouting I" try and call him. when you heard
pe | supposr YOU will send me up TO Mans
field There a crowd Of prisoners to bs
taken to Shire, art in day or two"
A long and l;inful silence fell upon the
group This si ar prisoner carried a mus
ket Jim and ,hn had TO wrapon more
! formidable thai their torches. and their
father was des, t',e OF even E,cnknife
Come on by'sr said the Old man, turn.
| ing toward home The prisoner walked
along beside him, and the four took their
| painful way along the road and up to the
| farm hour
| The prisoner leaned his musket up against
the wall and ate the corn bread and bacon
which were given him his captors standing
around heipes,ly Then he asked for blan-
ket, and, having obtained it. wrapped him
self in it and lay down on the gallery floor
monarch of all he surveyed There was no
limit to the calm self possession Of this pris
oner who had come thrusting himself where
he wasn't wanted
! II set up iiiu SudIu uliil. boys, silu tue
old man You all I'D be jes' Us like as not
to go to sleep and let i'm git away"
So he sat aud nodded and snored, and
nearly fell forward on his nose hundred
times. and groaned dsrnally on every such
occasion, to find that terrible Yankee sleep
/ ing serenely, as though he were child in his
| trundle bed back at home If ever there
was veritable white elephant on the hands
of any unfortunate and misguided man this
| prisoner was that quadruped
| About daylight the watchers tired frame
! gave way, and he sank back into his arm
! chair and slept the sleep of the Just "out-
snorin' a camp meetin," A. jim said irrever
emily, when he came out and witnessed the
| performance The sun half way up the
eastern sky when the old man awoke The
| different members of the family were all at
their work Away down in the farthest field
jim and John were pulling fodder. and the
| jubilant strains of Dixie" came floating up
from that direction, snftened by distance
Almost AZ his feet the stranger was sitting
on the top step. cheerfully whiting out
| piece Of white pine.
"Yoa here yet" exclaimed the old man In
tone of uuinitigated disgust
''Of course I'm here You don't expect me
to leave when I'm under arrest. do your
II wisht I'd a kilt ye when first found
| ye'" retorted the captor. grinly BLAMED
if | hadn t a done 1t, If I'll a thought was
saddliD' myself with drafted Yankee that
couldn't be got rid Of"
IAN you have % do is to take me over to
Mansfield sail sue unconcerned prisoner,
holding the point # the sword up TO one eye
and looking down 1t to see If the blade was
straight.
I'm not a l,niu to DO it, hy Ned" ex-
claineti the jail,r s-veSeiy Il can't 90 no
where, and jim and John has got to work In
that fodder while they are at home We may
all have To eat fodder If this beastly war
goes or much longer
lie was still growing and grumbling when
the tramp of horses feet was heard, and d.
rectiy several young men and one old one
rode up to the gate The news had miracu-
lousy reached the neighbors how old man
Boone had captured the Yankee
"Howdy Mr. johnson howdy. Bob
Come in, Sam" he cried with great ANNA
tion. Yes. there he is | caught him last
night and he placed his hand on the Yam
KEGS collar with the air Of one who holds
back with great difficulty a wild and savage
do The young fellow laughed good natur
eily and went on with his whiting.
What you going to do with hirnr In.
quired Mr. johnson
Il dunno, said the old man, dubio,islv
He ought to te took to Mansfield. reckin.
but ! cant take him. and my folders
splin 80 that Jim and John can't leave an
it amt safe to keep him around here
"Tri g'Hn out TO Mansfield today Stpse
| IN tn him. Tod NJ Iobps1p