Asheville daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1890-1900, 1890-04-23
MEET NOW AS FRIENDS.
BUT THEN THEY MET AS
MORTAL ENEMIES.
A STORY OF YEARS AGO AND ITS
HAPPY END.
n Little Incident That Happened
rev Days Ago AT the Battery
Park-Hearty Laugh Over
Former serious Matter.

Some time in 1863 or 1864 gentle
man, his wife and mother were travelling
the road leading from Saluda to Green
vile, S. G., and when descending hill t.
a small creek, they came upon two mel
picking away over the creek on th'
stones pro- .uding from the water. Into
the creek the horses trotted and the par
ties passed each other so quickly that
time was scarce given for a passing
glance, which revealed, however, to th'
man in the carriage that the pedestrians
were strangers to the locality, and ha6
even foreign look. At that time every
man able to bear arms was in the Con
tcderate army or could bc accounted ioi
at home, so the presence ot the two men
seemed suspicious. Thinking the matter
over the gentleman in the carriage re-
marked that he believed they were cs'
capped prisoners or spies, and intimatcd
that he should when reaching a neigh.
bor's house further ON, let the ladies pro-
cccd, and return to investigate, This
was so strenuously opposed that he had
to give il up. When reaching Grccnvillc,
he spoke of it to several, and was in
formed that some federal prisoners had
escaped from Columbia not long before,
and the men he had met were very likely
OF the lot.
Some days ago the same gentleman
being in the Battery Park hotel, friend
said, Carson, YOU SEE that gentleman
seated over there by the pillar Well, he
was federal soldier escaped from Col
umbia, Travelled all through the country
between here and there, was captured in
Haywood county as he was making for
Tennessee, and was sent to Salisbury,
where he remained in prison till the war
closed. lie is now successful Wall
street man, and rcvists North Carolina
for pleasure and recreation and to look
again over the ground where, twenty
live years ago, he was n fugitive. Come,
| will introduce you, he is most inter
csting talkcr."
(Which way did you travel in coming
into the mountains :" asked MIR. Carson,
after the subject had been broached.
"up by Saluda, leaving Grccnyille to
our right" replied the gentleman. by
the way, we ran a narrow risk of dis.
covcry and capture at place shall ever
remember. II was at n creek on the
main highway, and as we were trying to
cross, dry shod, "A small creek. we met n
carriage containing man and two wo.
men; and did not discover the vehicle in
time To conceal ourselves, and 10y the cx.
preston in the mans eyes we felt sure he
looked upon us with suspicion. We
looked for pursuit but we never discov.
cred any, il il was made For awhile |
was very much frightened. We were
afterwards recapturcd by squad in
Haywood county"
My friend" said Mr.. Carson. II was
the man YOU met, aud remember the
meeting distinctly"
And so the two gentlemen laughingly
talked over the matter, after the lapse
nf a quarter ofa century, much to the
cditication OF some who can scarcely re.
alizc the troublesome times the period
embraced.
The gentleman is Mr., Chase, Of New
York, aud he says he has never forgot.
ten what fine section Of country this
was when he tramped over them, and
now that he has the time, comes back To
renew his acquaintance with it. though
connected with some Of his most ardu-
ous experiences. lie laughingly discussed
all the incidents of his lite in the South
rs prisoner and fugitive aud his battle
with and final overthrow Of tickle for.
tune since,