Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1890-10-31

you know, is only twenty miles from
here"
.'Do you wish to be taken and huns
for spy2" was the officers stern answer
swell, sir, I must run my chances
as many another fellow has done. can
leave Rupert without making an effor
to save him, and have scheme which
is sure to work."
Wilton Singleton was only nineteen
but his pluck and brains had gained fol
him great deal of respect. eHe was 6
natural soldier, alert, cautious and, above
all, accomplishing.
He had risen to be Sergeant, and was
soon to be made Lieutenant.
"Tell me your plan," pursued the
Major, trying to hide his admiration
under an appearance of gruffness.
cit is something I would rather talk
about after it is accomplished, the boy
replied, with tinge of bashfulness in
his usually frank manner.
The Major gave the required permis-
sion and the Sergeant went out.
He took off his uniform and in a few
moments bore no resemblance to the
trim young official who had entered the
tent.
He had borrowed from some of the
neighboring country youths blue
blouse shirt and pair of linen pants.
He took off his shoes and stockings and
pulled his short black hair down over
his forehead, which was too intellectual
for the role he intended to play.
A torn hat of dirty straw, and bag
made of coffee sack, which he was
going to sling over his shoulder, COM
pleted the picture.
This bag contained queer collection
of articles which were very useful later
To look at the Sergeant in this dis
guise was to behold pumpkin of the
lowest class.
No soldier would give him moments
thought, and, if he did, the Tennessee
dialect would have deceived native.
Wilton was born mimic. He stopped
at his Captains tent.
''Has you'uns got ary thing for
we'uns ter do2" he said, with an inde-
scribable drawl.
"Come back alive, boy" answered
the Captain; II would go with you, but
it would only increase the danger"
1t was about 7:30 in the morning.
The hot summer day was before him, and
also the twenty miles which stretched
between him and the river, on the far
side of which the enemy lay encamped.
He chose the open road, and after an
hour of walking wagon rimbled by. -
He begged for ride and obtained it.
By noon he was ten miles on his way.
They gave him buttermilk and cold
corn-dodger at a farmhouse where he
stopped. He ate heartily of the coarse
food, as heroic natures do, for the pur-
pose of keeping up his strength.
As he stepped out into the sun the
heart of the farmers wife out to him.
"Be you agoin' furs" she called.
81 be agoin' down ter the river to
Uncle Job Adkins. Weun's COW air all
ing like, and ma, she low Uncle Job sot
her all right onct before. He gin her
some "yarbs."
The woman reflected. She had four
horses in the pasture.
~ amt got no saddle round handy,
but might mex out to lerd yer rope
if yer have got spunk ernuf ter catch
one of them horses. Yew could bring it
back ter-morrow."
No second bidding was needed, and
in short time Wilton sat upon his bor-
rowed steed, feeling that fortune favored
him.
As he rode away he lifted his torn
hat, brushing back the hair from his
brow. The unlearned woman felt
thrill she could not comprehend as she
encountered that farewell glance, and
went into the house to dream of her boys
in the army.
He rode steadily, until at about five in
The afternoon, he saw the broad waters
Of the river cleaning in the distance.
He tied his horse to tree with the
long rope and let him Craze.
Then he climbed to the highest branch
Of the highest tree in the little grove and
the country.
On the other side of the river the
white tents of the enemy, the canons on
the outposts, the men in uniform, the
martial sights and sounds made up an
agreeable whole.
But to the poor boy in the tree it was
terrible. Somewhere in the midst of all
that his little brother was prisoner.
Many of the tents were very near the
bank and from his post of vantage he
the men as they went in swim
ming.
At last the sun went down and he
,rept from the grove.
Presently single star came out and
comforted him. His mother always
looked for that first star and loved it.
When they were little they had made
wishes on it. He made wish upon it
now, and then with child-like faith pur-
sued his enterprise.
He was near enough to hear voices,
borne family over the water, for it was a
broad deep stream, not one of the over
grown creeks which we often call river
in the South.