The Irish standard., 1890-12-27

my shoulder, anu mouth at my ear
asked:
# ssWho is this?"
Captain Watts
'.Watts!'' This in surprise. Thea
Howard Scott whispered: ''As you've
discovered the secret for yourself, am
not to blame. But you must explain
the matter to Colonel Ross; and now
that you are here, you must go to work. :"
Ireadily agreed to this; and after a
few words, in which he told of the tun-
mel they were building out of Libby, be
led me across the floor, the stones Of
which appeared to be covered with a
substance like loose fodder. After leav-
ing me standing against the wall for
some minutes Howard came back and
said:
1.-THE boys are bit surprised, but
they'll be glad to have you join in.
Now, ask no questions, but do as you
are told.''
He led me :up along the wall to
where l felt soft earth under my feet
and heard number of men whispering
every communication was whispered.
81 am going in,'' said Howard, land
as you are green to the business, you
must stand here and FAM
felt an irregular opening cut into
and through the stone foundation. This
was the entrance to the tunnel. "A man
standing at the opposite side of the
opening passed over to me the two cor
ners OF what felt like blanket and
whispered: STEADY; keep it up slow
and steady"
] did not need to be told what I was
to do nor why it was to be done. The
duty of myself and Of the man who held
the other side of the blanket was to
move our arms so as to force air into the
tunnel, for on this depended the life of
the brave fellow working like a mole
within.
The man in the tunnel drew in after
him square wooden box, such as had
been used in the prison for a spittoon.
At opposite sides this box had cords
fastened to it, which served to drag it
in'and out, and also as means Of sig
mailing, by the man working within,
when it was full.
The dirt taken from the tunnel was
scattered over the floor, from which the
loose fodder was first removed-it was
always placed back when the nights
work was finished.
found the tanning very hard work,
but was relieved every half hour, as was
the man digging inside: The sensation
of working in the dark with those liz
tensely silent, earnest men can meyer
forget, while the time was regulatedBy
the ''alrs well'' of the guards, under
whose feet pathway to liberty and
Gods land'' was being cut.
l wanted tt take my turn inside, but
Howard would not hear to it until he
had had chance to ':post'' me as to the
work.
About one o'clock we were relieved by
another gang, and with my friend. !
crept back, as had come, to the Upper
Chlckamauga.
Hitherto | had been living in daily
dread of summons from the prison
officials, to answer for the death OF
Frank Brent. but now that had some
thing to do and a prospect OF escaping,
my feelings underwent radical change
and became positively cheerful
Through Howard Scott met Colonel
Ross and all my fellow-workers, some
of whom were old friends. There were
less than thirty in all engaged in this
wonderful work, and the secrecy with
which they succeeded in keeping their
scheme from all the other prisoners was
not the least amazing part of the under
taking.
soon got to know the tunnel as we'll
as ii l had been it's originator Its
course was due east under a roadway
that ran down from Carey street to the
canal and at ri ght angles to the prison
front. On he other side of this short
street there was high-board fence that
shut out the space from beyond view of
the guards. This space was a sort Of
court yard for another warehouse to the
east, and in this warehouse great guam
titles of boxes were stored; these boxes
had been received under flag of truce
for the prisoners. but, about January 1,
1864, the delivery of them ceased and
they were nightly looted by our guards.
AS the tunnel neared completion my
own anxiety became so great that rest
during the day became impossible, for
an intense impulse was on me to be at
work all the time. ! found another
Kentuckian who was possessed in the
same way. This was Captain Johnston,
who could work harder and go longer
without food or sleep than any man I
ever met.
At length, in early February, the tun-
mel was nearly completed, and Cap
tain Johnston was missing from roll call.
The prison was searched for him, and
the tEnnellers, who knew where he was.
felt Geld and nervous till Ross told them
that Johnston must have escaped by
oribing one Of the guards, as. Captain
Shelton had done q short time before.
CHAPTER XIV.
Now and then letters were received
under flag of truce, and those were oc-
casions never to he forgotten. Soon