The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-11-16

and most courageous maiden.
Grampus, the old negro servant, with
that cunning and cleverness characters
tic of his race, took his young mistress,
not by the highways. but by the byways
and paths so well known to him that he
could follow them quite as well by night
as by day, and carrying for her light
case of clothing soon had reached the
edge of a swamp just beyond which
were the lines of defense. Rose was
quite calm and cool, for she long since
had conquered her fears as well as her
scruples, and was now ready to meet
every e1igency with that peculiar cour-
age which belongs to woman. She fol-
lowed Grampus, stepping firmly in his
tracks and needing little the gloom of
the swamps or the ominous sounds that,
like heavy, half suppressed breathings
of battle, rustled along the lines Of the
motionless armies. There was no firing,
no martial music, no distant voices: but
to the right and left and directly before
them a strange stir, a vague, significant
yet scarcely deinable tumult of minor
noises shook the stiffness of the night.
Lights that could not be seen cast their
Pickering reflections ON the sky. render
ing the solemn blackness of the densely
wooded swamp still more heavy and aw-
full. The trees were hung with immense
festoons of Spanish moss, mingled with
wild grape vines, amid which small ami
mails, probably raccoons. were scram-
bling and playing
Much Of the way Rose was wading in
water four or five inches deep, and she
had to lay hold of the negro's coat in Or
der to follow him. 1t had been agreed
beforehand that Rose was not to speak
unless Grampus first spoke to her; so in
perfect silence. save The light splash of
their feet in the water, they trudged
very slowly and cautiously along until
they had reached the heart of the
swamp. Here Grampus paused, and.
turning about, whispered:
''Dey's somebody right yander. Yves
got ter slip back and go way roun' an
udder way"
Rose could see no one. but she knew
well the quick eyes and quick ears of the
negro had not deceived him, SO she fol-
lowed him without word as for some
distance he retraced the route by which
they had come Presently he changed
his direction to the left, and for while
they foundered through dense watery
thicket of low bushes. finally reaching
another path Invisible save to the eyes
of Grampus) which led toward the lines.
Soon again they were baked, for they
came near going plump against a group
of soldiers occupying little rise of dry
ground, where an officer appeared to be
at work writing, reading dispatch or
examining map, at all events he was
leaning over a paper of some kind, while
soldier held minute pine torch close
beside his face. ....
"Got ter try EN- ag'in," whispered the
old negro; bend down low an walk
mighty light, er dey git us sho'.'
The night was not cold; in the swamp
it was almost sultry, and swarms OF
mosquitoes hummed in the air and at
tackled every spot of face. neck or hands
where the skin was uncovered. Grampus
did not care fer these; but TO Rose it
would have been torture unbearable in
any lighter stress of circumstances,
Progress was extremely slow. 1t
seemed that at almost every step Gram
pus hes1tated, faltered and listened,
turning now this way, now that, and
peering through the hideous gloom at
the little twinkling lights which now
and again cleaned for a second between
the great tree boles and the low swing
ing masses of f5nercal moss. Roses skirts
We're torn and her feet wet; her hands
and face were bleeding from the scrat ches
of thorns and the sting of insects; but
she was unaware of it. Her whole nat
ure was concentrated in what she was
doing.
Grampus knew that the time was
speeding rapidly, and that if he did not
hurry daylight would find them before
they had passed the British lines. Still
it was quite impossible to do more than
he was doing.
When presently they reached small
but deep channel in which flowed 81.
lent, sluggish stream the negro turned
and saying, Mus tote yo' cross, Miss
Rose" lifted her as if she had been q
, child and bore her to the other side.
They were now on higher ground at
the edge of an open marsh meadow OF
field of some sort, and they clearly saw
line of lights Pickering along the oppo-
site margin.
+ ''Hab ter skirt roun' de aidge of de
r woods" whispered Grampus. Fink we
| kin git fru jes' ober yonder by de ole
cabin
, Rose could see no cabin, nor could
, Grampus for that matter, but he knew
r where it was and forthwith began by a
, circuitous route to creep toward it. By
= certain signs in the sky ne knew that
/ daylight was near, but he knew also
, that to hurry was to be nearly sure Of
+ revealing their presence to the vigilan
2 soldiers. Step by step, like cat creep
, ing upon her prey, he led Rose along a
g a snail's pace just in the shadows of tn,
! woods where they could not be seen.
: 1t was much farther to the lines thai
the lights made it appear, and they wer,
: an hour or more going around the some
A what circular opening to where Gram
e pus hoped to find q place through which
e under cover of q tangled brake he coul(
j find their way to the American army
e which he knew occupied q slight ridg
i Just beyond
: Grampus was q great coward in on
!. way, but in another he was as coura
I geous as lion. He had mortal fear of
J, gun, and he well understood that if
. picket or outpost sentinel should see hin
;. creeping along in this furtive name
~ Ia, h. L., L.,