The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-06-25

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FLING A EorE OVER THE LINN OF THAT
| TREE
diers for my own-six strong, young
men in the vigor Of youth for this old,
WORKOUT life of mine.'' he cried, with
despairing energy.
What do you mean? Speak quickly,
scoundrcl, or it will he too late.s
There are six Union prisoners hidden
where you can never find them il die
with the secret on my lips, and where,
| if you slaughter me. they will perish
| with hunger and thirst, for | alone
| have fed them, and there will be no one
to do it if you murder me-
IF he speaks the truth there is some
sense in that" the Major said. reflect
lively.
ut is Gods own TRUTH" the man
moaned. IF YOU will give your word
| to let me 60 free and unframed will
make clean breast of it and tell you
where they are. Six young lives for one
old one-thinll of it,
"Yes, and such worthless one as
that you Offer Major Hopkins said
| dryly. We'll. prove your words. and
| l will accept the terms, even though
cheat the devil in giving you your life. :"
And you will let no one injure me?"
mo one; but be quick about it or I
may change my mind. Where arc these
| men?'
I'm cellar under my own house.
Il might have thought of that the
Major said, annoyed to think that the
| miserable wretch was to escape his
righteous punishment.
| So Mr.. Dixon was marched back to his
own house, with the rope still around
his neck and his hands tied behind his
back, together with the horses and
spoils of war, and the many wounded
men, who, though most of them ene-
mics, were treated with a wonderful
| tenderness by the rough soldiers.
1t was even as Dixon had said. The
men-one officer and Ave privates of an
| Iowa regiment-were found, gagged
and bound with cords drawn so tightly
that their flesh was cut as with knife.
I'VE had to keep them quiet or you
would have heard Them" Dixon said,
reading the stern inquiry of the Majors
looks.
"Unloose his bonds and let him go
before break my word and brain him
where he stands Hopkins cried, una
bic to control his Indignation.
Nor was the Major alone in his wrath,
for it was with the utmost difficulty
that the officers were able to restrain
their men while the trembling wretch
skunk from their sight.
When the rescued prisoners, whose
tongues had been SO cruelty tied by
whip-cord, were able to speak, they
were Of course asked hundred ques-
tons, and among them this:
do you know where Bragg is?"
YES" was the prompt reply, The is
off northwards with all the speed he can
to Louisville
And Buell. knows it not.' Major Hop
kins declared, aghast at the significant
Importance of the news.
So. leaving the enemy's wounded to
the tender mercies of the citizens of
Winstanley, and despatching their own
in baggage wagon with q small es-
cort, they mounted their nevsy-ac-
quircd stccds and hurried as fast as they
could back to Buell's army.
NO wonder Southern gentlemen call
such as our Winstanley friends white
trash, the Ma ior unused. ''Ihave often
felt surprise at the epithet, but now
think it suits them down to the ground. +"
CHAPTER XIII.
ALL FOR WOMAN.
Human interest is always stirred 10
fever heat by a race, whether the COM
peting objects be men in the arena,
horses on the course or yachts or ocean
steamers flying over the foaming waves,
but here was a sight that made the dull.
est pulse beat fast-two armies rushing
country, in anxious haste to reach a
spot that may be n key to pronounced
victory. Bragg and Buell. with their
thousands were the participators in this
stupendous struggle, with all the odds
of an early start in favor of the former
but the Union General reached the goal
first, and SO foiled one of the finest eff
forts of his astute antagonist, whose
record during his brilliant career was
second only to Lees among the South.
crn commanders as an expert tactician.
But though forestalled in his inten.
tons, the Confederate leader seized the
opportunities left to him, with consum.
mate skill, flooding the State with APP.
peals to loyalty to his cause, inspiring
them by the presence and boosted sue.
ccsses Of his troops to join his standard,
and making almost superhuman eff.
forts to win the kentuclians to q
declaration of secession. lie went
further than Lee had vcntured to do in
Maryland, daring even to create pro-
visional Governor and carry into effect
stringent CONSUMPTION law. Come
into the folds of your brotherhood -
was his passionate appeal by proclama-