Dodge City times., 1891-01-09
CHAPTER XIV,


under flag of truce, and those were oc-
casions never to be forgotten. Soon
after reaching Libby wrote q number
of letters to my parents and friends and
one to Carrie Brent in which l explained
my situation. AS our letters could not
exceed ra~" in length, and were all
read over by the prison authorities,
was in despair of hearing from Carrie,
when to my great delight-and this on
the eve of our exodus from Libby-I re-
ceived an answer from her.
The part vital to my story hero
transcribc:
HoME, Feb. 4. 1864.
''MY DEAR CAPTAIN WATTS: While all
my sympathics in this cruel war are or
the side of tho Sunny South, still must
confess am deeply panied to learn Of
the misfortune that has befallcn you.
For br:ve.man to be deprived Of his
liberty is trying. no matter how kind
his treatment: but as the Confederate
authorities can not properly feed nos
clcthc their own brave men in the field
it stands to reason that the prisoners Of
war in their hands must suffer dearly
for lifu's necessities.
'.Your mother has sent you through
two boxes of N<'visions and clothing,
and have tried to show my esteem in
the same way. Read all tho books ]
send you. Bible among the rest, and
note the marked passages. The set Of
chess are the same you and l SO often
played with in tho happy past.
And now as to brother. He was re-
pricved by Mr.. Lincoln for ninety days
AZ. sent to Johnston's Island up near
Sandusky. I have been to sec him three
times, and each time he has seemed
thinner and more worn. He is in the
hospital, and the doctors say he has con-
sumption. but he refuses to believe this
and says he would be himself in q week
if he were only back in the saddle.
81 have recently seen our mutual
friend, General Boyle, and he is hard at
work on a plan whereby you can be ex-
changed for Frank. General Holt is
interested in this matter, and as he has
much influence, it will not surprise me
to see you home any day.
81 wish You and Frank, once you are
free, would pair off, as they do in Con-
gress, and let others finish up the war.
l am sure al Kcntuckians would agree
to this plan, if they only knew how the
hearts of mothers, wives, sisters and
sweet-hearts are breaking at home.
Our beautiful land seems changed into
the valley of the shadow of death, for
there is mourning in every household,
one day for dead boy in gray. and an
other for a dead boy in blue. But the
bullets that slay them do not stop on
the battlefield, but wing their way over
hill and dale. nor rest till they find
lodgment in some woman's heart.
with an ever-keen memory of your
goodness to me and mine, and praying
night and day for the dawn Of peaoe,
believe me Your Friend,
CARRIE BRKNr."
read this letter over and over, read
it till knew it by heart, read it till
it separated at the folds, and then,
sentimental youth that l was, 1 placed
it over my heart and felt happier and
better for having it there.
The same mail bFo0ght Howard Scott
a letter from Mollie Vernon, and he
showed that the love Of love is stronger
than the love Of liberty, by forgetting
all about the tunnel. while, with
moisture in his fne, brave eyes, he told
me of the comfort this letter had brought
him.
At length the day came. or rather the
night when there were two openings to
the tunnel, the new one being inside
the high board fence across the way.
The time had come whom the pledge Of
secrecy could be removed from tho
workers and they were free to tell their
friends that they had opened up . way
that might lead to liberty.
By ten O'Clock of the night Of the a.
cape, every prisoner in Libby knew Of
tie tunnel and was eager to 60 through
it
Howard and decided to keep close 20
gether, SO We held each others hands
that we might not be parted by the
crowd we found about the opening in
the hearth At ten o'clock. II these men
had moved with the order Of soldiers.
fivo hundred. instead of one hundred
and fifty, might have gone through; but,
as it was, they jostled about the opea-
ing. pulling men out who were half IL.
and shouting and swearing like 90 many
mad pen.
ro BE coxr:xUEo.l