The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1891-06-07


quick as you can.
The moment her back was turned the
negro handed the concealed bottle to the
nearest soldier with a sly grin, hastily
pouched his money, and bundling the
scattered provisions recklessly into his
basket, hurried after his young mistress.
That's derned good stuff, said the
first soldier, taldng hearty pull,
though it has queer sort O taste,
someways."
"Fhat's so,s asssnted the other, drink
ing in turn; ''but reckon good whisky's
with hevir', il thar was p'isotl in 1t.
There was something unusual in It
beyond doubt, for before long first one
man and then the other began to grow
drowsy and leaned heavily against the
side of the shed, reused himself with a
sudden start, and then let fall his rifle
and sank to the ground in dead sleep.
Up came gliding in trice the dark
figure of the negro scout, who had gone
no farther than the nearest clump of
bushes, and asked softly:
You dere, Marse Joliffe::'
Is that you, zekeg' said the prisoner.
Dat me, sure huff. You wait one
minute. Me get you out.
zelSe soon found a spot close to the
earth where the crazy planking, rotted
by constant rain, was easy to cut through.
Upon this he went to work, for the bar
of the door defied his strength, one of
the wary sentinels having jammed it by
forcing large stone into the socket.
The brave man hacked away as ii
working for his life, which indeed he
was; for If fresh men came up to relieve
guard while he was thus employed he
would share the doom of the man whom
he was striving to save. Again and
again he thought he heard approaching
steps, but happily it was only his fancy,
and at length the moldering wood gave
way. The young viscount crawled forth.
and the lovers were instantly in each
others arms.
Whether l live or die, darling, I've
seen you again" said Arthur, kissing
her, land nothing can deprive me of
that. Now, zeke, what are we to dor
You put on dat uniform, Marse Joe"
answered the negro, hastily stripping the
unconscious men of their tattered gray
uniforms, '.and Missy put on dis yer 'un.
Den you two take dem two rifles and
march me off troo de camp; and if any
body ask whar you gwine tell EN- you
done cotch dis cussed Niger sell liquor
to sentry, got order see him clar out OBJ
de lines.
1t was bold and hazardous scheme,
but there seemed to be no other way of
escape The shed served Constance as q
dressing room, and, being naturally tall,
she made very passable soldier, with
the broad hat slouched well over her
face. Zeke bundled the discarded cloth
ing into his basket. and away they went
Favored by the darkness, they got
along more easily than they had ex-
pected. Twice they were stopped and
questioned, but, having picked up the
countersign, that and the excuse sug-
gested by Zeke carried them through,
and they were soon clear Of the Confed-
crate lines.
THANK God, said Constance fervent-
~, tive are safe at last"
But unhappily she was rejoicing too
soon. just then storm Of wind and
rain burst upon them, making the night
SO dark that neither Arthur nor Zeke,
though two Of the best scouts IN the
Union army, could tell which way to
turn, especially as they were now in
volvcd in maze Of thickets that would
have been puzzling even in broad day
light
Happily thick tree was at hand to
offer them shelter, and Constance,
wrapped in her companions coats and
the canvas cover of Zeke's basket, fell
asleep from sheer exhaustion. while the
young viscount, seated by.her side, lis
tened to her soft breathing and built
many castle in the air for that future
from which, only few hours before, he
had thought himself cut off forever.
Hour after hour went by in silence,
but toward morning Arthur's quick ear
caught strange, dull sound far in the
distance, growing gradually louder, and
he guessed at once that some important
movement was in progress. And so it
proved, for day had hardly dawned
when a roll Of drums was heard to the
northward, and Zeke, raising his head
to listen, said:
s.Marse Joe, you and missy better put
on You own clothes gain and chuck
dem soger tings away. Dem rebs no
trouble us now. for dey soon hab some
ting else to think OBJ, shuah, dan cotchin'
we uns. Dat drum mean Marse Grant
and Marse Sherman comm out to
whip 'em.'
It soon appeared that he was right.
While they were snatching hasty meal
from what was left of the contents of
Zeke's basket, the rolling of the drums
kept growing louder and nearer; and
they had not gone far on their way to-
ward the town, after changing their
clothes again, as their guide had sug-
gested, when the warlike concert was
swelled by another sound-viz., a deep
ening roar Of cannon that made the air
tremble.
The great battle Of Lookout mountain
had begun
1t was not long before q sudden turn
brought them full in view Of the scene
of action. Sherman's troops had already
begun their attack upon Missionary
Ridge, and vast blue wave of assault
was surging up against the steep face Of
~, .ls:l,. +i,s n, e,-r,insr SIM broke II,