Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1892-07-26

G.s
ssi,ino ns mu,lst. NJ shouted 10 ns
prisoners On fciiow him
Pike was not In camp. She was told
that. on account % the fate % his unfor.
tunaie brother. ~ had t.cn given TWEEN
ty.four hours leave. She went back to
the Jail. but Pikv hal not been there.
With her breaking heart growing heavier
nj every step and her brain rceling for
the want % sleep. the poor mother began
% pace the streets. Knoxville was 20 her
l-wilieringly largo place. and the
crowds of men. many of them drunk.
addei 10 her r.rpleiity and confusion.
No, knowing where she was going.
but feeling that she must keep moving
or die. she wandered down 90 = little
sirot near the rivcr where the houses
werc occupied by poor whites and free
negruc-. II was growing dusk. when q
. color.i woman met her and askei II
she was Mr.. Huri. Jacks mother.
"rm Jacks pore heArtbruk mother. "
was the response.
"lre b-en . sarchin 90 yeh." said the
black woman. "foller ine."
Mr.. Iiurd followed her into the bas
room u q long. rambling shanty. and
here she met Pike with q numh-r oi
men IN gray uniforms. and other men In
but,ernu,s. hut all looking Enthusiastically
like mouniainecrs. Pike kissed his
mother. and Sam Mcneil. of Jack.boro.
handed her his cantecn. and saii the
stun was good and 10 take q big. r--
frc-hing drink. which she did. though
neither herself nor her boys were al.
dictei to the use of liquor.
"All 10 we uns har. 'ocpt Pike. said
Sam Mcneil. "is oonscripts, and rather
agin the wah. but that amt har nor
thar at this time. We uns may In shot.
II ~ We uns holds on. but thar Amt no
dAnjah of hein hanged tomorrow. G,
Jack Hurd shorely will b. ef ~ b. nothin
IL done 90 help him outen this d-d lad
hole. IN hits 90 talk hit ovah that W.
uns sncakei down har. but reckon
Pike bel bcttah tell yo'. 10 he knows
that all the friends of wo uns aint In
this RON. though I'll say the ten hai
hes allowed 10 take big rcsks tonight,
and u ~ b. the plan works "a she should
Jack iIuri1l b- q free man In the noun.
tains afoah sun mp. and he won't h.
alone by hissef. nuthcr."
'l'yc seen lots 81 the mountain boys. :
said Pike hoar-ely. ''men ez Il into the
wah. like me. coz they feel bound that
way. and men "a was dragged In. like
hunted niggahs. by JEFF Davis houns;
and we uns hez all agreed that Jack
shouldn't hang. And mother yo' must
10 hack to the prexen tonight and whis.
Ter 10 him that we uns her swore that
90 the honah of the mountains my
brother cant hang. And by Cd! we
uns'll keep our word ri ~ lie We hez 10
fiah the Jail and the town"
Pike then went on to explain that he
tween twelve and one o'clock that night
the guards about the Jail would be
quietly ovenowcred. the jailer would
ts forced 10 surrender the keys, and
then Jack Hurd and all the men held.
l~cause % their devotion 20 the Union.
would be released. giving them six
hours of darkness In which 10 get into
the western hills.
This plan staggered Mrs. Hurd. II
was q bolder scheme than she had
dreamed Of. for she hal not taken into
account the help she might get from
Union men. But now that Pike and
Jack would be working together she felt
that nothing could resist them.
The men prevailed on her 20 eat some
thing. and when she was ready TO 20
back to the prison. which was about
eight o'clock. the same colored woman
MAS on hand 10 guide her.
Without any delay she was conducted
to her son. and ~ she nearcd the cell In
which be was confined. she saw q brighter
light than that burning In the corridor,
and she heard o voice that she did not
recognise chanting . hymn she had
learned n girl mp at Tazewell-
Here bring Jour wounded Learta
Here tell Jour anguish;
Earth hath M sorrow
That heaven cannot heal.
She crrpt up 10 the cell door. and look.
ing through the grating she saw an old
man with long gray hair and kindly
face praying. with his thin hands clsped
and his closed eyes upraised 10 the cell.
ing. while Jack sat ON the cot, with his