Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1892-10-16
1T WAS A CLOSE SHAVE.
HID BETWEEN THE SPRINGS OF A
BED AND THE MATTRESS.


A few years ago was taking an after II
dinner smoke IN hotel in Chicago with .
. gentleman who had been a colonel in =
the Confederate army. I
II was in Chicago during the war, in v
1862 or So" he said, land | had de- (
cdedly narrow escape. Do you want to L
hear thrilling episode, as the newspa- q
pers call it,
Certainly" J
"Well, I came through the lines-no p,
matter how-on special business, the ex- !
act nature Of which | don't care to di-
vtilge even al this late hour had To be
cautious in my movements The Federal
authorities were ON the lookout for secret I
emissaries. came to meet some parties
from Canada, and met them. transacted
my business. ana went around town for
several days enjoying myself.
Zone morning received a note from
lady of my acquaintance, who had
kindly feeling for the south and who was
we'll posted on current movements. She
wrote: Il learned on undoubted author.
/ ity that you are known 10 bee in Chicago +
and that they are on the lookout for you. I
/ When YOU get this stay where you are I
until night and then 90 to Mrs. Ks, -
street. and show her this note and think
you will bc all right.
".fIere's pretty mess, said TO my
self. However. determined to weather
the gale. had been through many
big battle, but to get in q tight place like
this was calculated TO make a man nerv-
Gus as might be arrested as spy and
shot. WASH I a spy, however, but couldn't
prove l wasn't.
Il wasn't molested during the day. l
} stuck close to my quarters and changing
my clothes and putting on a SLOUGH hat
and pulling it down over my eyes,
; launched out on the street a .,,.a pursued
my way 70 lmItt--s.1dress indicated in the
III tote. The streets were pretty live
z ~ with people, and a regiment of soldiers
70 were marching down Lake street to the
L Illinois Central depot 10 take u train 10
;, the front. | got To the house all right
h and found the lady To be an old southern
10 friend. An old friend, but very young
f. and handsome lady, the wife Of very
is agreeable Chicago gentleman. You'll
A. be all right here, she said, and thought
IN 40, too. She, her husband and | had Q
r very pleasant evening together, and part
" ed for the night in high spirits. ! wa'
d. tired and went To- sleep very quickly
lh Don't know how long | slept, but | wai
Is, awakened 10y laundering knock at my
IS door. sprang up and found my friend
the master of the household, pale as ;
so ghost, standing in the hall. An office
~ and guard are at the door and you mus
or hide--I don't know WHEREOF we sinai
re all be ruined.
in "'Go ahead said, and let them in
ed TIL take care of myself and you shan't b
nd compromised
80 ut was desperately rough situation
V just then my friends wife came quick.
he to me and said: Come in here; we mus
lis do the best we can and adopt heroi
" menus. Sl.t ia there aud don't breath
is or we are lost
ne "She pointed To her bed.
St. "'Get under the mattress and be sti
a. death, and get air when you can
I'm an instant | saw her plan. Til
bed was "A large one. The springs wer
all large. pulled upthe mattress, jumpe
me IN ON the springs and pulled the mattres
he over me. The lady then returned 70 lac
nc bed and quickly laid down AS natural
,rk as YOU please over me. She wasn't yer
heavy. but the mattress was, and til
g.s springs seemed To have edges cuttin
zen into my legs and side.
fur "Hardly had we disposed ourselves |
md this unique manner when the lieutenaI
and his men were admitted To the nous,
Of We could near loud talking as they e'
~ plored the house from cellar to Carr,
Int and looked in every closet, ran the
AMI bayonets into piles of clothes. AT la
old the door of the room opened. II
cit officer touched his hat and remarke
zen that lac couldn't use much ceremony,
nj the case was urgent. He had been il
our formed and was convinced that Go
the - was in the house, and he meant
,on have him.
i.h Mrs. Il pleaded sickness as 4
Ms excuse for not rising and aiding in Il
search. and said: Look everywhere, 81
over the house There's nobody lac
/. except myself, my husband and the ser
~, ants. All the closets and coal bins a
80, at your disposal. We have nothing
a.. conceal
In "sOh, said the officer, I've heard d
III that many time. shall have to los
"a all through your room, madam"
d f, lie ulu.
80 "He looked ia each closet; called b
. : men in and made them run their bay
a., nets into the wall 10 be sure there we
ii, no secret closets anywhere. lie stoop'
ii down, looked under the bed within fo
IA. feet of me. Jove. but ! was in a CO
~, sweat One movement, one creak Of
u. spring. one snecze or hard breath won
have betrayed me. but after three mi
utes of suppressed vitality the lieutena
withdrew, muttering: This is strange
"Still he fingered down stairs; we
~, into the cellar again. into the hack var
- tore up boards from tire floors, and II
~. his bayonet into the parlor sofas. At Ia
-, the gang cleared out thoroughly DISCUS
- ed. They did their duty certainly M
:. deserved promotion.
II waited on those informal springs ~
hours before ! moved. was afraid th'
-. would suddenly come back. But th'
didn't. The guard was kept around q
=" house until 10 o'clock next morning, al
~ then they withdrew. | spent the d,
with my friends. borrowed n suit
clothes and a hat from my friend, shave
my mustache of. and AZ S o'clock in Il
evening taking leave uf my kind pr
tectors, lighted a cigar, stepped bold
ZEN. into the street, and before midnight W
and a good many miles ON my way 10 u