The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1892-11-16

upon my hospitality, Tor rs soon as he
could gulp down the last mouthful he
said, "l,lamc my buttons, JOHNNY, IL
I hain't eat up tho lot. Pm sorry,
but was so hungry didn't know"
Then we looked at each other and
the whole affair struck us so ludcrous
that we both burst into hearty laugh
| sat down and laughed until the tears
ran down my cheeks, and that Yankee
rolled over aud laughed and made such
a racket that was afraid some of the
pickcts in front of US would open fire,
but they didu't.
While we were still laughing the
relief came, aud tho officer in COM
mand said to me:
"Whcrc did you get that fcllow3'
The fellows good nature aud his
enjoyment of the joke (an unconscious
one, of course) was so great TINT | tie
tcrmincd. OIL the impulse of tho mo
ment, to get better acquainted with
him before turning him over rs n
prisoner, If possible, aud when re-
ported to my superior added that the
prisoner cnmo from Ohio. not a great
distance from my old homo In West
Virginia, aud that would like to
have a talk with him. In cxplana-
ton l will say that the prisoner had
told me that he belonged to another
regiment OF course, under ordinary
circumstances, such thing would
have been impossible, but just as our
limo was filing into town tho whistle
Of locomotives and rattle of drums
announced the arrival of rc-cnforce-
monts, and while the attention of the
squad was attracted nudgcd my pris-
oner and slipped into camp with him
without attracting attention.
Lying under dog tent we talked
for several hours. told him where
came from, and found that he had
actually been born aud raised not
thirty miles distant from my Old home.
although in a different state. He
knew many of my acquaintanccs, and
| had known many people with whom
he had been familiar. Any Que listen
ing TO us would have thought we
were old acquaintanccs and old
friends, aud We certainly became
friends. if not old ones, that night.
Ny Yankee friend began 10 show n
great deal of uneasiuess before great
while, and soon learned that hc had
II terrible dread of being sont to Lib
by, but as had succeeded thus far IN
running things to suit myself, told
him not to be uneasy. but to lic still
until came back
Fir-t made aim take or his blouse
and his cap, aud these | rolled up and
carried out of the tent under my arm.
In fifteen minutes had exchanged the
blue jacket and cap for the gray jacket
aud gray Sl0uch hat of Confederate
its owner was asleep. From another
sleeping soldier I borrowed big
chunk of cOrnbread. Returning 10
the tent told my prisoner to put on
the ,c%et and hat--a mighty risky
business for both of us-and then led
him down over the hill, keeping in the
dark, until we struck tho same ravime
where | had captured him, but at u
point 100 feet distant from the picket.
After guiding him to the opening be-
tween the hills, pointed out the di-
reclion of the camp Of his friends, and
after telling him that they had proba-
bly, rctrcated (Which learned after
ward was facD, l told him to keep
on going, a, our fellows would make
things lively that morning. We then
shook hands and parted.
Five years ago, while sitting in a
big country store in Ohio with about a
dozen cx. Union soldiers, swapping
war stories, told of the foregoing oc-
curreucr. When l got up the next
morning half dozen hor-cmen ha,l
just arrived, and at their head was II
mi'ldie-ayed gentleman whose air and
carriage beIokened prosperity and
happiness. lIe sprang from his horse
and walkcd-almost ran-to tho porch
Of the hotel where was standing,
seized me by both shoulder. with a
pair of trembling hands, looked me In
the eyes moment, as il in doubt, and
then actually hugged me as the tears
ran down his checks. "God bless you.
johnny. l have always hoped, but