The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-02-28

walking into trap" said. This was my
companlon's opinion. Captain LaWton OF
the home guard would come to the mouse
with some of his men from the neghboring
plantations, and we should be arrested and
forced to confess that we were escaping
Yankees, in order to avoid being tried as
confederate deserters.
Bell and l were fresher and stronger
than we had been at any time since our es-
cape. Our feet were so tough that we pre-
ferred to carry our old boots slung over our
shoulders. We knew that If we did not go
to the house that the man whom we mad
just met and his friends would soon De
searching for US, and that our only nope
lay IN getting away from this plan tatlon as
soon as possible. Between the cottonnelu
and the house we turned sharply to the
west till we came to road that extended
back TO the swamp through which we nao
come that morning, then we broke into
double quick and kept it up TILL the sun
SAM down behind the forest wall.
| just before dark we struck ROAD lead
| ing in the right direction, and nearing
voices ahead we concealed ourselves TILL a
party consisting of white man and num-
| Der OF back men passed. We could near
all they said, and learned that there ''never
had been year since de wah when de cot
tor was so powahful bad in de grass" we
started on again, seeing an occasional pgnt,
yet dreading 10 investigate its source, and
ouickening our pace every time we heard
the barking OF a dog, for we feared that the
home guard captain and his friends were on
our trail with bloodhounds.
1t was not till midnight that the strain
began to be seriously felt. The sky clouded
over, and as we could hear no SOUND OF
pursuit we decided to go to sleep In the
woods through which we were then NOV
ing. Prudence would have dictated our
resting by turns, but we were both SO tired
M, hot WA 4, lNff tn oil n tn0t
OF tree while we were discussing the pro-
prlety OF standing guard?
When we woke up il was TO IND day
breaking and the rain pouring down IN the
steady way that indicated wet day. II
must have been raining for hours, Tor our
rags were so heavy with moisture that In
order to wear them with comfort we had
} to wiring them out. The hard tramp of the
day before had left us stiff and sore, and
to add to our discomfort for we were very
hungry, all the food we had brought Ultt
US from the Georgia side was gone.
Cutting two stout sticks we resumed oul
, Journey keeping in the side roads to the
} left, which we knew would lead US toWarc
the Savannah river, and with that for {
} guide we reasoned that we could not go fal
: astray. We passed number Of runet
cabins and worn out fields, but the ccun
, try appeared TO be deserted, for till abou
noon we saw no sign of life. In eolnG
? through a stretch OF pines we suddenly
came upon a group of barelegged, tow
headed children playing beside brook, anc
at sight of us they stood stock still anC
: gazed at US with curiosity and awe in theil
eyes, as | have seen mountain antelope LOO
. when confronted by sudden danger. Tit
eldest was girl of about twelve, and
: wildly recall that though evidently fright
f ened herself, she drew the other children
about her and shielded them with her sun
4 Drowned arms in way that was yer,
0 touching.
o Sis" said Bell in kindly tone tina
r seemed very natural, though since GU
f meeting in the Charleston poorhouse it ha
not been habitual with him. I'VE uns ]
friends. You uns mustn't FEEL skeert."
ave amt skeert." said the girl, and sh
drew long breath.
I'VE uns is soldiers" continued Bel
n as your dad a soldier!"
= He was" said the girl.
"Ain't he now!n
She shook her head and compressed he
e lips.
/ "Why not?" asked Bell.
d "Kaze"
It ''haze why?"
t "Kaze he's dead?" she gasped.
e "That's doggone bad; but then lots an
g lots of soldiers is dead, and lots noah
It goin to peg out afoah the trouble is over
L We uns, as you see har, sis, is most mig
g dead, but we uns don't intend to go ella
n out till we uns ken reach the wives an
II babies awaitin US up III the mountains"
S Bell ard I were both single, but as hi
d purpose was naturally to ingratiate hin
y self with the child l remained quiet. Sh
J. told US that the nearest town was AlleI
r dale aud tina we were now in the Barnwe
g district. How far Allendale was she di
II not know, but she ''reckoned 1t was rigf
smart distance and this vague reply W
% often received from older and more INTEL
1t gent people.
e On other matters the girl was much MOI
J. positive She was certain that her nam
n was Min Long, and that she and he
J., mother and brothers and sisters lived wit
g. her Grandfather billiard ''over by the ha
) rican." We subsequently found that tn
d "harrican" was stretch of country abol
a mile back from the river where hurr
cane some years before had cut down
s~ath of timber about half mile in widt
and miles in length as completely as if
had been leveled by mighty scythe.
ITO BE CONTINUED.