The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-04-22
A LUCKY MISTAKE.


| ared on two young men from Pennsylvania
| enlisted in the Union army. These young
| men were twins, Tom and l. We were
very much alike in size, feature, voice and
| manner-everything, indeed, and the only
persons who could always tell which was
Tom and which was were the twins them
selves We did not join the same branch
of the army, Tom enlisting in the cavalry,
while joined the secret service.
After the investment of Vicksburg, and
when the Union forces were each day dig
ging nearer the city, l was sent to make an
inspection of the Confederate Notifications.
l succeeded in passing the Confederate
hines and ntered the city at Vicksburg,
where. dressed in civilians clothes, was
reasonably free from suspicion. But it
took me a full day before l secured the
desired knowledge and started back to-
ward the Union lines under cover of dark
ness.
/ passed the guards safely and was, per-
haps, a third of the way to camp when
heard a sharp Halt. who goes there?"
accompanied by the click of cooking wea-
pons
Escape was out of the question, and .
moment later l was prisoner.
w HIGH you W! QucTlou
the leader of the men who had captured
me.
Neither" answered, "but am stay
ing at Vicksburg."
''How came you SO far from the lines to
nighti''
Il was just wandering around and
thought / would go until l reached the
outer guard, / answered.
This is very stHange-if true" said my
questioner, turning to his comrades, "but
probably it is all lie" Then to me- 'We
will just take you into camp and sift that
yarn of yours"
The yarn sifted so poorly that I was con-
victed as q spy and sentenced to death.
One day after my conviction some young
ladies of the city visited the prison where
the Yankees were confined, some to see the
strange animals of the north, who they
believed had horns and hoofs like an ele-
phant," as one of the young women ex-
pressed it; others to leave flowers or fruit
for the unhappy prisoners. The number
of the latter class was small.
AS a condemned spy | was an object Of
especial hatred or commisseration, accord
ing to the feelings of the fair visitors
rs he really a a3spy?" asked one young
girl of gushing class and age
Yes" answered the guard; che is q
genuine Yankee spy"
"Oh. isn't it awful" said the girl. "How.
can you tell, He doesn't look like spy,
and if you hadn't told me should say he
was real nice"
You can't tell anything by looks" re-
piled the guard. Some Of the brightest
and handsGmest men in the service ara
spies. This 'un looks well enough, but he
is a sneaking spy just the same"
How strangeI And what do these
dreadful spies dor What did this one do?"
HE came to look over our Notifications
so he could tell the Yanks where it would
be easiest to break through them and
capture the city"
''Oh, dear! you don't think the Yankees
will capture Vicksburg, do you? If they
should, they would kill us all, wouldn't
they? Oh, how dreadfully awful it would
be-"
II don't think they will ever take the
city: it is toowell fortified and too strongly
defended"
My attention was soon attracted to three
young ladies who were distributing hand
some little bouquets to some of the prison
ers whom they appeared to know, and
was surprised to see the horrifed stare
which followed the younger girls first
glance at me- She looked a second time,
searchingly, her face pale and startled,
then turned away with her companions
The next day she came back again,
bringing flowers, and | had a chance TO
watch her for some moments. She brought
me a small bouquet, and when handing it
to me accompanied it by a glance appar-
emily full of meaning and yet utterly be-
wildering and nntranslatable.
Surely" thought, II have never seen
her before. Not look or question or
movement is familiar, and yet she appears
to recognize me-" The more / thought on
the subject the deeper and binder was my
mystification, the more surprising the ac-
tiun Of my beautiful friend.
/ watched my charming mystery builder
until she left the prison, then turned to the
bouquet she had given me. I gave it
close examination. Hidden among the
leaves of one of the flowers was a very
small note. the paper being almost as deIi.e
cate as the tissues of the flower leaves.
The note said:
DEAR Toni was 80 startled and horror
struck to see you yesterday that almost be-
trayed the fact that recognized you. Fortu-
nately l did not. and now | will try and help
you. Examine carefully everything | bring.
1t may have something useful Agnes is al
ready i'll. and have not dared 20 tell her.
MABEL
Evidently the young lady thought was
somebody else.
a guard came to my cell after she left
and said:
Il saw you were one of the favored ones
today"
Yes" replied: who is the lady'"
Miss Murfree-Nabel Murfree. "
Her home is in Vicksburg, presure'"
NO; Judge Murfree. her father. lived
outside. and his plantation was for several
weeks in possession of the Yankees. Fl
naily he came mere 70 be in a safe place
and brought his daughters along.
The next DAY Miss Nurfree came again
and when she reached my cell she handed
me another bouquet.
waited until was free from observa-
tion. then examined nv bouquet. In the
hollow stalks OF the flowers was a very
small file, slender but strong steel bar
with sharp point ana A little platinum
bottle of hydroflucric arid. The flowers had
been carefully sealed uP at the bottom n
prevent their contents from falling out
Besides the tools for escape was this note;
DEAR Ton -ToTaorroys viii try and End ca
the password from yoans officer = no slsits
u.s. AAEEI~
awaited the r.sllt of hcr effort with
painful interest. and when see came the
Ionovlne cay ana gave ne the usual 5oz
quet found tie following noies
Ny DEAa Tox-TGc password tonight .
Cartridge" Ii Yoa-ges OFT - 70 The eo-Ee7
this side Of So ssag1.aH = h5ch yea car Sc
fron your window. a1d give ios whistle a
eolored man VIII COME fros1 the esssE1sot O