Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-01-26

tap at the door got out OF bed and
opened it cautiously. As was natural
under the circumstances, he saw danger
in everything that occurred. He half
expected to see through the slight open
ing he at first made the muzzle of re-
volver pointing directly at him. Hesaw
very different sight. 1t was large
tumbler, with straw in it, on a silver
tray in the hands of a negro,
Mrs. Fain's compliments. sah," and
he handed Mark a mint julep.
"Ah!" exclaimed Mark, with intense
satisfaction.
present my compliments to your
mistress, and tell her | perceive with
pleasure that this noble Virginia GUS
tom has found its way into Tennessee,
as it has long ago into South Carolina"
Yes, sahv'
"There are alleviating circumstances
even in the life Of a spy" said Mark
contemplating the beverage, uncertain
as that life is. Why will man not al
ways be a philosopher? Here am in
beautifully furnished room; have been
sleeping between the whitest linen, or
the softest of beds. | arise and be hold
this delicate attention on the part Of my
hostess, who, if she should know who l.
am, would bring n dozen bayonets to
hedge me in, and l should be waving in
the soft summer breeze at the end of a
hemp cord in twelve hours. But she
does not know who l am, and, consid-
cred philosophically, l am Mr. Rhett, of
South Carolina, and in clover. Here's to
Private Mark Malone, poor DEVIL"
However, Mark desired to keep his
head cool, considering the circumstances,
and contented himself with few swal-
lows of the julep, and after completing
his toilet joined the ladies at the break
fast table. He praised Mrs. FANS fried
bread, and was about to give the coffee
a few words of encomium when, tast
ing it beforehand he discovered the pre-
vailing chicory. So he entered upon a
TRADE against the blockade, and ended
by hoping that Abe Lincoln would at
last be hanged higher than Hannah, a
reference that gave him a disagreeable
sensation about the neck and caused
Laura's bosom to heave tumultuously.
The comforts surrounding Mark, the
kindness of his hostess, and above all
the presence of girl whose bosom
seemed to contain such volcanic forces
as would best harmonize with one
whose chief object in life seemed to be
to get himself hanged, conspired to make
him feel a safety that he should not have
felt under the circumstances. He had
been campaigning for a year, during
which period he had experienced no
greater comfort than n Mcclellan sad
die, and the women of the country
through which he had passed had not
received him with any marked evidences
Of pleasure. Is it to he wondered that
he felt approximate content-if one can
feel content whose neck is in a halter
in the F&in manor house?
But Mark had something else on his
mind which he knew was of more i'm
portance than his own safety, though
its value, if he should possess it, would
be dependent on that safety He wanted
some indication of where the enemy
would strike. He was not so foolhardy
as to think If going back to Chattanooga
himself, but he resolved to send mes
senger. If he could ind some one TO 20
TO town that day, tho latest news co,
be brought him in the evening. Thel
he would assume disguise and be off il
the night.
After breakfast he took his pipe an,
went out to smoke in the yard. Fl
sauntered around to the barn and foun,
Daniel at work upon the horses.
"Daniel," he said, good morning."
"Mornen, sah," said Daniel, eying hin
suspiciously.
mice lot of stock you have here, Dan
iel."
Eyes, sah fine stock"
"And | see you take good care of them
That pony shines as If his coat had bee
oiled"
Dat Missile Laurie pony, sah."
"Ah! It's fine animal. And is tina
her phaeton:'
Yes, sah.'
Mark was standing very near Daniel
and suddenly turned and looked him i
the eye, knowingly.
Daniel" said he, "are you all right O.
the cause of freedom?"
"Reckon ! air, sah."
Suppose you had chance to favo
that cause, the cause which if it III
umphs will make all darkies free, woul
you do it,
Reckon would, sah."
well, suppose Union man were t
ask you to-
"Yo' conference air berry faliliar t
: me, sah'
500 | look like Nh Slack
; "God brcs. the Lo'd! wonder if "
) air Mr.. Slack
"Or the cololed girl who came her
the other night, Mark asked in low
, confidential tone.
"Fo' de Lodt'
Never mind who am, Daniel, IL
: Union man. Now / want you to 9
into Chattanooga and learn all you ca
Of the latest array news. Don't tru'
your own eyes, bat ask people what
! going on. want TO know if troops ar