Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1893-04-26

let him stay and act as my private body
guard. Well, didn't need the fellow.
but l sort of took pity on him and let
him remain, and / was always very
glad / did, for he would do anything [
told him to, no matter how much of an
effort it cost him.
"He was pretty handy as a forager
and never seemed to have much trouble
In locating a hen roost. We always
had chicken to eat if there was any in
the country. I remember one time I
told him to go out and bring in some
poultry. He said, All right, NASSAU
and started off, Morning came and
he failed to return A week had passed
and / saw nothing more of him Lfelt
sure he had grown tired of camp life or
had been captured or killed, Bat enc
morning he came into camp with two
large ROSTERS. He looked ragged and
worn, and as he threw down his burden
he said: Thar, massa, is yere blame
ole chickens. Them rebs got tween
me an de lines an made me trabbel
bout foah hun'ed miles to get yere'
AT another time / had stored some
valuables in my tent, and on starting
out with a skirmishing party told my
'colored man not to allow any one to
enter the tent. We had no more than
got away when the enemy rode into
camp and took everything except my
tent, which my negro defended against
she whole army, and all because I had
told him he should keep every one out.
/ have thought since that if I had only
told him to go out and put down the
rebellion he would have done so. I
had become very much attached to him
when one time he went with me on
secret accommodating trip. My horse
had been shot from under me and he
was riding a mule. We reached
thick clump of bushes, when [ dis
mounted and told him to hold my mule
tlll returned and started away on foot.
1 had gone some distance through the
woods, when [ saw several Confeder-
zates between me and where I had left
my mule. My safety demanded that I
hurry still further on to another thick
growth of timber. The enemy seemed
TO be following me and I kept going
forward until finally [ reached camp
Just before the opening of a severe bat
tie. We were forced to fall back, and
during the night started on a long
march. | had but little doubt that my
negro and mule had fallen into the
enemy's hands. I never saw either of
them again during the war, and after
It was over came North.
Twenty-Five years later took trip
South and visited the old battle
grounds. I found the same dense clus-
Ter of brush and trees, in the midst of
which [ had left my negro with instruc-
tions to hold my mule until [ returned.
And although it was no more than [
had right to expect of him. [ will
confess / was somewhat surprised to
fad standing there the skeleton of
1that negro, it's bony fingers clutching
the strap to which was attached the
skeleton of mule. Just the instant I
said, There, Jefferson, you needn't
hold the mule any longer both the
skeletons fell in heap and threw a
few leaves and some dirt over the bones
and, turning away with tears in my
eyes, I said: How seldom do we see
such fidelity to duty But, notwith-
standing that negroes good qualities,
he had his fault. He would lie. Do
the best I could with him he still
seemed to have but little regard for
the truth. But I've often thought if
he could have associated with me till
the end of the war it might have made
q different man out Of him. Chicago
News.