The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-02-28
4 SWAMP MYSTERY.

ticularly hot on the coast of North Caro-
lima. 1t even did something to counterfeit
the more destructive heat of the civil war.
General Burnsid had captured long
reach of the seaboard and had established
his headquarters at Newbern. No bat
ties followed very soon nor any storm to
speak of, but the army and the weather
were fast getting into high state of prep
aration for either kind of event.
There were Union troops at Fort Macon
and Morehead City, not many miles up
the coast from Newbern, and much pay
was due them.
The money came down from the north
in July, and couple of paymasters re-
ceived orders to go at once and deal it out
to the men.
Before the war railway had been con-
structed from Newbern to Morehead City.
It's rails were still there, but all it's rolling
stock with the exception of one hand car
had gone into the interior of the state.
The viaduct was only just wide enough to
carry the rails, and much of its course was
through a swamp whose dense bushes
were now luxuriantIy reaching out as if
they meant to capture the track before the
end of the season.
The ouartermaster placed his one hand
car at the disposal of the paymasters. He
did so with the pleasant information that
on the previous evening the busy Confed-
crates had made raid and had swept
away all the pickets posted along the line
of the railway. New pickets had been post
ed, he told them, and their proposed trip
would be reasonably safe.
ssHope the rebs won't get it, then. Put
her through, sergeant, but look sharp.
The storm is most got here.'' He also was
correct about the weather. In 10 minutes
more such a storm had arrived as was
credit to Cape Hatteras and the whole sea-
coast of North Carolina. On rolled the
hand car, it's crouching passengers drench-
ed with rain that fell in streams rather
than drops. The lightning flashed almost
necessarily, and the thunder seemed to be
rolling around all over the swamp. Ex-
copt where streak of lightning cleft it,
the darkness was like a solid wall, and
there was neither headlight nor hand Ian
tern provided for that hand car.
sWorst storm ever saw" remarked the
sergeant. and one of the brace of men who
were acting as motive power grunted
back at him, ''It's the worst kind of
storm, but you can't see it.'
1t was just correction of the statement
made by the sergeant, but at that mo-
ment a hoarse, deep, all but sepulchral
voice from among the bushes and black
ness at the right of the track commanded:
'tHalt!''
"Stop harl Quick, boysp" exclaimed
the sergeant, and as the men changed in
stantly from motive power into brakes he
sprang from the car into water above his
knees and waded forward to answer the
hail and give the countersign.
1t was all in vain. Down came dou-
BILE deluae of rain and thicker darkness.
Then vividness of blue electricity danced
through the dripping bushes, and great
roar of thunder followed it as if in search
of the hidden spicket." Neither rain nor
lightning nor thunder nor the anxious
ouestionings of the sergeant discovered
him.
There he was or must have been, dead
or alive. for he had said stHalt," but that
was apparently all he had to say.
The sergeant spIashed his way back to
the hand car, using very strong language,
and it was decided to go forward.
''We're just as likely to be fired into
first thing remarked the paymaster's
clerk, ''and they'd hit some of US sure"
Both of the paymasters agreed with him,
and one expresses his satisfaction that the
box containing the greenbacks was water
proof.
'HThat's more than am, }" said one of
the soldiers. ''This 'er' rains got through
nv roof. can feel it trickle down inside
of me.''
The hand car was not propelled rapidly
after that, but the lightning and thunder
worked harder than ever. Perhaps half a
mile had been gained when another voice
on the left this time and not SO near, but
equally hoarse and peremptory, shouted:
"Haltr'
Other words which seemed to follow
were swallowed up by wide mouthed
clap of thunder, and SO was the sergeant s
prompt response, but in an instant he was
among the bushes.
The first we heard from him was:
"Boys, it's up to my waist and getting
deeperp'
e tsGo on, sergeantl" shouted one of the
paymasters. "They'll be shooting at us
if they don't get an answer!"
tAurrah for General Burnside!'
squawked the paymaster's clerk in a
vague effort to let any supposed picket
know which side he was on, but severe
sternness from the further end babe him
"Shut upl Halt! Come alongl"
"I'm coming" shouted the sergeant.
"Friend Paymaster"
l:Shut up! Come along" responded the
threatening voice beyond him.
For full quarter of an hour the ser
geant groped and foundered among those
bushes. Again he used strong language
| very strong indeed-but not soul came
| to meet him, nor did another word reply
| to his repeated requests that the picket
| should advise him as to what course he
| should take.
The party on the hand car covered I'M
der sheets and torrents and whole mill
| ponds of falling water and hoped that
there might be a cessation of the lightning
flashes, so that any hidden rifemen would
| be less able to shoot straight.
II give it up" said the voice of the ser