St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1894-07-12

A A WAR STORY.

STRANGE wan 81 IN
The preparation tor the trial tor a
land suit which is to come up at the
approaching term OF the Circuit
court in B~urksville, KY, has revealed
a singular story. Throughout the
civil war this backwoods region
Burksville is 40 miles from the near
est railroad-was debatable ground.
1t was harried alike by Federals and
Confederates, and, worse than all, by
the guerrillas, who claimed either
flag. as it suited their convenience,
and robbed the friends Of both alike.
In the early days OF the war a par
ty of guerrilias, who were mainly OF
Confederate sympathies, made their
headquarters IN Bennett township,
in this county. From that vicinity
they made many raids through the
surrounding country, and often at
tackled detachments of Federal
troops.
One of the boldest and most dash
ing of the guerr1llas was a young
fellow named Jack Mason, who said
he was from Tennessee. But OF his
family and antecedents he told his
companions nothing. He was slender
in form and effeminate in face and
manner, but these circumstances
were attributed to his extreme youth.
His enterprise and bravery IN battle
prevented his companions from com
menting upon his girlish appearance.
One day a smart sklrm1sh between
the guerrillas and Federal troops
was fought. Jack Mason was wound
ed in the shoulder and fell from his
horse. His companions picked him
ND and carried him off with them
But he was so seriously wounded
that the rude surgery of the camp
was not sufficient. A friendly farmer
named Tohn Orth took the wounded
youth into his house and Mrs. Orth
nursed him.
Mason had not been in the house
of the Orths long before they dlscov'
cred that their wounded guest was a
girl in disguise. The gins wound
though not serious. was painful anc
slow in healing. She was in bed sew
eral months and in that time a baby
girl was born.
When the mother became strOns
and we'll she suddenly disappeared
from the home of the Orths, leaving
her baby. She left also a considera'
BILE sum of money and some jewels
and a note directing that they b.
used for the benefit of the baby.
The Orths adopted the little CIR
and she grew to womanhood, mai
ried a prosperous young farmer nam
ed Mavhew, and is now the mOthe,
of two children. MAYHEM owned
some land in this county, which h
sold. Later a question OF title cam
up and his wife was summoned as
witness. In the course of her testl
mOny she told the strange story 0
her abandonment by her mother, thu
discussed soldier. Local newspaper
printed the facts, and they were re
printed in a newspaper at Knoxville
Tenn.
Recently a middle-aged but good
looking woman arrived here. Sh'
said she was Mrs. John Mason, who
lived near Knoxville, Tenn, and tina
Mrs. MAYHEM was her daughter
Then she told her story. She sa1t
she was the disguised soldier, Jacl
Mason. She had run away from he
home in Tennessee and had married
Young man against the will OF he
parents. Afterward she became Jeal
Gus of her husband and deserted him
Ashamed to return home she had pu
on mems clothes and joined the guer
rillas.
When she left the house of the Orths
she said she intended to return an
claim her baby, but when she reache
East Tennessee she fell into a feve
and was never afterward able to lc
cate the place where the Orths reslc
ed. She and her husband were re
united and they advertised extensive
ly for the child, but heard nothing.
Mrs. Mason was overjoyed at hno
ing her daughter, Mrs. Mayhew.-
IAtlantic Constitution.