Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1894-11-07
A NARROW ESCAPE.

one cool September day a small party
~ Confoderatcs could be seen wouding
their way down the dusty road that loads
into the little town Of Warrunton. And
from tho tlrod look Of tho men and The
SCANNING sides of the horses ono could
plainly $50 shat the cavaicndc had ridden
fnst and far. Tho company were part oi
the rangers, and nt their head rode thcir
chief Musby, on black stocd while the
rcst Of the men trottcd on behind IN q
lclsucly manner and made tho air r.ng
with their lrsls and gay songs. II wns
truo that the enemy might como I'm sight
at any moment or that some stray bullet
from foe hidden In bush might cut
short the laughing words on tho merry
lips but familiarity with the horrors o.
war had bred un easy indifference. and
these mon, though daily facing death,
thought no moro of their danger than 70
they wcro riding tot picnio Ia some neigh
boring grove.
II was just about noon whom che par'y
dismountcd NJ farmhouse, and in an
Instant tho jolly rohcls were The crntcr ot
an admirlng group that crowded about
them, aud tho eager host hn.tcucl 90 bring
out for their entertainment all tho good
things that bis lander afforded Tho mon
were hungry. and seated beneath the huge
oaks thcy were soon discussing tho rcla.
tive merits OF The buttcrmilk and fried
chicken with which thuy wUu plcntifuliy
supplied Hut time wore on, and tho men.
forgctiul Of itspasslnR, sought rcfrcshmcnt
In dozo on the rrnss beneath the trees.
A sudden cry OF The Yankees nru com.
ing" ring nut on the stiil afternoon Hir.
and the Confcdcmtcs tprunR % their
horses Just a. party Ut Union troop
dashed IN sight around bend in tho road
In a moment tho ranRurs had luipod en-
their stocds and Rallopcd out Of sight
down a narrow woody lane that ran near
tho barn and partially concealed them
from Wow. In fact their escape would
have been successful had not ono mans
fcstlvc nag delayed the fellow 30 long in
mounting that tho approaching squad
caught o glimpse of the gray jacket as 10
vanished VA % cloud of dust IN the distance
All 81 the mnFcrs had got out Of dan.
Fur except their leader, Mostly, who was
IN tho house when tho alarm was Civ
On and had not heard tho warning cry
So whom DO looked up from tho book
which no was reading. while rrsting Ia
the cool uf the hallway, be snw tho Union
Troops charging In ~ tho gate, which wins
only n few hundrd yards away II was
too late now 10 cscnpc, and while tho Fcd.
erals dld not yet know of Dis pruacncc thoy
would search tho house, and " @as only q
matter OF fow moments hof0ru no would
b. prisoner IN their hnnda
In tho parlor, which opened into tho
hall a young lady ant sewing, aud hcr
quick wit took IN thosltuntion ut "a glance.
Here, step IN this clock case sho
hurriodly whispered ~ she throw open tho
door Of an Immense old clock that stood
ticking In one corner Of tho hall.
And In a moment Moshy had squeezed
himself into ~ dusty rcocss.
By this time tho Union men wcu dis.
mounting. but bofuru they entered tho
house tho lady had seated herself and was
quietly sowing.
Tho Union officer strodc into tho room
and looked nn1lously about
Arc thcro any rrhcls concealed In this
houscf be demanded In n loud voice.
"Moshy's mon wcru hero awhile ago."
she replied, but they all escaped a. your
troop came In sight"
Tho officer glanced about the room, and
his quick cyo caught sight Of nmn's soft
felt hat thrown tarulCssly ON a chair
r. -NSca,ci ,no house. b. ordered 81 thrcc
men who wcrn waiting his commands.
In moment tho men In blue wcrc
swnrming over tho houso and poklng into
every nook and corner. They commenced
AT tho garrvt, searching each room closely
~ they descended, aud tho rattle Of their
sabcrs could ho heard distinctly In the
hall below A. they trampod about, throw.
ing open closets and upsctting bods.
Presently all gathered IN tho hall and
Il HHaHa
their lrditlcss search.
Every moment seemed an eternity 90 th,
ranger shut up In tho hot, dusty depth oI
tho old clock. and the warm dir had growl
almost unhcnmhlc Yet ho dared no
move Tor only few foot away no coull
plainly hear the angry tones Of tho yam
lee olloor, and the least motion mean
capture, or DEATH slowly tho moment
dragged on and atill the men fingered.
Finally tho occupant of tho clock iult a
uncomfortable duslro To sncczo. And 3
he realized the fact be- broke out Ia "a col
porapimtlon at tho horrible thought a
prevent u was something beyond his col
trol, but a sncczo would surely be- nnswo
cd by bullet through the olool, case nr
the rnnRir fclt be- would prcicr the dang
Of facing his foes In ana open fight
Suddenly % bright idea came into h
mind and Just rs he bent his head
snooze he gave pull ON tho pendulum
that sunt all tho wheels whirrlng Ia
loud confusion.
Tho Union mon glanced susplcloully
the noisy tlmoplccc.
~ ana afraid that clock needs mon,
ing " remarked the lady carolcssly a. VI
turned down % new hem IN tho linen d
which She was sowing, and her quiet vol,
diiarmod suspicion
With a sigh ut rrllof Mosby heard a
officer command his men 90 mount, an
presently tho Fallup ui their doparilu
horse hoofa fell ou bis delighted ear An
scarcely lad the echo died away whom @
clock Flew open, and the czhAuHtod prison
or struggled out in an almost sufluoat,
condition.
A merry laugh had tho ranger over p
narrow ucHaa buf tn nu the dangers th