Omaha daily bee., 1895-08-04

lieved '1n free schools. free speech and free
air for all OF Gods critters" and in the spring
OF 1861, when there were no union troops
south OF the Ohio. and the disunion fever
was r~eigning furiously all over Tennessee. he
organized log Of his neighbors into a company
OF home guards, pledged 10 resist all attacks
on the person or property of any one OF the
number. Bible was elected TO the IN
of this company, and II secured his district
immunity from the confederate conscription
till about the time that Rosecrans assumed
mma Of the Army Of the Cumberland.
Shortly before this Bible, taken unawares
when at home with his family, was captured
by the confederates. The remainder | Will
let him relate in his own language as | took
IL down soon after he repeated 1t to me:
IN THE HANDS OF THE CONFEDERATES
"They tied me hand and foot" he said,
"and toted me OF to the military c0ininls-
sion sittin' ter Chattanooga. | know'd what
that meant-a short prayer, a long rope anu
a breakdown danced on the top Of nothing
Better men nur me had gone thet way ter the
klngdom-seven Of 'em within a month-bu'
/ determined ] wouldn't go II could help 1t
not that | objected to the journey, only 10
goin' afore Of Sally. Ye see, | hadn't peen
nigh so good 8 man as I'd orter be, anu !
reckoned that Sally-who, We Know ar tne
best woman that ever lived-l reckoned that
she, if she got there a little ahead OF me,
could sort Of put in a good word with the
Lord. an get him to shut his eyes ter a neap
Of my doin's; an sides, I'd feel mighty
strange like up thar without her.
well, we got to Chattanooga, lust arter
mon VI ~ wy o. y n hand IN look arter
me ter onct, so they put me inter a tent unuer
| guard Of a whole Georgy regiment. lhlhgs
looked mdIihs squahy' Nv ~ 80, down
mined ter be a man. my neaIl We" Sit,
inter my bcots whenever l tnousH.. hon
| never felt so afore or slnte' .I onorv
hadn't got used ter luckln at tue eailus eTGty
day. l didn't know what ter do, put thinhin
the Lord did, ! kneeled down ana prayed Ter
Him right smart. | telled Him ! had no race
ter meet Him afore I'd done suth.n' for the
kentrv and that Sally's heart would be clean
broke II 7 went afore her; but, howsumever,
said He know'd best. an If it was His will
h,d ius, nothin, ter saw aein IT. That was
an 7 ia hut I e,id II over and over a heap
q" g. 80 80 q MO. ,ygbt dark when I got
vi r Smes' :" troos Tho ord vered me. that
on u my -. mo-in oot through
ar sdttn' c"Se nauns nj ur,ar,n a
prayih lore d uity $1,000 tar The tant
member OF congress stasseleu ".e Gov bo
| reckon ne tnousht IL was NE wv, y, ~
dropped down onter the groumu an went 81
sleep, AKIN nuther leave nor license
Then all ter onct II come inter my heau
what ter do"-which was 10 cut MS corls
with the confederate's bowie knife. change
coat and hat with the unconscious fellow, and
thus disguised escape from the encampment.
This he did and after MANY adventures and
hairbreadtb escapes he reached the mountain
that Looked unon his home.
,Iour nm &c u,IrE .vrn rop HIM
nv" piplD@ WIFE v "
81 got to the edge of the woods he said
ION the hill ahind of my barn, about an hour
by sun; but l daren't 90 down fur, We
knows. the house stood in a %clearin', an
one of the varmints might be watching fur
me. So l lay thar till it was clear dark
then crept ter the rear door and listened,
An whot do we s'pose l yered? Sally a
prayin' an prayin' fur me, so earnest and SC
tender tibet | sot down on the doorstep and
cried like a child. l did"
He paused for a few moments while some
thing in his throat choked his utterance'
When he went on he said: "She telled the
Lord how much I was to her; how she'd
loved me ever since ter make me love Him
how she know'd more ner she loved father
or mother, or even children; how she Otter
tried to make me love Him; how she know'd
that way down in my heart l did love Him
Then she said she couldn't bear ter have me
hung up like as If l was a traitor; that she
could give me up II He thought best, sec
me die and not shed a tear. If | could die
like a man, with a rifle in my hand, a dom
suthin' fur my kentry.
Il couldn't stand no more, so l opened thu
door, fell upon my knees, put my arms apou
her. Law my head upon her shoulder an