The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1895-12-11

hui llIbl6 blSIBT-JeDnl years
old, whom saw that the boy fairly
worshiped. There had been three
other children, but they were all dead.
Before the war had n number of
friends in Indiana, and / spoke of
them, one or two of whom l found
we're known to my prisoner. Of course
told my story-of how, with thirty
five other schoolboys, / had left school
before l was seventeen and had joined
the Confederate Army, and of the
many battles we had been in. There
were at that time but seven of the
thirty-five left alive.
"Well, to make long story short,
we had not talked an hour before we
felt we had known each other life
time. 1t saddened me to think of that
jolly, funloving face in Libby or some
other of our prisons, with their neces-
sarily short fare and miserable quar-
ters. Somehow ! thought I could see
that boys mother appealing to me
with her eyes to save her boy from
prison.
at may have been some hypnotic
or clairvoyant force or some psychic
power unknown to me, but, however
that may be. 1 determined 10 do the
best [ could to get my little Yankee
out of trouble. l had scarcely come
to this determination when the relief
guard came up. The officer merely
asked me where 1 got my prisoner, and
when l told him he ordered me to take
him to camp and turn him over. Our
fellows were allowed considerable IL
cense. and / took advantage of the fact
by going back with my prisoner with
out any other escort. 1t was very dark
in camp, and had no trouble in es-
Gaping observation with my compan-
ion and getting into my tent.
Z" Il suppose Pm a goner, Johnny,
said my little Yank, after we stretched
out on a blanket.
"'We'll see, said I. Stay right
here and don't move till I get back.
And then I slipped out of the tent and
managed to hook several pieces of
corn bread, one of which l ate in
short order. Then we lay down. again
and talked in a low tone of voice until
Thought it might be about o'clock
in the morning. Then again stole
out, and after little scrutiny man.
aged to get possession of an old gray
hat and jacket. These 1 ordered my
little Yank to don, leaving his blue
cap and blouse on the ground. Then
when all was quiet led him out, and
by dark glen which ran close up to
camp 1 got him safely down into the
brush-covered glade where 1 had cap
tured him. An hour later, by creep
ing and crawling, we had lodged the
pickets and were out of reach.
IL" Now, Yank, said I, we part here.
There, q little to your right, is your
picket line. Be careful that they
don't shoot You for rebel. Good-by.'
And back 1 went, getting safely into
camp before day.
"The next morning we went into
the fight, and my Yankee prisoner was
forgotten by the other guardsmen.
"rhat was the last saw or heard
of my little Yankee prisoner during
the war. Twenty years after, or in
1888, 1 was travelling then, as now, out
of Chicago, in Illinois and Indiana,
and one summer evening 1 was sitting
in store in one of the small country
villages in Indiana, in company with
perhaps fifteen or twenty others, most
of whom had been in the army. Stories
and jokes were told over pipes, and
we were all in good cheer. When it
came my turn / thought of my little
Yankee, and told the story just as I
have given it to you. One of the list
eners, tall, broad-shouldered sandy
haired giant, listened SO intently that
saw that at least one of my hearers
was interested, and when 1 concluded
the big fellow arose and took Watson
aside. Watson was tie storekeeper.
They talked excitedly for perhaps a
quarter of an hour before they came
back, when Watson said: Captain,
l'ye been thinking about that order.
don't need the goods now, but I'll
tell you what I'll do. If you'll stop,
say within sixty days, and give me a
day or two's notice I'll give you good
big order. What do you sav?'
Consulting my book 1 found that
six weeks from that time would be in
-, and would have three or four
days time with nothing special to do.
told Watson that could not reach
him sixty days hence, but would be
able to do so just six weeks from that
day.
"'That will do nicely, Captain
don't forget the date.
'I was not apt to do SO, as Watson's
big orders meant big sales, and so it
was agreed.
"On the day agreed upon, I drove
up to Watson's store, which l found
full of people, among whom were
many men who looked as if they might
have been seasoned veterans at one
time. had shaken hands with Wat
son and one or two of his friends whom
l recognized, when 1 heard some say:
- Here he is nowp Not thinking
the remark had any reference to my
self. paid no attention until Give us
yer paw, comrade, sounded in my ear.
Turning, l stood face to face with
the big bearded giant who had list
ened so intently to my story on that
night six weeks before. By his side
st.Jl fair-faced, fair-haired, blue
eyed man of thirty-fve or thirty-seven
years. The young man looked me
over from head to foot, then back to
my face again, as if looking for some
point of identification, until his intent
began to annoy me, but minute later
H., ,,-ag bvioltapad auI l,;s foo, Ia -,