Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1896-03-31
CAPTURE and ESCAPE.
By Lieutenant W. q. SHELTON.
copyright, 1896. by American Press Associa-
ton.
CHAPTER VII.
CASHIERS REVISITED.

just DeiOre tne puDllCatiou III 1hc
Century Magazine for October, 1890, OF
the facts embodied in the foregoing
chapters, I was sent by The Century
company 10 Jobnson's island, at San
dusky, to Chicago and Indianapolis in
search Of material needed in the illus
tration Of other prison articles then in
preparation.
After finishing my business at mdi-
annapolis proceeded by way Of Louis
Vile and Knoxville to Asheville, TO car
~ out my long cherished purpose Of
paving visit to the mountaineers who
had harbored our party in the winter of
1864.
As the morning train rolled south out
Of Asheville the rain was falling stead
lily and thought with foreboding Of the
afternoon drive into the mountains from
the railway terminus In half an hour,
however, the sun was shining brilliant
ly and the blue ridges were emitting
pufYs Of gray fog. / had been in Ashe-
Vile but once before and between the
two visits 90 years had intervened.
Where the guests Of the superb Battery
Park hotel now look from its wide We
rapdas on TO the peaks of the Blue Ridge,
"a field battery then ranged across the
valley, and along the western front OF
the town wide belt Of timber had been
slashed to give free range TO the guns.
Yesterday / had rolled into the town
along the windings Of the French Broad
in vestibuled train, thinking OF that
other time when We tramped III under q
convoy Of loaded muskets.
Ny destination was the point in the
mountains where my party had been re-
captured and my object TO revisit the
friends who had fed and harbored Us.
Who Of them would be living and
who dead? Who of my guides, guards,
cap,ors aud harboring friends would To-
member me: My former visit had been
such thrilling adventure and the mem
ory Of it was so much like vision that
for weeks before | started and at sever
al of the great hotels ON the way | had
dreamed queer things about my old
friends away up in the mountains. AT
the Gait House in Louisville dreamed
that one little red checked maiden of
the old times had married a barber, and
that the professional chairs, draped with
dirty towels, stood in the family sitting
room. In one family at least whore our
former advent had been an event In the
isolated lives Of the household, and
which family by the marriage Of the
young people had ramified into several
neighboring homes, | knew my return
would be of as much Importance rs the
coming Of kinsman.
At high noon | was set off the train
TO find myself 80 miles from my desti-
nation. The local liveryman, instead Of
replying to my question rs TO the price
for which he would send me to Cashiers
valley, stated that he would provide me
horse, wagon and driver at 81. 30 per
day, to bear all expenses Of feed and
lodging. At the hotel where | repaired
for dinner before starting found fat
and rosy Episcopal clergyman ON the
gallery, " who, having just washed his
face and hands, was standing in a bent
and dripping attitude awaiting dry
towel As they say in that country, he
"suspicioned" my identity and politely
asked me where l was bound. told
him.
MAY ask whom you are going to
see over tbere:"
Il am going to Riley Hooper's, " l
said.
"Ah." said he, II thought so.
know all about you. They are looking
ior you, and will be delighted TO see
you"
After dinner, a light top buggy crust
ed with the mud of hundred journeys
drove up TO the door As we were not 10
reach our destination that day / took
the clergyman advice as to u halting
place for the night.
As we drove into Webster, the court
town Of Jackson county, three miles
from the station, a mass OF white thun-
der caps rolled over the mountains and
the big drops were beginning to patter
down. / found shelter in the village
store and the driver sought cover for his
trap. Webster is sorry county town,
where the razor backed hogs root wal
lowing places about the door Of the store
undisturbed by the village loungers.
who chew tobacco, locked back in spliDt
bottomed chairs on the porch. Ifelt very
Jolly, however, when l recalled GER
tain faraway morning when l tramped
out Of the town shivering. with the mud
and snow oozing through my broken
shoes at every step. The old brick jail
stood in the next yard, and despite the
rain l jumped over the gate and ran
into the hall and inspected the corner
room where we three ragged boy lieu
tenants had once passed night.
For six miles farther our road wound
along the picturesque bank of the Tuck
asegee river, the same road along which
we had come to Webster under guard.
Crossing to the opposite branch by a
pole bridge, we passed into the Cullow-
bee valley, with its frequent cabins and
cornfields and orchards, dotting the fer
tile bottom lands along the winding
creek. Here was abundance for consump-
ton, but evidently no market for the
surplus. We passed little groups OF hay
stacks which had been rotting for years
in the meadows, some Of the stacks al
most hidden under the vines which were
rapidly growing over them.
At the farther end Of the valley we
commenced the ascent OF Cullowhee
mountain. Glad to walk for awhile. /
tramped up the winding road for cou-
ple of miles in advance Of the carriage.
Believing we were now nearly on the
crest, exchanged with the driver and
took the reins. Soon the good road
changed to shelving rock and quag-
mire, and for two miles more we toiled
MP, giving frequent rests to the Jaded
horses. We were two hours in making
the ascent, and TO describe the granite
rocks we drove over and the sprin2y
places we toiled through to readers who
bowl over park roads and level country
lanes would be as hopeless as to make
finite creatures understand the infinite.
We began to trundle down grade at last
and to meet barefooted children OF the
mountain tops with bags of nuts, whose
sodden faces indicated that they lived
far MP above the schools. A few miles
farther in the gathering twilight we
came to the mountain farm where we
had been advised to stop. Two log cab
ins with twin stone chimneys nearly
covering the ends Of each house were