The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-07-10

g On ssol 6ep1Smha ~ q slaall DesH II
Confedsfn{sg could b ~ wedding thdy
w down tts 49, rcSd ~ JSs6s into
he littls town d wsffsntcn. and from
NJ Tired look Of the men and w scanning
" Il the horsss one could plainly -
d the epvalcsJS haa yladsn fsst and fe.
SfS c0mfasy xSss ~ Of Ne Rangers,
ia II sheir had sod5 thsir chief, Mosby,
b blaok st6sd, Wills To rSst Of The mon
tf6kttd ON bshind N isisafsly manner
ind made tho air ring with thsiT 1sGts and
~ songs II was true that the euatpy
mlebt come In sight at any moment q
th&s some stray bullet from foe hidden
h busN might out abort the LAUGHING
Words on tho merry lips, but familiarity
With tho horrors OF war had bred an easy
Indifference, and these men, though daily
facing Death, thought no more Of their
In gomSneiehbcfing grove.
II was juht about noon when tho party
aimountsd ~ . fafmhouse, and ID al, In
slant the jolly reb0ls were tho center Of an
admiring group thatcrowded about them,
and the eager host hastcned to bring out
for their Entertainment all tho good things
that his harder afforded. The mon weSe
hungry, and seated beneath the huge cabs
thoy were soon discussing tho relative
merits Of the buttefmilb and fried chicken
with which they were pientifully supplied.
But time wore on, and the men, fofgetful
Of it, passing sought refrsshment ina
doze on the grass beIteath the trees
A sudden cry Of 1.-THE Yankees arc com-
iDg" rang out on the still AFTERNOON air,
and the Cosfetleratss sprang TO their horses
Just al party Of Onion troops dalhed In
sight around bsnd In the road. In mo-
nent tlle rangers had leapsd on their steeds
and gnlloped out Of sight down narrow
woody lane that ran near the barn and
partially concealed them from view. In
fact, theiB escape would have been success
full had not one mans yostive nag delayed
the fellow NO long In mounting that the
approaching squad caught glimpse . the
gray jaoket as IL vanished In cloud Of
dust In the dstapce.
All Of the rangers had got out OF danger
except their header, kosby, who was In the
house when the aAnrm was given and bad
not heaYd the warning cry. So when be
looked up frem the book which be was
reading, while Sestfng In The cool Of the
hallway, he snw the Onion troops chang
Ing In at the sstA which was only few
hundred yards away. II was TOO lato now
to escape. and while the Fcderals did not
yet know Of HE pscsopsc they would search
the house. and II was only o matter Of o
lew moments befoye he would be o prison.
or in their hands.
In tbs parloy, which opened into the
hall, a young lndy sat sewing, and her
quick wit topk In tilS situation OF glance.
"Herel SIP IN this elosA case" she hur-
riodly whisp6jed as she threw open tho
door Of an immenrs old clock that stood
ticking In ono corner OF the hall.
Aud in moment Mosby had squeezed
himself into its dusty recess.
BY this time the Union men were dis
mounting, but before they entered the
house the lady had seated herself and was
quietly sewing.
Tho Union officer strobe into the room
and looked anxiously about.
fare there any rebels concealed in this
housef" he demanded IN u loud voice.
"Mosby's men were hero awhile ago."
she replied, "but they all escaped as your
troop came in sight"
The offices glanced about the room, and
his quick eye caught sight Of mans soft
felt hat thrown caselOssly on chair.
search the house" he ordered Of three
men who were waiting big commands.
In moment the men In blue were
swarming over the house and poking into
every nook and corner They commenced
at the gnrret, searching each room closely
as they descended, and the rattle Of their
sabers could be heard distinctly IN the
hall below as they tramped about, throw
ing open closets and upsettlng beds
Presently all gathered In the hall and
wore discussing in disappointed tone their
fruitless search.
Every moment seemed On eternity to
the ranger shut up In the hot, dusty depth
OF the old clock, and the warm air had
grown almost unbearable. Yet he dared
not move, for only few feet away he
could plainly hear the angry tones Of the
Yankee officer, and the least motion meant
capture or DEATH Slowly the moments
dragged on, and still the mon fingered.
Finally the occupant Of the clock felt
an uncomfortable desire to sneeze, and as
he realized the fact he broke out in cold
Precipitation at the horrible thought. To
prevent 1t was something beyond his con-
troll, but a sneeze would surely DO an
swered by bullet through the clock case,
and the ranger felt he would prefer the
danger Of facing his foes in an open 1ght
Suddenly bright idea camo into his
mind, and Just as he bent his head to
nneoze he gave pull on the pendulum
that sent all the wheels whirring In loud
confusion.
The Union men glanced susp,ciousiy at
the noisy timepiece.
~ ain afraid that clock needs mending,"
remarked the lady oarelessly as she turned
down new hem In the linen Oh which she
was sewing, and her quiet voice disarmed
suspicion.
With sigh Of relief, Mosby heard the
officer command his men to mount, and
presently the gallop of their departing
horse hoofs fell on bis delighted car. And
scarcely had the echo died away whom the
clock few open, and tho exhausted prison.
or struggled out In an almost suffocated
condition.
A merry laugh had the ranger over his
narrow escape, but In all the dangers that
no faced during fovr years Of bloodshed
there WINS none that tried his nerves like
tho terrible half hour spent in the old