Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-05-08

THE NEXT MOMENT HE FELL FROM HIS SEAT.
forward, and as he moved toward the
adjacent Weldon railway station his eye
met hers, and the effect was mutually
electric. "That is pature's disclosure.
she said mentally. "That man is my
kinsman.
In a few minutes the train rolled
away. "He has gone, but something
tells me that destiny will yet bring us
together.
On her return to Richmond she cause6
numberless inquiries to be instituted
her family had great and wide influence
concerning Captain Barbour, whose
Christian name proved to be Sydney.
The many charges against him were be-
lieved in the south, and he had narrow
ly escaped hanging. But she was 80
firmly convinced Of their falsity that by
vigorous search into his antecedents it
was rendered wholly probable, especial
" as he was known to be Of excellent
family. that he had been made respon.
sible fer the sins, much exaggerated, of
a Captain Barber of a Pennsylvania cav
airy regiment, who had been killed sew
eral months before in an engagement on
the Chickahominy.
As soon as so much was ascertained
Captain Barbour was allowed, through
her importantly, the benefit Of the
doubt, and orders were sent to the COM
mandant at Salisbury, N c., to mitigate
the hardship Of his captivity. But when
the orders arrived he had escaped, no one
knew how. He had not been missed un-
til the evening roll call. Every one of
his prison acquaintances was delighted at
the news, for he was known there to be
a gallant, noble fellow, and the severe
treatment he had received had brought
him much sympathy. Grave apprehen.
sion was felt for his life, as there was
small chance Of his getting over the
mountains during the harsh winter, and
his intimates felt sure that he had suf-
fered too much to allow himself to be
reta,-en.
The captain had slipped by the gard
at night in disguise he had somehow
secured and had started on his solitary
march for Strawberry Plains, where
Federal garrison was protecting the
bridge over the Holston river. He got
beyond Statesville, some 40 miles from
the prison, procuring food from the ne
groes and hiding in barns and hayricks
by day. But he had grown SO weak from
months of confinement, bad air and
scanty, wretched provisions that he
could travel no farther. he was we'll
nigh exhausted. At this juncture, as he
was, about dawn, creeping for shelter in
to deserted cabin n ear the rough coun-
try road, he saw saddle horse tied to
sapling, thus presenting unexpected
means of farther flight. As it was no
time to consider the rights Of property,
he jumped on and rode off at brisk
pace toward the west
Within two hours he was conscious OF
pursuit. BE could hear hoofs in the rear,
and the faint cries Of men, who ap-
peared to be we'll mounted, while his
own animal was inferior and jaded.
They gained on him rapidly. They
called to him to halt. He was unwill-
ing to be captured again, vividly 70,
membering the penalties Of capture, and
feverish, half delirious, he pushed on,
wildly thinking he might yet elude his
pursuers. They fired on him. The bull
let's whistled by his ears. He urged his
poor beast to the utmost, and the next
moment he fell from his seat uncon-
scious, though not before the words,
"We've killed the id Yankee
theft" reached his fainting sense.
Then and there Sydney Barbour viz
tually died. He afterward spoke OF tho
events of that day as the close OF one
life and of the beginning of another,
which he did not realize for two months
When fully restored to himself he