Sistersville oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1896-1901, 1898-01-26
ealing deserters were ingenious an.

er would SnaVe Clean, put on nlSuI'
gown and nightcap and retire to the
bed of some woman or girl of thu
household, relying upon the delicacJ
of the soldiers to prevent discovery.
There was one young man at Jer'
myn for whom search was made al.
most daily for weeks, as there wal
positive information of his presence IL
the house. Every search was fruitless
save as each renewed effort afforded
the women of the house opportunity
to ridicule the soldiers. One night &
soldier thrust his sabre into what hat
always been mistaken for hogsheat
of bran. The blade penetrated si1
inches of bran and stuck uprigh
in board. Cleats had been nailed tt
the inside of the vessel, upon those 6
lid was placed; below the lid, score:
of very small holes were bored from
within-a work of tremendous and te
dious labor! These holes, fmpercep
tible from without, in the darkness o
the cellar, afforded ventilation for thu
deserter, who, upon alarm, jumpes
into the hogshead, when member o
the family would adjust the lid ant
empty upon it bag of bran which
was kept there for that purpose, ready
for instant use, and the emptied bas
was concealed in the bran as the de
serter was concealed beneath it.
At Archibald the middle shelf of al
old-fashioned corner cupboard was re
moved and the compartment thus en-
larged was utilized as place of con.
cealment which proved effectual fol
a long time. No one ever thought O.
searching small corner cupboard fol
a man. Indeed, so small did it lool
that if they had been looking fol-
a truant boy they probably would
have considered it useless tc
search there for him. After many
visits to the house soldier
CHANGED to observe that the door press
ed hard against the wooden button by
which it was secured, and with some
effort he succeeded in opening it
There drawn up in cramped and con.
strained position was the object Of
their search! Crawling out, the de-
serter sarcastically inquired!
Are you hungry, that you rummage
a woman's cupboard?"
At MinersVals a man was rolled in 9
big carpet and eVaded discovery fCI
nearly a month, though search wa
made three or four times every week
At Minersvale another deserter sue
cessfully escaped for a long time by
being buried under lot of onions kect
in garnet and was discovered at last
only because one foot was exposed by
his own movement.
Troops frequently secured the hills
and searched the wood and brush for
delinquentS.
On the day that the adjutant had
that startling interview with Mrs. Ze-
NTH and Miss Stella, detachment was
among the hills. About five miles
from town they came upon an odd
structure which at once interested
them. 1t was long, low hut; its
thick walls and arched roof all built
Of heavy stones. There was no win
dow. The door was clad in a promis-
cuous patchwork Of iron that had the
appearance of having been gathered
from different scrap heaps at different
periods.
THAT looks likS promising hiding
place for skulkerB," the lieutenant il
coranland said.
mo danger or a deserter finding
quarters there; I have heard of the
place." said the gossip of the company;
a man who always acquired the COM
plete local history and traditions of
place at which the troops camped for
a week
why not?"
(Which Prophet"
John the Baptist"
= Il thought that his head was struck
off, some centuries since, by order OF
General Herod, to please a pretty bal
let girl the tyrant was struck on"
THAT was the real, original and
genuine prophet"
who is this?"
He is a crazy old fellow who be.
lieves himself to be John the Baptist.
He goes about preaching and is fed
by the charitable. Everybody knows
him hereabouts, from Kingston to
Honesdale."
He hasn't got an attractive home!
I'd as soon dwell in a sarcophagus.
The troops. having redcneu the SdI-
cophagus, as they now called it, halted
at the door and the commandant or
dered search within.
A trooper struck repeated heavy
blows upon the mailed door with his
sabre without eliciung response. No
latch, knob, lock or hinge was visible;
therefore, if they secured entrance
they must first break down the door.
1t was determined to do that, for
experience had taught them to suspect
every habitation, house, hut and other
structure as place which was liable
to be used to conceal a deserter, If it
afforded space into which a man might
crawl.
A heavy log was found and six files
of soldiers were dismounted and or
dered to take the log upon their Shout
der and assault the door. Having his
men in place the lieutenant command
ed:
Squad, attention; forward, double
quick, charged"
The living machine dashed its IMAM
innate head at the mailed door which
at that instant opened inward and al
lowed eeress to an old man who