The San Francisco call., 1898-06-05

Then they tried to make me pale, and 1t was a frightful test.
 I was given a seat while General Smith turned to other business. appar- ently forgetful of me. The other off, cers sat near me and smoked and chat ted. Presently they began talking about some new orders that had been issued to hang every Federal spy inn mediately upon conviction. They talked about how two spies that had been hanged two days previous, had acted as they squirmed in death, and how the officers were locking for more spies to hang on the same spot. My brain was in a whirl. Everything swan before my eyes, but I sat with my face turned up to the military diagrams and rules of camp on the tent wall be- fore me.
 More whispering followed. I wrote on my slate: T am hungry and tired. Why do you keep me here?"
 A colonel wrote: We think you are deceiving us. If you are it will be death to you" He watched my face as I read the lines.
 I wrote in reply: T have a very hard time getting a living in this war I am with the Confeds with all my soul. Please may 1 go.
 In an hour I was taken to a shanty- like affair and locked in. A young man in Federal uniform was lying On the floor when I entered. He rose, and looking at me, said, My goodness gra- cious, have they got you, too?''
 1 looked vacantly at him. I wrote that I was mute.
 Then the stranger laughed and said: "Oh, it won't do you any good to keep that trick up longer. We're going to die together as Union spies, and why nt ha na6 fn I It. day before yesterday, and I've been sentenced to be hanged. Now they'll wait for you to go with me. Ha, ha, we'll show the Rebs how Yankee boys can die game, won't we?"
 It was a trying moment, and I did want to open my heart and mouth to such a jolly Federal man, while my case seemed pretty hopeless. I could not tell what opinion the men at Gen eral Smiths headquarters had formed of my actions
 I wrote on my slate that I was a mute, and that it was useless to try to communicate with me except by signs or writing. But the stranger talked right along, and tried to appeal to my love for the Union cause. He would suddenly fling a very natural question at me.
 Worn out and helpless as I was,
  night. I knew my companion was feigning sleep also.
 Along in the middle of the night when I was purposely breathing deep and regularly I heard some one enter. It was pitch dark. I was all attention but still breathing deep. I heard a pis- toI drawn from it's holster. Crash, bangi The weapon was fired an inch above my face. It seemed as if lightning had struck me.
 At the same moment a dark lantern was flashed in my face and my coun- tenance studied
 I slowly opened my eyes at the light and rolled over as if to go to sleep
 Tho pseudo Union soldier went out with the Confederates. l could hear them whispering about me and what reason there was to suspect me as a spy.
 At o'clock next morniag was led to the cook tent and given |. meal My satchel was restored to me A colonel came and shook me by the hand He looked over my few remaining soaps, etc, and bought a little. Then turning to me he asked: How much are these?'' I believe my lower jaw did move was caught off my guard for trice But never oke and the colonel was not looking at my face.
 He wrote me a pass in the lines about Jackson and just as he handed it to that again." My hand almost moved to obey such an agreeable gentleman. But instead I folded the paper and started on my way out of camp, know ing that I was watched covertly by scores of oveq