Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1898-02-24
GOOD USE OF SAND.

untary trip to Richmond as prisoners, re-
marked q sergeant of the Fifth Pennsyl-
vania cavalry, who, with other enlisted
men. was relating his experiences. "You
see," said he, ''we had been sent out by
General Bayard to see what the enemy
were doing. Everything went right until
about 4 o'clock. We hadn't seen any of
the enemy and were marching to camp
again, when the lieutenant thought he'd
see what was in house over on our right
When we arrived at the house, we found
no one at home but an old woman, two
young girls and half dozen female slaves.
We dismounted and asked for something
to eat. There wasn't a mouthful of any
thing in the house; the women were fed
by son-in-law over by Port Conway.
There WASH t a horse or other animal to be
seen about the whole place.
:" Are there no men about?' asked the
lieutenant.
"'Not one, replied the lady, with dig
nifty. They are all in the Confederate
army. If you are after them, you'll have
to go where they are to find Them
Thanks, laughingly replied the lieu
tenant we have no particular wish to
go on the other side of the river at pres
ent'
Perhaps you may go, said the lady,
without any desire
"We mounted and were soon on our way
to Port Conway, distant about, six miles.
AS we rode along thought over what
the lady had said. Did she mean threat,
or was it,only woman's talk? rode up to
the lieutenant and was Just about to men
ton the thing to him when.from clump
of bushes there sounded such shout as
had never heard before. Our men were scat.
tered over about half a mile of road, and
there was no chance to get them together.
As it was, don't believe any effort was
made, for each man seemed to be taking
care Of himself. As I pulled up I saw
about dozen Johnnies making toward
me. Surrender, you Yankee -, or
We'll fill you full of holes!' I could dc
nothing, SO thought discretion the better
part of valor and pulled up where stood.
'DismountP cried big fellow, aiming his
gun at me. I disnounted and was led
into the woods, where found number
of ouc men who had been previously cap.
tured. There was another sergeant be-
sides myself, and asked him how many
there were of us. He told, me that nine
had been captured with him. We did not
halt long in the woods, but were soon tax.
en- over by the river, there to wait until
the others came in. Only three men were
left to guard us, but as we were without
arms that was quite enough. While we
were sitting on the river bank bemoaning
our fate noticed little piece of newspa.
per floating on the surface of the water ]
played with it awhile, then drew it forth
Glad to do anything to pass the time,
sat down and looked it over. Down in one
corner read the story of woman throw.
ing vitriol into another's eyes.
when you have given up in despair,
when nothing but rebel prison stands
before you, your thoughts are somewhat
lively. Mine were at any rate, and ]
prayed for an ounce of vitriol at that mo.
ment. But the prayer was in vain. had
no vitriol, and nothing to take its place
We were sitting in the sand, and the
guards were talking to us like old friends.
All at once started up. I had an idea
that looked feasible. What's the matter
with sand? asked myself. If we could
manage to get handful of sand in each
guards eyes, we might escape. 1t was an
Inspiration. The more thought of it the
more feasible it became, and I got SO nerv-
GUS thinking over it that couldn't sit
still. sat down and got up I walked as
prisoners We're all together, and thought
of some plan by which might commune
cate with the others. The guard surround.
ed us, and it looked to be impossible.
II made sly motions to the other SER
geant, but he was SO much taken up with his
own affairs that he couldn't understand,
and gave up the idea of attracting his
attention. Right next to me was little
York county Dutohman. I'd try him. I
whispered that If we could cast a handful
of sand into each guards eyes we might
escape. He was cunning little duck and
Instantly grasped the idea and signaled
that it was all right. saw him look for
sand right away. Then whispered to
another man, and he signaled that he un-
derstood, and he looked for sand. In this
way managed to communicate the idea
to the Others, and in a little while I had
six men in the secret. had no doubt that
the others would get it as soon as they saw
the point.
We had been waiting about half an
hour, and the guards were becoming rest.
less. They stood about and talked to each
other and to us. Then entered into a
conversation with them about the war,
and saw the York county man gather a
double handful of sand; then some of the
others did the same, and one would have
thought that we Yanks were mud pie
makers without doubt had they seen the
industry of these men. / had not got my
sand yet, but determined to be in it and
soon left the guard and collected my sand
The other men We're sitting about, think.
ing of their trip to rebeldom, when sud
denly arose as if to depart, which caused
the guard to look about. The next in
slant had dashed handful of sand di,
rectly into his eyes, and he was swearing
as only trooper can. l looked about and
saw that the other guards had been taken
care of by our fellows and were scamper
ing about, rubbing their eyes like mad
men. We We're not long in disarmine
them and making them prisoners. 1t was
all over in less than two minutes When
we had shared their sabers, pistols and
carbines among us and were masters Of
the situation, we walked them down tc
the river and assisted them to get the SAND
out of their eyes, Then we took theil
lariats and tied them. Thus far there
hadn't been u loud word spoken, except
when we dashed the sand into their eyes
They sat for time in stoical silence; then
as If the comical side of the affair had just
occurred to them, thsy set up laugh ir
which we all Joined. "-Exchange
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