The San Francisco call., 1898-06-05

shed while the rain drizzled down.
 In the afternoon I was going along a road near hamlet known as Griggs- bys. 1 heard troop of cavalry coming down the road behind me. I put on blank expression and trudged along with my black satchel over my shoul- der
 A lieutenant rode up to me and called:
 Hello here, where you going?"
 l had had time to prepare myself for this test. l started as if at the ap- pearance of the horse under my eyes, and looked vacantly up at the cavalry man.
 He repeated his question. In a second 1 had my pocket slate out and handed it courteously to the officer The others in the troop laughed and said:
 "Oh, he's a d. fool dummy"
 The lieutenant wrote on my slate, Who are you and where are you go- ing?"
 I wrote that I was Daniel Freeman and that I was peddling for a living.
 Several of the troops remarked that it was foolish to waste time on such a dumb mutton-head as I, for I'd be caught anyhow and the troop galloped away.
 I saw a camp of fully 1000 Confeder- ates down in valley. l knew that my presence would be reported at head quarters by the cavalrymen and it would be folly to go past camp if I were really seeking trade. I was stopped by a sentinel about the camp. 1 wrote for him my anne and business on my slate. He growled something about lunk-head dummies wandering about in war time and catching me by the coat sleeve led me to the officer of the guard. The sentinel explained that l was deaf and dumb and went away.
 The officer had evidently known that the role of dummy was not uncommon with up-to-date spies. Stand over there a second, til I finish this" said he to me in the most artful, off hand, easy manner
 My knees did move slightly and ' al- most stepped a foot.
 But I caught myself while the cold chills chased up and down my spine at my almost forgetfulness, and I re- solved not to risk my neck so easily again.
 Your hand is bloody" said he, turn ing carelessly to me. I stood like a post, looking vacantly at him.
 Some of the cavalrymen I had seen on the road came in, and I knew from the expression on the officer oft the guards face that I was to be tested for my deafness. I stood indifferent to my environment. looking at a picture on the wall, while I knew that some test of my hearing was being prepared at my rear
 Suddenly one of the cavalrynen drew his sword and shouted: "G-d d-n this Yankee; I've good mind to put him to the wall right here!"
 Stab the -i' cried another.
 Fancy how you would feel t6 hear such words shouted in your ears by a great bErly and armed cavalrylnan in an enemy's camp. I can't describe my feelings, but I never blinked l stood scrutinizing the print picture on the wall.
 I knew that my every muscle and nerve was being watched by every ore in the apartment. The least twiich or turn of the head would have be- trayed me.
 He's about as dumb as they make 'em." said the officer of the guard, when it was seen how oblivious I was to all their tests of my hearing. Isn't it strange that such a pcor cuss should 20 bedding around the lines of war fare. He'll get over the Tank lines and it'll go hard with him some of these days"
 was dismissed I went peddling my eyes open for typographical and armament information.
 Two days later I was seven miles farther in the enemy'S country. 1 had met hundreds of Confederate soldiers on the way, but the fact that I had passed an outlying camp all right was an indication that I was genuine fool dummy.
 20. a mass of information and had