The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-02-20

moment. But the prayer was in vain;
had no vitriol, and nothing to take it's
place. We We're sitting in the sand.
and the guards We're talking to US like
old friends. All at once l started up.
1 had an idea that looked feasible.
What's the matter with sand? I asked
myself. If we could manage to get a
handful of sand in each guards eyes
we might escape. 1t was an inSpira-
ton. The more l thought of it the more
feasible it became and / got so nervous
thinking over it that l couldn't sit still.
sat down and got up. / walked as far
as l dared and sat down again. We
prisoners We're all together. and l
thought of some plan by which l might
communicate with the others. The
guards surrounded us and it looked to
be impossible. | made sly motions TO
the other Sergeant but he was so much
taken up with his own affairs that he
couldn't understand, and l gave up the
idea of attracting his attention. Right
next to me was little York County
Dutchman. I'd try him. l whispered
that if we would only cast handful of
sand into each guards eyes We might
escape. He was a cunning little duck
and instantly grasped the idea, and
signaled that it was all right. I saw
him look for sand right away Then l
whispered to another man and he sig
nailed that he understood and he looked
for sand. In this way l managed to
little while l had six men in the Sc
cret. l had no doubt that the others
would get in as soon as they saw the
point.
I'VE had been waiting about half an
hour and the guards We're becoming
restless. They stood about and talked
to each other and to us. Then / en-
tered into conversation with them
about the war. and 1 saw the York
County man gather a double handful
of sand; then some of the others did
the same, and one would have thought
us Yanks were mud pie makers with
out doubt had they seen the industry of
these men. 1 had not got my sand yet,
but l determined to be in it. and soon
left the guard and collected my sand
The other men We're sitting about
thinking of their trip to rebeldom, when
suddenly arose as if to depart, which
caused the guards to look about. The
next instant 1 had dashed a handful of
sand directly into his eyes and he was
swearing as only a trooper can. |
looked about and saw that the other
guards had been taken care of by our
fellows and We're scampering about
rubbing their eyes like madmen. We
We're not long in disarming them and
making them prisoners; it 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 to
the river and assisted them to get the
sand out of their eyes. Then we took
their lariats and tied them. Thus far
there hadn't been a loud word spoken.
except when we dashed the sand into
their eyes. They sat for a time in sto-
ical silence then, as if the comical side
of the affair had just occurred to them.
they set up a laugh in which we all
joined.
Youuns got weuns this time, Yanks,'
said one Of them.
- I've often heard that the Yanks
We're cunnin', but swar if this wasn't
the cunnin'st thing i ever heard Of
said another. How in -- did you
ever think of such a thing?'
THAT gave me the idea said /, and
I showed him the piece of newspaper l
had fished out of the river
.. 1T amt much said the first speak
it, "-Philadelphia Times.
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