Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-07-10
ting y SPY.
! Through Which One Passed.
Deaf and Dumb Man in the
Country.

the role Of dummy was not uncommon
with up-todalte spies. stand over
there second, till [ finish this" said
lhe to me in the most artful off-hand,
easy manner.
My knees did move slightly, and l
almost stepped a foot. But | caught
myself while the cold chills chased up
and down my spine at my almost for
getfulness, and | resolved not to risk
my neck so easily again. "Your hand
is bloody" said he, turning carelessly
to me. | stood like post, looking va
cantly at him.
He's about as dumb as they make
EN-" said the officer of the guard,
when it was seen how Oblivious L was
to all their tests of my hearing. Isn't
it strange that such a poor cuss should
go pedding around the lines of war
fare. He'll get over the Yank lines
and it'll go hard with him some Of
these days"
1 was dismissed. went peddling about
the camp, all the time keeping my yes
open for Typographical and armament
information.
Two days later I was seen seven miles
farther in the enemy's country. 1 had
met hundreds of Confederate soldiers on
the way but the fact that l had passed
an outlying camp all right was an indi-
cation that I was a genuine fool dummy.
1 was standing in the door of a shanty
cookhouse in a camp, and without mo-
ments warning down came about five
gallons of cold water over my head and
shoulders l shudder now when I think
how near I came to cussing the Confed-
crate soldiers who stood about to watch
me.
Instead of saying a word I gurgled a lot
of inharmonious sounds of fright and
looked the more like a thing of wood.
In another camp I was squatting on
the ground, mechanically showing my
soaps and tobaccos, and playing deaf
to the thousands and one questions art
fully put to me, when l saw by a SOL
dier's eye that some test of my hearing
was to be made.
That moment I heard the click of a
pistol being brought to cock. The
weapon was discharged within three
inches of my ear
l never had to hold myself together
more than then. l slowly turned my
head and looked inquiringly about at the
smoke of the discharge.
When 1 reached Gen Johnson's main
camp about Jackson, 1 knew the crucial
test would be made. L had by that time
gained nearly all the information
wished for Gen. Grant, and my plans
were how to get back to the federal
lines.
slept in q barn one night, remote
from any camp, where 1 could have at
least partial peace from the fear of SOL
diers watching to entrap me to my
death. 1t is marvellous that l was not
stark mad by that time. The next
morning as l was getting out of the
barn L saw several infantry soldiers out
foraging. My actions had reused their
suspicious.
l wrote on my slate that was a Con-
federate peddler named Freeman, on my
way to Jackson TO get new goods for
selling to the boys in gray.
'Oh, that won't do said one of the
soldiers. "Tll bet he's another Yank spy
Then l learned from the conversation
of my captors that two of the spies sent
out from Grand Gulf at the time 1 was
had been caught and hanged two days
previously
l was taken to Gen. Kirby Smith S
tent. The general was informed that I
had been arrested without a pass, and
that was suspected of being a spy in
the guise of deaf and dumb peddler.
Gen. Smith said nothing.
Two or three officers in his tent went
and whispered to him. knew they were
devising schemes to catch me if 1 were
spy in disguise.
One of the officers wrote me a message
on bit of paper. While I was writing
an answer. the man started and ejacu-
lated. "Lbok outr'
I wonder now that my hand did not
start invpluntarily. The officers and