The National tribune., 1898-12-01

the old man and his three daughters, the
latter being very pretty, and at that time,
putting on their sweetest smiles. | felt
a little anxious To change places with the
.JohnnieS about that time, or i would
have been content to talk To the odd girl;
but that | knew was an impossIbillty, and
| dismissed the idea.
On the table sat a wooden tray filled
with cakes a few OF which ! knew would
do me an immense amount OF good at that
time, for was hungry; and ] determ med,
If possible. to have my fill | therefore
scrutinzed the yard and outbuilGings to
satisfy myself there were no other men
there and glanced around To see If any
picket fires were in that section; and
finding all was right, / walked of a few
steps, and fired of my gun. The john
MES jumped out of the house, and as they
did so | screamed
Run, boys, run; the Yankees are on
usr Away they went as fast as the
legs could carry them.
! fired one shot at them as they APP
peared in the yard, when the women com
menced shrieking fearfully suprosinp
themselves surrounded by those horrid
Yankees-the terror of all the chivary OF
the South, male and female. ] was so
near the rebel pickets that dare not re-
main long for fear would get myself into
business" so i put out for the low
ground, and at 3 o'clock the next morning
was once more in our lines, where | slept
till daylight; after which l proceeded
toward Munr eesEoro.
When within about six miles OF that
town. | was walking along the highroad
inside our lines, when ! saw party OF
eight or 10 men coming down from toward
Murfreesboro. Thinking they were our
own soldiers, ] trudged along, confidently
expecting a friendly chat when we met;
but when they got nearer me, | discovered
they were partly dressed in gray. ], how
Il 4 n. Al
than Yankees-perhaps detail of scouts
on some breakneck expedition-and still
expecting a friendly confab, when ] no
ticed that they stealthily raised their
guns.
JACK DILL.
That was enough for me, for knew that
they could rot mistake my character, as
was in full uniform, and under arms:
and l sprang through the cedar-brake as
| fresh as If / had Just started out after a
long rest; the sight Of an enemy in one s
rear generally has a magical effect on the
gait even of wearied man, and certainiy
| il materially accelerated mine.
Running through the densest part oil
the brake, where they could not follow me
on horseback. ! felt confident Of escape
as they could not see me before | saw
them. heard them crashing through the
| bushes only for a short time, when stop
/
| hausted.
They were now no longer in hearing,
and 1 therefore rested myself awhile
and then took route through the brake
that / knew would bring me out at old
Jack dis, within four miles Of Muir,
| freesboro. Jack was fair specimen o
backwoods Tennessee Union man
i large, sun Drowned, and muscular, hones
and patriotic. He invited me into III c
| house with hearty welcome and told ns
Of a brush he had had with the rebels The
day before; and while the old man was
recounting his adventures his pretty
daughter Jennie set me out nice dinner
with fresh butter and new buttermilk ho
/ biscuits, and venison steak; and VIII,
could not enjoy story under such cir
| cumstancesY
The rebels had thought to surprise hin
in his house and drag him off to the army
! but old Jack was aroused by the baIkin.
Of a faithful dog, and took to the brake
near his house; and iii pursuing him
the rebels exposed themselves to his un
erring rife, and went back unsuccessful
minus one OF their men.