The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-01-08

" WIZ
enough 20 cover them with his own
WeSpoI and demanded their surrender,
The orderly fired at him without effect,
dropped his revolver and got away on
foot but the laughing scout disarned
the colonel brought him Into Our lines.
together with the two horses. When he
reported TO the general with his Prison
er he laughed until he was threatened
w!th dire consequences. In q day, O. 30
ne twas sent out again aud brought IN
valuable Information, but on his third
expedition he was captured. His laugh
gave him away and brought Il About.
He was creeping through the woods to
get Information OF U Confederate torco
when he happened 20 think OF how .
COW bad once kicked him. or some Other
tnm.foot thing connected With his RUS.
tic life, and he began to laugh. Tho
sounds reached the ears OF d Contedec.
ate picket md the scout soon found
himself q prisoner. He did not cease 10
ldugh on that account. and when no
was turned over ut the reserve plcke.
one OF the men reported:
Say, captain. were either captured a
damn fool OF u ciusy man, and shiek my
hide IL | kin cay which Il Isl"
Thiraton preserved his gravity Of
couhtcnaide lohg enotgh TO give his
name. regiment and SO forth, but as tho
officer questioned him further he broke
out with.
We'll. this 10 all SO funhyi II doesn't
seem but two or three days since I was
making a new trough for thu, hog pei
up In Connecticut, and here I am d prls>
oner to Joff Davis down In Virginlar--
ha! ha! hal"
After wondering for an hour or two
whether the scout was u natural fool or
n crazy man. IL was decided that he was
out OF his mind. a surgeon o~verhaulcd
him, but could find no traces Of d wound.
\ he was held prisoner TO SEQ what
would develop. All tho development
that occurred was more laughter. 11s
laughed Just us heartily for the Confod-
crates as he had for the Tederals, and
II did hot lake them much longer to get
tired OIL II. Opinions were divided as 10
what allied hin, but he assured Them
that he was all right and never In bet
ter health. and was simply tlckied ut
the situation in which lie found him
self.
While the rules OF war cannot mike
O spy OF a soldier in his own uniform,
even IL he penet-ates the encmy's camp,
the rules OF war did not always count
In such q case. Thurston was forward
cd to corps headquarters after n few
days, and It was General Lonss,reet
himself who took him In hand and led
of with:
Now. then, my man. I have a little
time to devote to your case. Either an
sIHer my questions frankly and honest
ly or you will be buried Inside OF an
hour! Who sent you out scouting"
General Davis" was the reply.
Have you been sick or wotin0ed?"
NO. SIR"
They tell me that YOU are continually
laughing. You appear to be in good
health. and you look and act like q in
telligent man. What sort OF q game are
you trying to playa"
so funny-so very funny-ha! ha, bal"
And Thurston exploded. and any man
who saw his red face. the tears IN his
eyes ind the Workings OF his jaws tnist
have been satisfied that It was genuine
laughter.
What's SO very funny?" queried tho
general, after the ..fit"' had passed away.
"Why-why. being down here and a
prisoner" answered the scout. Just
four weeks ago tonight I was chaslns
a spotted hog around our ~barnyard Up
in Connecticut. I want 10 be serious,
general. but when I think Of these
things I-I-ha! ha! hal"
II believe YOU are b spy. and Is1al(
order YOU to be hung!" said the sen>
erai.
III you hang me I can't help 1t. III
try not to laugh when they are doing
II, butit1 happen to think of anything
funny Know I shall-ha! ha! hal"
~ GaDRrnl r h,,nvcf rnab = va him How.
was @ man Whose laughter had brousht
about his own capture. He would laugh
at the most trifins things-he would
laugh In the face Of death. He, must
have wheels In his head, or else he was
n Yankee spy playing d deep game. Il
he hadn't been Il laughing mar he would
have been shot or hung with LITTLE tine
to make his peace with God. Glvlnr-
him the benefit Of the doubt no Was
sent on to Richmond and Confined AZ
Belle Isle. None Of the RAGGED, half
starved prisoners within that stockada
could find anything to laugh at. but
Thurstoh did. He began TO laugh The
moment he entered the CUTE. and Kept
1t up until a deputatlon Of his fellow
prisoners said to the commandment:
This mai Is dead-crazy, and We doa't
want him among us. We have tried every
way hiahel loli Sup laubIIIuS, Dub SEllk
Eurraw OF his can be heard from nornlnr
till night. It sets US on edge, and Sou
either take him out. or we'll kill him.
Thurston was removed TO Castle THIN
der as a sort OF non-combasan.. He
laughed over his going. and he laughed
as he entered his gloomy prison: 7.
amused the prisoners for q couple OF
days, brs after that the novelty wore orr.
and they began to cmplaIn. The Com.
nnnder sent for the scout, looked him
over, and said:
III ! hear any more complaints abop.
you I'll put you in solitary confinemeo,i
What the devil do you mean BY such
conduct?"
rs It against your rules to laugh9,,
asked Thurston. whose face wac ALREADY
twitch!ng.
1T IS against the rules to kick In 4
disturbance. sir!.''
II did not mean 10 disturb anySody
It's all so funny. you know-ha! ia! H., i,
Stop that, or I'll put you on bread and
water for, a MONTH"
I'm stop, OF course. I don't mean IN
laugh. but when I think that only two
or three months ago I was putting nov
hinges on the smoIsc-house door at home,
NGITE