The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1898-01-15
Taken by a Girl.
....By C. B. LEWIS....

took it and went down in the cellar to re-
fill it. l heard her down there and heard
her ascend the stairs, and though she did
not Immediately appear, l did not raise my
eyes. A minute later she spoke, and my
eyes lifted fast enough. She was standing
in the door between the kitchen and what
farmers call the "front room" and she had
shotgun leveed at my breast from dis
lance of only ten feet.
yankee, you are my prisonern she
quietly said.
"What do you mean?' / asked as I
rested my elbows on the table and started
at her in surprise.
'Just what I said. sir! You are my
prisoner, and if you don't do just as l tell
| you I'll shoot! Stand up!''
"Don't be foolish, child" l said as l
stood up and smiled at her. "That gun
isn't loaded, and even if it was you would
not dare fire it off. Put it away and bring
the milk"
"The gun is loaded, and I'll shoot" she
exclaimed, though her voice betrayed that
she was frightened. Do as | tell you or
will fire! Go into the pantry
had revolver in my holster under my
coat, but as looked into the girls face
knew that she would pull trigger if made
motion to get my weapon. 1t was abb
surd to let a child like her make me a
prisoner and yet | was forced to realize
that she was as dangerous as man-per.
haps more so. The result was that |
backed up to the open door of the pantry,
and as she advanced upon me | stepped in
to the little room and she closed the door
and fastened it with button My ida
was to escape by the window before she
could get out and around the house, but
l found the opening small one, with
wooden bars across the outside. | could
not have escaped that way had l been
alone in the house. Drawing my revolver
| fired through the door and made threats,
but the girls voice was firm and deter
lnlHeu as she answered me.
''lf you fire again, I'll shoot through the
door, and there is a big load of huck-shot
in this gun"
l coaxed and attempted to bride, but she
refused to hold any conversation with me.
| hoped that she would leave the house, in
which case couple Of kicks would have
sent the old door flying, but she sat down
in the kitchen so guard me and wait for
some one to come along. 1t was almost
noon before any one arrived, and then it
was a guard of cavalry beating up the
country in search Of me. They were pass
ing the house when the girl called them in,
and as the leader opened my prison door
and commanded me to step foi tn seven or
eight soldiers had their carbines leveed at
me. They joked me and said much in
praise of the girl, but she scarcely uttered
a word in reply. | was first taken to
General Lees headquarters to be questioned
and later on was sent to Richmond, where
President Davis did me the honor to con-
fine me in a dark cell of the city prison for
two weeks as spy and to inform me that
| should eventually be hanged. By and by
was transferred to Libby prison, and later
on to Andersonville, and it was within a
few weeks of peace before | recovered my
liberty. Long after the war | revisited the
farmhouse where l was so ANONYMOUSLY
captured. found only an old man about
and of him l queried.
'You lived here during the WARP"
eyes"
'You had a daughter?'
eyes, Nancy. She married two years
ago, but has been dead for six months. She
was good girl-Nancy was. She was al
so brave. Right yere in this house, when
she was only II years Old, she captured the
most daring spy in Grants whole army.