Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-12-15

the federal prisoners within the stockade
at Andersonville shivered and suffered in
the cold rain, a dozen of them, in charge
of a guard, We're marched out that they
might get a supply of firewood. Among
them We're four men who had made up
their minds not to return to the stockade
alive The guard was alert, and darkness
as far away, but they were ready to take
desperate chances. OF a sudden the four
made a bolt for it, and though the bullets
pinged all around them, they got away
unhurt. TIL dogs were put on the trail,
but the falling rain destroyed the scent.
Men pursued on horseback, but the fugi-
tives kept to the tangle and the wamps
and eluded capture. Then came days and
nights of hunger, exhaustion and adven-
ture as they made their way toward the
Union lines in Tennessee. One was drown
ed in crossing a river, a second was be-
trayed by those he trusted and given back
to Imprisonment, a third was bounced
upon by a patrol II night, and died
fighting for his liberty.
Sergeant Carter vas the only one of the
quartette left. With his face set to the
north he held on his way. Only a man
of iron will o have pe%rsevered.
There was never a day when he did not
suffer from cold and hunger, and never a
night hat he was safe from capture. For
two weeks he was in close hiding in, the
mountains and was brought to the verge
of starvation, and as he finally reached q
point within ten miles of the federal lines
he was little better than a skeleton. He
wondered sometimes about his own iden-
tity. When he lay hidden in the bushes
one day and overheard two travellers
speaking of the nearness of the federal
troops he was SO weak and III that he
could scarcely drag his feet. For weeks
he had displayed the cunning of a fox in
avoiding danger. Now he grew reckless
all of a sudden, n leaving his covert at
mid -%afternoon he took to the highway.
Within half an hour a home guard over
hauled him and demanded his surrender.
There was a fight, in which the guard was
killed and the fugitive wounded.
Then Sergeant Carter made his way to
an tumble cabin perched among the
rocks in the foothills of the mountains,
and said to the woman who responded to
his knock on the door:
Il ann an escaped prisoner from Ander-
sonville. I am sick, starved and wound
ed. You may give me up, but for Gods
sake give me food and rest first"
The woman looked at him without pity.
She was loyal to the southern cause, and
she had lost a husband and a son in bat
tie. Raiders had robbed her until there
was little left between her and starva-
ton, and her hatred for the federals was
deep and bitter.
She was about to drive the fugitive out
when he sank down in his tracks on the
floor. The woman noted the blood oozing
from his shoulder, his emaciated condi-
ton and the fevered flush of his hollow
cheeks, and she whispered to herself:
IF / don't do something for him, he'll
die. 1t will be better to patch him up and
let him go back to the prison."
There was no pity in her heart as she
dressed his wound and prepared nourish-
ment and lifted the bundle of bones and
rags onto the bed. She would restore him
that he might be taken back to the
stockade. There was no mercy in her
heart for him next day, when he was
stronger and tried to utter words OF
thanks. She looked down upon him cold
ly in reply, and said:
II hate yo' all. YO' a killed my hts
band and son and made me a pauper. l
shall gin yo' up to the home guards in a
day or two"
She meant what she said. but an hour
later as her patient slept and she gazed
at thu wan features, mercy whispered in
her ears. She hardened her heart at first,
but the whispering became stronger.
This man was an enemy. but he had not
fired the shots which made her a child
less widow. He was not among those
who had raided and robbed her. She was
rough and u~neducated, but she had a wo-
mans heart. 1t wouldn't be right to give
him up until he was strong enough to
walk back. She had said in a day or
two. but she would wait beyond that.
She was put to the test next day. AS
she was filling her pail at the roadside
along, and the leader hailed her with:
"Yo' thar, Missus Robinson. Thar's a
Yank who escaped from Andersonville
and killed Tom Badlaw the other day
hadin' round we're in the bresh, an If yo'
ketch sight Of him git us word to once"
d. IL ,n hut y,a1o M ~nHNI1y q
the guards passed on she wondered why
she hadn't denounced the fugitive, and
she was angry with herself that she
hadn't.
Sergeant Carter expected to be given
up. He dimly remembered her looks as
he first stood before her, and she had told
him since hat he was to go back to the
stockade. When a week had passed he
felt himself able to sit up. Then he said
to s;r; ,,o ,..n ,,srv .,nd ~ ma and
I shall always bless you for 1t. l don't
want to burden you any longer. You can
tell the home guards I'm here and let
them take me away"
Yes, I'll tell EN-" she replied, as she
left the cabin and went down to the
foad.
The sergeant found his ragged uniform
patched and cleaned n ready for him.
When he had dressed himself he sat down
to wait for his captors. He saw a small
band of the guards approach over the
highway and stop and speak to the
woman.
She would now give him up, and in his
heart he could not blame her so much
She was loyal according to her light.
War neither gives nor expects pity. By
and by the woman came back to the
house alone. while the fugitive hunters
went their way.
"Why didn't you give me up1" quietly
Quried the sergeant.
II will tomorrow" she answered, as she
hardened her face.
The morrow came. and the guards were