Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-29

only heritage he has to leave is SpoueSs
character.
Mr.. Seward got out of the carriage, and
met John as he approached. He held out
his hand in cordial greeting, and the other
grasped 1t warmly.
"Mr. Hewitt, 1 understand you have lived
in this section for a number of years?"
Eyes, sir, 1 was born here, right over
there In that little house you see and nave
been in this vicinity ever since"
How old man are you?
"Fifty-two, SIR" and John looked puzzled
at the questioner, wondering what he was
after.
you remember the war then, do your"
Yes. indeed. 1 was quite a lad. Let's
see, 1 must have been sixteen or seventeen
years of age
1t was plain to see the excitement on Mr..
Stewards face. 1t was blanched and his
hands wandered nervously into his pockets
Turning to John. he said slowly, with ap-
parent effort as though he was afraid of
another disappointment:
do you remember one night in Decem-
Der. 1863, your father helped a young con-
federate to escape, and after hldlns MIN
from the Yankees all night, sent his boy
with him to the river?
There was a moment of throbbing sIls-
pense. Mr.. Stewards face was study.
Deep anxiety was in every feature. Finally
John said
Yes, sir, l remember it distinctly,
the boy and you are the man. Your name
is Seward
1t starts a tear even now as ] recall tire
SCeIe lHdt iOlloWeu MY pen iicoiteitCo W
describe it, so pathetically sweet and earn
est The confederate prisoner. ragged,
gaunt and pursued. being led by boy
three years his junior, through wild coun-
try peopled by soldiers watching every nook
and Granny for the escaped Johnny,
swan before my eyes, only to give way to
the sweeter tableau of the prosperous busl-
ness man of fifty-five, holding in his arms
the rugged countryman of fiftytwo. There
they stood in the road tightly clasped in
each others arms. The workment from the
house came out, but al recognized that it
was a reunion and held aloof. And as l
pleasantly recall that embrace of two men
nearly three score years of age l cannot
designate which seemed the more delighted.
Mr.. Seward, when he realized that he
stood before the man who had delivered
him. said fervently, ''Thank God, I've
found you, and embraced him. For some
moments they remained in each others
clasp. Then Mr.. Seward started in to ask
questions. And how he did ply them.
John Hewitts Story.
John Hewitt related the story in a simple
way. He told how the family had been
startled one cold December night by a Wig
orous rap at the door. How. when his
mother opened it, she found half-starved
soldier boy of nineteen begging for succor;
how, after the father arrived he was taken
in and fed; how the troops surrounded the
house later and searched it for the escaped
prisoner; but best of all how the father had
hidden the boy under big holly tree a
short distance from the house in an old
sow's bed, and how, when the soldiers had
gone, his father had sent him with the
soldier boy from the south to the river,
where, for two barrels of corn, they pur-
chased the services of old man GoldSberry
to row the little rebel across the river.
He also recalled how the little reb took a
boat with a stub nose, leaky and no ac-
count, disregarded old man Goldsberry, and
padded off with a high sea running, which
every minute threatened to sink the frail
craft He had not forgotten detail of that
memorable night, and Mr.. Seward stood
dumb listening to rehearsal of daring IN
which he figured as the principal character.
The past came before him more WILDLY
than ever, and he was struggling to give
expression to the many memories that were
crowdng about him.
1t was hard to leave. l took a picture or
John Hewitt and another of the two togeth-
err The wealthy business man is standing
with his hand placed affectionately upon
the head of his preServer of thirtySiX years
ago. Cast your bread upon the waters
Yes. that was the text. and, hiding from
the rest of us what he was doing, Mr.. sew
ard placed a goodly sum in the hand of
John for his poor aged mother, and an
other for himself And what of John? He
hesitated, looked in wonderment at the
money, protested, but finally accepted. He
had not expected any reward; he would
have been satisfied with that embrace. And
So with many good-byes and God bless
yOuS, departed.
1t was getting dark as we approached
Point Lookout. and we hurried on, reserv-
ing for the morrow an investigation of the
Richar dSOn house, where James Richard
son, with singular generosity, gave the
fugitive food, clothing and money.
The Confederate Monument.
Just before the road leading to the light
house was reached we came in sight of the
monument erected by the state of Mary
land to the confederate soldiers who died
in the prison at Point Lookout. 1t is a
plain shaft of white marble erected in the
center of a well-kept lot, and bears the fol-
lowing inscriptions: "1S76. Erected by the
state Of Maryland in memory of the con-
federate soldiers who died prisoners of war
at Point Lookout from March l. 1864, to
June 30, 1865 on another side: Total,
1904. OF Virginia, $40; of North Carolina,
go; South Carolina. 24S; Georgia. 24o; Ala
bama. 10; Tennessee. 63; Louisiana, SO;
Mississippi, ~; Florida, 81: Kentucky, IS;
Texas, 6; Maryland, 6; Arkansas, 4; Mis-
souri,. a. Total, 23S6; confederate states
triotsm aid duty they encountered the
perils of the field, endured the trials of
prison and were faithful even unto death"
You will notice." said Mr.. Seward, that
this monument represents only those who
died from March 1, 1864 to June 80 1863
Before that time there were many more
deaths"
A short turn of the road brought US in
of Maryland pointing its nose out into
Chesapeake bay. l was at once impressed
with the adaptsblity of the place as a
prison. With the bay one side and the
Potomac river on the other, nearly eight
miles wide, it became necessary only to
guard the land approaches to insure the
safety of the prisoners. Year by year the
bay has been gDaWing at the land, taking
a little strip off every big storm, until more
than mile of the shore an acre deep has
been carried away within the last twenty
years On the other side the Potomac has
not been such a gourmand, and has taken
little in comparison.
A Night at the Point.
Uncle Sam owns but very little of the
Point, only enough to hold a light house
and accessory buildings, where buoys of
different kinds are kept, to mark channels
and dangerous places. The remainder of
the Point is used for farming purposes by
the sons of Capt. William H. Yeatman the
veteran light house keeper. 1t was only
after he had consulted long and earnestly
with mother" that he consented to be our
host for the night. He explained how
crowded he was for room since his chill
dren had grown up and married, but he
would do his best for us. And he did, max
ing us comfortable for the night and Civ