The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1900-06-07

had beon wounded and was coming
nome on leave in q few days. He, rs
| well as myself, knew it would be at
ieast embarrassing were We to meet.
MY check mantled with shame when |
thought OF my comrades lighting the
battles Of their country, while |, an
intruder upon the hospitality OF the
enemies OF the cause loved, was pass
ing my time in happy, but inglorious
ease.
- ut once sought Olympia and told
her would be compelled to leave on
the day following. She exhausted all
the resources OF fascinating and
beautiful woman TO dissuado me, but
seeing that all her arts were in vain
hEall gave reluctant consent.
| But now to get away and re Join
my regiment was now tho problem
presented to my mind. | could not
escape by way Of VicksburE, and, for
anything know to the contrary, the
| banks OF the iaZOO might be in posses
slon OF the Confcdcrates and thcir YES
sells instead OF Union gunboats might
| be patrOlling the river.
Just at this juncturc a scouting
party Of Union troops from one OF our
gunbOats appeared upon the sccuU
| Among the number | was delighted to
John Doug las, who greeted me with Il
warmth and enthusiasm which did not
| require the evidence Of fearful eyes to
| convince me Of their carncstncss.
"'My dear fellow he exclaimed,
his face aglOw with surprise and plea.
sure. 4 thought you had gone to the
land Of shades, and here | lind you by
the side Of a beautiful girl ir an Area.
dian paradise which seems TO have
arisen by magic amid the swamps and
| bayUus OF the IaXOO river. | let your
family know O. your disappearance
and my fears as To your safety. Now
you can let them know that my fears
were grOuudlcss and that you are still
living and ready 10 tight for the Union,
unless he continued laughing, the
beautiful Confederate who just nov
| left your company has converted you
| TO thc cause OF her people,.
| " While we were absorbed in our
greetings, Aunt Dinah, a domestic Of
the household, came hurricdly toward
us from the opposite side Of the farm
Seeing me, she rushed forward and cx-
| claimed uXcitCdly:
"'Massa, massa De Confcds are
coming shua-a whole reg mcnt. IOusr
habe time yet TO 'scape, if youah lebn
now
| mug viz aCCuI tCS W
| the faithful creatures account, 80 far
as the strength OF the enemy WAS con
ccrned, VIC deemed it prudent to avoid
encounter with them, il possible, AZ
our party numbered but u.
" sought Olympia aud badc her ~
| fearful, hcartbrcaking farewell, con
| soling her with the promise that |
would return TO her after the Wal,
This promise faithfully performed
We were married and have lived TO-
over thirty years in the cottage Xhcr&
! she nurSed me.
/" AS We reached the cnnscwny cher,
on the verge OF the rising groun,
leading TO the nearest Of the cause
! ways, we SAW the COnfedoralcs rapid,
approaching and in such numbers thaI
there was no possibility Of our coping
with them. So we rushed along at on
utmost speed, our progress being much
| impcdcd by intcrlacing vines, VIII ch
| in some places had fallen across chs.
| track and in others hung from the
| trees just low enough TO cntanglr on :
heads in their mcshes.
AS we reached the causeway there
was no Indication OF the enemy, ami
we began TO hope that they had not
discovered the route we took. We did
not slackcn our speed, however, and
when We had covered most OF the dis.
tanCc to the river we saw them follow
ing at full speed. Hcncelorth it WAS ~
race in which the stakes were death
Or captivity and safety. AS our lead
ing files had reached the bank OF the
river u Confederate bullet, fired ut
long range, hit me in the leg, and |
fell helpless into the bushes by the
waysidc. Our men then fired Il vOllcv
At the foe, which did some execution
and checked their advance.
"Soon after | fell John Douglas was
by my side and raised mo to my feet.
1t WAS impossible for me to walk or
even to stand alone, and begged him
to leave me to my fate and save him.
self from capture or perhaps death.
But the noble hearted fellow, no,
listening to my remonstranccs for u
moment. picked me up in his power
iul arms and bOrC me to the bank o!
the river. Oar comrades who in the
hurry Of boarding their boat had no.
probably missed us, were now beyond
haihng distance. Fruitful in re
sources, my companion rushed to Is
part OF the bank where he saw Is plank
and, returning at once, placed me on il
in the water. Attempting to 20 on it
himself, he found it would not bear us
both, so he gave the plank vigorous
push and said :
"'Try to paddle in the direction Of
the gunboat. They will soon sec you
and come to your rescue. can SWIM I"
Following his advice and using my
hands rs paddles, | had made some
progress toward the vessel when SAW
row boat coming to our rescue. My
heroic, sclfsacrilicing friend still kept
me company. The boat approached
nearer and nearer until she WAS only
two lengths away. Then turned and
looked for my friend, and | SAW his
head disappear beneath the water. |
threw myself from the plank into the
water in an agony OF despair, wishing
to share the fate Of my cOmradc, but
was soon rescued and taken into the
| boat.
Can yOu wonder noW,' he con-
tinucd, while tears howcd down his
pale checks, that ] cast Is Hover
wreath on the dark waters Of the
Yazoo on Memorial day :"
Mail reports from the Philippines
show that there has been s. stea1v in