The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-06-03
NOT ALL ALONE ON THE SOUND.
Names bat Only One Passenger In the
stateroOm OF . Fall River Night Boat.

| NOT ALL ALONE ON THE SOUND.
Two Names bat Only One Passenger In the
stateroom OF . Fall River Night Boat.
| This Is the season when there are many
people in and about New York from what
used to be called the West. Everybody travels
now. Some Of these people have stories to
tell which have never been In print. This Is
a story told by O Missouri man who was max
ing his first trip up the Sound on one Of the
night boats;
It's funny" he said. how things come
about. Now. there was my friend who ex-
| pected To make this trip. but as he couldn't,
| I'm making it for him. Felix Grundy was his
name. We were born in the same town; went
TO school together. and used TO fight like cat
and dog. My People moved away and took
me while | was still a boy. About the time
they were trying 70 decide what I was best
suited 10 be the Civil War interfered with
their plans and I became a soldier. ! enlisted
in the sixteenth Illinois Infantry. old Bob
Smith. as We called him. commanding. In
the course Of time the regiment got down
where the fighting was pretty hot, down in
Tennessee. One day while We were skirmish-
ing we took a few Johnnies into camp. l was
one Of the detail that captured and guarded
tnem. one OF tnem was u suheil, euiiy IehOW.
He wouldn't do anything l wanted him TO do.
! asked him where he was from and he said
Missouri. That rather appealed to me and
I said. shake. Johnny. SO am L.
You're a tanned poor Missourian.' he
said. or you wouldn't be helping the Yanks.'
Viewer mind about that. l said. Then !
asked him what part Of Mis- SQUIRT he hailed
from and when he told mel thought I'd drop
my musket. TWAS my birthplace. To make
It short, he was my old schoolmate, Felix
Grundy. But somehow he didn't warm up over
the meeting. He was still sullen. After he
was put in the corral temporarily | got a per-
NIT to go and see him before he wa sent 10
the military prison. But he was sulking all
the time. One evening l said TO him, after l
had divided my rations with him:
"'Look here. Grundy. what the devil Is the
matter with you2 l can't help it cause you're
a prisoner. II I'd known It was you'll would
have let you got away
-'You would have been devillsh kind. wouldn't
you' Well. what's the matter with letting me
60 now?' he grunted.
Il told him l couldn't arrange that. He
mustn't ask 1t.
What would you do II l tried2' he asked.
"'Shoot you. II I we're your guard I re-
piltu. lHVh 'Hhilk ~ HuDJttl. NDcu
I was leaving him he said he would like to
have the privilege Of walking. and I fixed 1t
SO he could. We got beyond the lines before I
realized It. and then I told him l must take him
back. 1t was dark. He refused. He was
unarmed and l felt rather mean to take ad-
vantage of him.
How many pistols have your he asked.
III You wont lie, NJ &C. he said. give me
! give you my word / wont nun. Well count
three at the same time and fire. II you wing me
all right. You will be rid Of me. II wing
Rather cool, wasn't IL But had to ad.
mire his courage. for that's what 1t was. !
fo pnIIsd 1 beth pi wish h ana fi sSsInn BY tE fsTSe u snS
didn't give him away. I couldn't, I ad.
nt aiS n Sis s sSsr Sfm too sss, much Sa,, to Do K. that %s, R "
was sent with others to Johnson's island.
Yearly seven years after peace found
myiS.t t tSShins N iSF % y msD ib wenf t6 back m to my ni
least 1t seemed so when l first went to II. /
had been away twenty-iys, years. was al;
wsy TO f ths c OF nssw Nsssiy G sa sss , and e ! posted ID
tell him ! was a native. thinking 1t might be
an Item for him, and then thought he might
suggest some scheme In the way Of business.
Ace, Everything in one room and tSs plest-
eri1g hanging from the ceiling. The boy
| Shu tDt tultOT was AZ Work HV tnR case, ana
there l found him. He had no copy on his
case, but he was filling his stick with type just
the same.
Are you the edltor?' l asked.
reckon So he answered, barely looking
up from his work.
Wan, an item for your paper'' Il asked.
his stick, lifted the contents and put them
-, told him II he wasn't too busy ! would
out an editorial, and il / had anything. worth
printing | could sit down by a goods box,
which was his desk and print y;
ID you know how 10 writer he asked.
i said l had written several pieces In my
time. He pointed out the box and / sat down.
made up a little story Of how a man felt who
had come back 10 his native town after twenty
five years and could find no one who knew
him or had ever heard Of him. When / was
done he told me to hang II on the oCny hook
away to the tavern and remained there un-
Ill the next day. Then ] met him on the street
and he asked me If was the fellow who had
native town. When ! told him | was he asked
II had found any one yet who knew me, |
Whats Your name2' he asked.
q told him and he looked at me as il he
How many pistols have you gotp' he asked
IT was Felix Grundy, ,schoolmate and my
old prisoner, ! was a guest at his home that
night and for several more, and at the end
of q, week there was q new man on the country
doing everything necessary in getting out n
country weekly. for four years. and In all that
time the incident OF his capture was never
mentioned. He was naturally ~taciturn. At
the end Of four years / went elsewhere and
he remained In the old town. He never wrote
me but one letter, but he used TO send me his
paper when he knew where I was. and | tried
TO keep him posted.
In the letter he wrote that he would like
TO. come East and zee the country. and he
asked II | would accompany him. I replied
I would, and | went hack TO the old town 10
meet him. I went up to the old shop and
aked a young man II Mr.: Grundy was IN. He
asked me to walt and he went out. He re-
paper, just from the press. The appearance
Of the old sheet was about the same, except
a couple Of turned dash rules above and be-
NV a brief announcement at the top Of the
first column of the editorial page, remained
until after the funeral and then came on east
70 make the trip which u planned. You'll
iuat the same. IL makes me feal ma II I xasni