The National tribune., 1901-06-06

when | was awakened by the barking of
dog near at hand.
l lay still, fearing discovery, but the
dogs barks eaews fainter, and | saw it
was going away from my vicinity, and be-
ing convincedt that. for the present, at
my valise, took the clothing from it, and
soon effected a complete change.
When | had covered my light-brown
| hair with the glossy black wig and put
on the black mustache and arrayed my
self in the coarse gay suit l had selected
| looked in the small mirror and was well
satisfied with the result.
| Even my most familiar friends would
not have known me, the transformation
was so complete.
Just at dusk | took my valise and the
clothes | had discarded, including my hat
which had replaced by broad-brimmed
affair. and threw them into the river, be-
ing perfectly willing that my Confederate
| friends should enjoy the satisfaction OF
believing me drowned.
Then, unencumbered by my Yalise,
struck out boldly and Travelled all night,
as before. FOR three days and nights
kept this up, having had nothing to eat
but berries and bird l had shot and
roasted in a fire whose blaze / carefully
screened from observation.
About night on the fourth day, to add
to my discomfort it began to rain: ana
as | did not dare to remain where | was
any longer, / plodded on. l was soon
drenched to the skin.
1t must have been about 10 o'clock when
| eSpied light cleaning through the
trees. | was completely worn out and
desperate enough to take almost any
chances in order to get the shelter and
food | so much needed so, believing the
light came from a dwelling / struck bold
Iy toward and Patu ItaS'
walk | stepped around clump of bushes
and into the plain sight of group of Con-
fedeTate soldiers surrounding a bright
campfire.
My first instinct was to fly, but feeling
sure they must have seen me, on the sec
ond thought l saw such an act would
awaken suspicion, so | turned carelessly
away just as they shouted, Who's
there
| made no reply, but having got out
of their sight broke into run and got
out of that vicinity as fast as | could in
my wornOut condition. | soon found my
fears of pursuit were groundless. They
evidently thought me neighboring plant
er attracted by curiosity, and did not deem
it worth while to follow me.
Tired as | was, | tramped on for sew
eral hours after this adventure, and,
finally, when | could not drag myself any
farther, | crept into a deserted negro
cabin and lying down fell into a heavy
slumber, from which did not awaken un-
til the next day.
| felt stiff and sore from the exposure
of the night before and weak frcm lack
of food, but feeling | must be moving I
started at once and trudged on for some
time.
But / was too weak to walk all night.
as | had been doing, and saw | must get
food in some way. Just as | reached this
/ Cnfn n Iffrht oh ..
ahead. and walking toward it l came to
small cabin.
My rap was answered by a negro wom-
an, who stepped back in fright at my
disheyeled appearance.
Il won't hurt you, Auntie." | said;
but can't you giyefa famished man some
thing TO eat?'
why. bless de Lord" she CALCULATED;
.how yO' done frightened me- In cose
I'll gibe yo' sumphin' ter eat. Jest come
right in, sab" and she held the door hos
pitably open for me to enter.
1t was a small room, and would not
have been particularly inviting to the av-
erage person, but to me, in my famished,
worn-out condition, it seemed like a pal
ace.
Three or four colored children were
playing on the floor, whom the woman
admonished to "Git out of Mas'r's way
She soon prepared u repast Of bacon,
eggs and 'hOe-cake.' with black coffee
which, in my half-starved state, seemed
fit for a king.
Why. yo' po honey, yo' is erbout
starved. amt yo'?' said the woman as
she watched me ravenously partake of the
food.
l saw she felt sorry for me, and I at
once resolved to tell her my story and i'm.
plOre her to help me.
She listened with pity in her eyes while
n hDr ctr .I-A n l.
dured. and when | finished with an appeal
for help. she exclaimed. why. bress yo',
honey, d'yo' 'spose I'd fuse ter help 'er
Iank when / knows dey's fghtin' ter
make us free? In cose Use gwine ter help
yo'.'
She fixed up bed in the garret for
me, which seemed fine. after the nights |
had spent on the ground and upon the
board floor.
| stayed there two days, and when
left she gave me food enough to last three
days.
| had learned from her that was many
miles from Richmond, but still many
miles from n place of safety.
| will not describe my experience for the
next two weeks. A similar record of suf-
fering has too often been told by those
who escaped from the Southern prisons
and found their way to the North and
safety.
Let 1t suffice for me to state that | wan
dered on. sleeping in deserted cabins and
beneath bushes sometimes applying to
houses for food and twice staying . ;th
negro families until | had rested sufficient
ly to be able TO go on.
endured suffering too terrible to de-
scribe. and such as / hope no human be-
ing may undergo again.
/ do not think even my own mother
would have recognized her boy in the
an a "a fl1 ~lng ..,...
hut two weeks after | left the negro won,
an who first helped me-
/ had tramped all night, and being bad
ly fatigued was about to lie down when
| heard someone exclaim. II tell yer. that
- escaped Yank is hyar; / saw him
come this way, and he is hiding some
place"
Instantly my tagging senses were act
i've. and | gaZed about for an avenue of
escape, and through some boards that
were partly displaced saw little cubby-
hole under the floor. Quick as thought
| removed the boards and leaped into the
hole, quickly replacing the boards Then
/ huddled down in the hole and awaited
developments.
| could hear persons outside, in earnest
preached the hut. At last / heard the
door open and the noise of heavy treads
on the floor above. and judged that sew
cral men had entered the cabin.
Il don't believe ther cuss is hyar." said
one. Hes more likely hiding in the
bushes .7a~H