Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-03-10

down his still fiorid, young-oh ana
| kindly fade. But he continued, at
ter a-heml and a cough to clear his
throat. or TO subside passing emotion.
but, I'm away ahead Of my story. Az
ter having learned for sure of the
death and burial or the Southern OFF,
Ger in my fatal uniform, / knew-at
least / felt sure-what report would
| go North; and with three big strappine
step sons in the service. and with q
wife at home, whose age l had not CON-
sidered, when l married, she struck me-
as a little faded: peace to her ashess4
and having had q brother, a mission
airy in New Orleans before the war, !
contemplated after escaping imprison-
ment or to escape it, being now
believed dead, and to escape my matri-
monial relations at home, to offer my
parole to stay South. After some six
weeks, my wound having practically
healed, during which time l had no
great trouble, though often little or
nothing TO eat--a coed diet for a chest
wound they say-I was permitted to
leave Andersonyille, about July Is.
1862. Obtaining liberty to go any
where South, | finally reached New
vi " NltliOut ndlI-OTcaQ[0 e&@
eapes in swamp. and woods. materially
aided in direst distress by the slaves.
You know the history of New Orleans
under Butler. He cleaned the city, al
though he met vigorous opposition
which only intensified his energies. 1t
was much worse during reconstruction
days. Hancock, however, was all
right; but the fellows at Washington
were not. But I did o remain con-
tlnuously in New Orleans. Being q
blacksmith. | went up TO the planta-
tons among the old Creoles. where nv
French stood me in good stead, both as
a means of friendly converse and as a
passport to immediate confidence. Yes:I
made hoops, iron hoops. welded them
for the molasses ~hogsneaas: also did
cooperage; taught negroes how 10 do
1t; n had many ups and downs; but
I'm all right again now and | fixed Ma
RE, that's my little Linotte. and she's
provided for. My step sons | did not
seek. The youngest vas good: hut
the others and their influence-well.
they ruled my wife, and so | remained
dead. I'm sorry Linotte got such a
husband-she's separated and was
teaching. l believe, however. that the
separation was not her fault. Ii would
sound malevolent to the dead If
should blame them. Marie, ave: Ii
notte did not tell me so, she loved her
mother o well; thinking me, her IA
theT, dead, the remaining parent re-
celVed all her overlooking love and
cohfidepee. But | guess" again hold
ing his index finger solemnly TO his
well shapol nostril. and peering wisely
askant, Yes: I've provided for her and
VIII do more il she does not let her
s~tep-brothers find me. | told her. IL
she does, she win lose all truck of ma
again. Then he musingly STONED.
lighting another stosle and Ahanding
one TO me, he answered. my inuuirin@
look, saying: You may write me un.a
not too exact: for I'm goingJto remain
lost to the world, that know me as
Captain X. or French John" and NOT
till after I'm gone, after I've answered.
the final trumpet and marched to the
Great Beyond" do I wish the whole
true story of my career written and
published. I'll make provision. I've
In fact made some arrangements al
ready. I'm sorry | can not let you
have, at once, a copy OF all my manu-
script evidences OF my actually being
alive: and one and the same person
that is historically and according to
U. S. Pension records long since legal
ly and physically dead. 1 also have
proof of my imprisonment: time OF
capture; discharge on parole, and ply
ing my trade through Louisiana since
the war" Again musing awhile he
continued: i've your address. I'm
glad Of it. I'll not forget. Observe ST.
lence as to my movements in case you
may be able to trace them from my
letters: of which you will receive one
a week at least, possibly a package OF
certified copies Of official papers, when
l still retain. / got them in 1866 by
indirection. IL would be impossible
now; but I'll bid you goodnight and
au revoir; for | expect to see you again.
/ go in twenty minutes
Back, out into the falling snow
storm-tossed veteran of a past era
into his own hidden world, French
John returned. His story liz an epic
with a melodramatic mosaic OF fun,
sorrow, disappointment and softened
irony interlaced; he, a wanderer,
afraid of old acquaintanees. loving the
past, but loving present solitude more.
The legally dead drill-master OF the
- Reg't. Pa. volunteers is In the
land of the living; able to do good to
his only daughter; and striving 10
| prove that doing good by appearing
dead is as noble as TO do good by
stealth. I'm permitted to say that he
will be far from the neighborhood OF
his a~nte-bellum exploits and %acquain-
tances before this story 1nds the
haunts OF printers devils.
OMAR oOLIAB.