Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1901-09-26
THE CONFEDERATE'S RUSE.


backbone thrill is WORTH
where does the thrill come in?'
Maxwell. the coloners partner called
from his corner. The colonel chuckIed,
then said very slowly, Can you imag-
inc how it feels to know yourself with
in an inch of hangingT
"Oh, there's a story! Tell it," Max
well said putting down his pen. The
colonel flung over to him the most un-
forgivable of the penwipers, then sat
down on the edge Of my desk, folded
his arms and began:
Don't know that l ever told you |
fit for Cousin Sally Ann, as our com
pany wag used to express serving the
Confederacy But l did. l was a dare
devil too Would you think SO to look
At me now"
"Not much" we said in chorus. He
smiled and went on: Il belonged to Mr..
Forests 'critter company You don't
know it, but that means that | had
heap of chances to get myself shot. He
was a fighter from way back, was Mr..
Forrest. But that didn't feaze the boys
who rode with him. 1t was what they
were there for He made things lively,
l tell you, in the country between the
rivers-the Cumberland and Tennessee.
North of the Cumberland, after Donel-
son. fell, it was mighty hazardous for
graycoat to venture. The river could
be forded only in time of drought and
the strict gunboat patrol made swim
ming or sailing across it about as dan
CerouS as anything could be. Still we
wanted now and then to get news of
our friends. the enemy, over there, and
one day volunteered to swim the riv-
or and bring back word to my chief.
Go if you're a mind ter, Billy, but l
sortcr think you'll come back dead he
said But | went. Home was across
the river, YOU see. and girl who-but
never mind. | didn't see her that trip.
Hardly had crossed when | ran
plump upon former overseer, who
was, | knew. a Union man. He recog-
nized me at once, yet if | had been the
prodigal son his welcome could not
have been warmer When | asked IL
he meant to inform on me, he almost
cried. His feelings were so hurt, in
deed. that | had to agree to stay all
night at his house and let him help me
next morning across the river, which
was the main lion in my homeward
path. Il wantcr show ye Jcssermine's
drorin's, too he said. 'Ye amt fer
got Jessermine-Shcs the little young
un yer ma used ter make much on.
Growed up now. she is. an or schoiler
right. Why, she paints COWS an haWgS
an sech like that natchul ye cain't help
but know EN-
81 didn't know em-not apart, | mean
until Jesscrmne herself diffcrcntiat-
ed them for me. She was a big, fair
girl, wholesome as the day is long 1t
gave me a heap of comfort to hear her
whisper as we separated for the night:
Pap's the only Union man in this fam
lily. I'd fight for the COnfederacy ev-
cry day in the year if only | had not
y orn Il girl
'1ne speech was still more comfort
ing when | got up in the morning ana
found a whole division of bluccoats
stacking arms in the turnpike outside
the gate. They had made a night
march and meant to cross the river the
next day. was trapped squarely and
likely within ten hours to dangle from
q limb If my host did not betray me,
my horse in his stable, with cavalry
saddle and holsters, most certainly
would. Escape was out of the ques-
ton. They were before and behind
oI In
in each half hour.
"Then every mothers son of 'em was
mighty mad with Forrest. He had
whipped 'em when he had no right to
do it and run when they ought to have
whipped him. There was, besides, a
sort Of talk of retaliation. Altogether
l made up my mind that | had less
than six hours OF life, unless miracle
saved me or Jessermine stood my
friend.
'She did that, like the trump she
was. Don't you worry she said when
she brought me breakfast. Eat hearty
an rest all you can, until l get them
Yankees all fed. It's likely you may
have to ride all night without stoppin,
y
do
"Will you believe it, l trusted that
girl blindly-lay down and slept like q
top until she was back again. She had
her paintboX aud brushes, besides
couple OF raw onions. When she had
told me her plan for me, laughed until
l cried.
Garry it out? shouldn't be here If
l had not. That afternoon, about .
o'clock, man rode wearily into the
camp. His eyes were red and swollen
and ran water continually. He was
broken out all over with red, angry
looking pustules. Take me TO your
general. II surrender. / am Captain
Lillard of Forests cavalry he said in
a weak voice. 4 want to be sent to the
hospital. AS you see, | have small
pox'-
'"The sentry waited to hear no more
He passed the prisoner on like a hot
potatoe. So did the corporal Of the
guard, and so, In the end, did the gen.
eral. The prisoner, whose eyes kept
getting redder and more watery, smell
ed strongly Of onions, but none of them
came near enough to perceive it. By
o'clock he had been escorted to the
river bank and told to cross 1t or drown
or do anything that pleased him except
strew infection through a United
States army corps. He did cross the
river he got safely to Mr. Forrest, too
but did not escape quite scot free. 1t
was all Of a month before Jessermine's
paint wore Off"