Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1902-08-20
HOW PRIVATE BANCROFT
BECAME AN OFFICER
lOriginal.1

tons lau not Deen IOTlucOlulnS ioi
several days, and the boys stomachs
instead of being healthy convex be-
gan to be a sickly concave. Sandy was
on picket, and exposure made food all
the more necessary.
Pm going foraging," he said.
Better not" said his comrades.
you'll fall into the hands Of the da-
goes. and IL you don't you'll get into
trouble for leaving your post"
Sandy preferred to take both risks
to enduring the pangs of hunger. The
officer of the picket was worn out and
sound asleep, so he need not know OF
Sandys absence, and if he did he
would not dare report him since he
was himself liable to be Slot for sleep
ing on post. Singing his Krag-Jorgen-
sen over his shoulder Sandy buckled
his revolver to his hip and started
forth. Seeing a house in the distance,
he made for it and on reaching it
knocked ut the door. \ black eyed
Spanish girl opened it and stood look
ing at him suspiciously.
Gould you give me a bite?" asked
the soldier lifting his hat politely.
The girl shook her head, indicating
that she did not understand English,
whereupon Sandy made pantomime
motions descriptive of shoveling in
food. The girl led the way into the
dining room and placed on the table
the remains of last nights supper.
Sandy exercised great ingenuity in
pantomiming his gratitude, then sat
down and fell to. Meanwhile the girl
left the room. After the soldier had
eaten his fill he stuffed his. pockets for
his comrades, then arose from the ia
BILE and, taking his gun, was about to
depart when the girl came in, appar-
emily in great excitement, and, pan
tomiming in her turn, gave him to I'M
derstand that the Spaniards were COM
ing. Opening a trapdoor, she pointed
to n staircase leading to the cellar
Sandy descended, and the door was
closed. Then he heard the sound OF
heavy furniture being moved on to
the trap, and it began to dawn upon
him that he was a prisoner.
Having got in, the first thing he did
was TO look about him to discover
how he could get out. There was but
one little square window, near the
ceiling. which was covered with an
iron grating. Consequently Sandy was
as safe as Il rat in trap. lie had not
been there long before the girl, ac-
companied by Spanish officer, ap-
peared at the window. Sandy seized
his rifle, but the two speedily Detook
themselves out of range. lie could
hear them chattering and made out
from one or two words he understood
that one Of them-the officer, he sup
posed-would go for Il guard to remove
him. Then he heard footsteps in the
room above. after which all was quiet.
Sandy gave himself up as captured
for a time, then resumed his interrupt
ed accommodating for means or es-
cape. A chimney was built from the
L..
opening but the house was very old
and the stones had been loosely put
together. Sandy tugged ut one or
them and succeeded in removing it.
This loosened two or three more, and
he put his head and shoulders through.
The chimney was large enough for
him to pass through it, and he deter
mined to climb up. Leaving his rifle.
relying solely on his revolver, he got
through the aperture and, using back
and knees, Skinned up to the floor
above. where he encountered a broad,
fiat hearthstone. Sandy was pretty
strong and succeeded in lifting it a
few inches. Through the crack he
saw the Spanish officer sitting with his
arms and head on table, asleep.
Sandy's movements from this point
were conducted with the utmost care
Bracing himself, he gave the stone an
other lift and, drawing his revolver
put it lengthwise between one end anc
the floor. This was a critical moment
If the officer awakened, Sandy was
lost. Resting only a moment, he gave
the stone one more tug and got it OF
end. Then he gently rested it agains
the fireplace and in another moment
was sitting on coping.
At this moment n loose stone became
detached and dropped to the cellar
making great noise. The officer
raised his head, and great was his as
tonishment at seeing Sandy sitting IL
the fireplace. For moment he seemed
paralyzed Then, drawing a pistol he
was about to fire when his arm lei
limp and his pistol dropped on the floor
Sandy had winged him.
Glands up Bout face! March!
FRIED Sandy, but as the officer did no
understand English his captor was
Obliged to resort to pantomime again
which the officer, with a revolver
pointed at him, was not slow in under
standing. Sandy marched his captive
ont of the house and toward the Amerl
can lines. When he got within hailin;
distance OF the picket, Il bullet sans
nv his ear from the rear, and, turning
he saw dozen Spanards, led by th'
girl who had trapped him, standing a
n rise in the ground, gesticulating. A
the same moment the picket advanced
to Sandy's rescue.
Captain Murphy Of the picket pos
had finished two hours nap and wa
rubbing his eyes when he heard tn
firing Starting up. he saw Sand,