Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1902-07-24

glad to be about even with him"
you're gentleman. I say it again,
an I'll say it always"
Evidently whisky really was the
medicine lac needed, for hc began to be
quite happy, though quiet Then he
fixed his eye on something on the floor.
He appeared to 90 into a brown study.
Finally he closed his eyes and loosened
his grasp on his gun, which fell softly
across his knees. | looked toward
Brainard to wink but to my horror l
saw him loosening the strap at his feet
and motioning me TO do likewise. Then
he rose softly, took the guards gun,
handed it to me and proceeded to tie
the fellows feet.
Then | understood what Charley was
up to, and, although | was so frighten-
ed that | was afraid | would drop the
gun, | covered the sergeant and my
rebel friend with it. | wasn't going to
be Outdone in appearance of bravery
by any five foot eX-studcnt of theology
alive, even if he happened to be my
particular friend Nevertheless as |
stood there with that gun | dcvoutly
prayed that the sIumbcrs of the re-
cumbCnt Johnnics might continue to be
very sweet
Meanwhile Brainard carefully un-
bound the two other men of our own
party. | wondered why he didn't wake
them and tell them to loosen them
selves, but | offered no suggestions.
don't believe | could have spoken had
/ tried With the belts taken from our
boys Brainard softly bound, or hob
bicd the feet of the sleeping graycoats
Then he cut the sling strap from our
captains cantccn and bound their
hands also. They became somewhat
reStive under this operation, and the
sergeant suddenly opened his eyes.
The fire that shot from those eyes
when the sergeant saw me with his
gun ut point made me tremblc, and
when he strained at his bonds | recall
ed the story of Samson.
"We're awfully sorry, sergeant" said
Brainard, that it had to be done, but
duty is duty, you know"
The sergeant was speechless. Per-
haps twas just as well, for | learned
afterward that he was Il member of the
church. lie did, however, arouse my
old acquaintance by nudging him with
his tied feet but when that matter of
fact fellow grasped the situation he
calculated, well, I'll be -"
Charley took one of our boys and
went out of the hut. They came back
in about half an hour and said they
had the boat ready. In the interval my
old acquaintance had exclaimed about
once in five minutes and each time ap-
parcntly after profound thought, well,
I'll be --."
/ finally told him hoped not, and it
wasn't his fault we had turned the
tables on him.
''Jest tell me how you done it al"
said he, can l won't ask no more"
eve didn't do it," said l. thinking to
get off a practical temperance lecture
that might be repeated after the war.
I'VE didn't do it, whisky did it." Then
l nodded suggcStively toward the
guard who had wanted medicine.
"Whisky" exclaimed the Questioncr,
with Il wide eyed look. An you didn't
offer me toothfulE" Then he look
ed reproachfully and remarked, Il
wouldn't hey thought it of YOU"
This made me feel 50 bad that
FASTENED to say:
Il didn't do it. | never thought of
the whisky. Twas given to me to use
in case we got a soaking. | wouldn't
have thought of it again. | haven't
tasted whisky three times in my life"
The poor fellow looked at me search
ingly ana finally said: I've got to
b'lieve you. do b'licve you. But, say,
whar was you brung up"
'Score one for the north" said to