The National tribune., 1902-06-12

my two comrades. Everything was gone.
l sat down while, and tried to eat,
but my stomach was sick, and refused
food. My face and body were in clammy
sweat; l felt necessity for air, and hastily
laid aside my accouterments, and snatched
off my coat.
After little my strength and spirits
returned. l considered whether this were
the time and place for me to change my
clothing and become q Union soldier.
remember that TUNED the coat with this
purpose, and afterward reflected that !
was yet on doubtful ground, and turned
it back again to the Confederate side.
l succeeded in eating Il little and rose
to go, but / had not taken step before
the bushes rustled at my front, and three
Union cavalryman-One of them Cor
poral-advanced upon me.
Throw down that gun" said the Cor
pOral-
l threw down my gun very willingly.
Said l, Boys, l am glad to see you"
l was laughing. for the transition from
sorrow to joy had been very sudden. /
now felt relieved of all my fears. With
the help of these men l should succeed in
reaching Gen. Meade in few hours. and
then l could rest with Il mind free from
care.
You are laughing, eh?" said the Cor
pOral. You will soon laugh on the
wrong side of your mouth"
Take me to Gen. Meade" said /, "or
to your commander, who can send me TO
the General"
Il don't propose to carry you quite that
far" said he, glowering.
Il have an important report to make
to Gen. Meade" said l, land if you delay
me he will be greatly chagrined.
Still keeping it up!' said he, scowling
horribly.
Yes, still keeping it up" said 1.
What do you take me for:"
"Oh!' said he, Il want no more of this
damn sheenanagin. l saw you there in
the thcket turn your coat. damn you"
l laughed at this, though / was. l con-
fess, beginning to be little alarmed.
These men were of the rOugher sort.
Il am in Gen. Meade's official employ"
said 1.
Jim, go git me that rope from my sad
de-" said the Corporal.
The thing began to look ugly. We were
now on the edge of the opening near the
railroad grade. Just at our left, toward
the west, there was a sudden turn of the
railroad so that we could not see very far
in that direction, but down the vista to-
ward the Brock road the way was open
for long distance.
Corporal" said ], ''if you seriously
question my character, | can speedily
prove to you that am a Union soldier"
You are n damn rebel trying to get
into our lines in Disguise" said he, land
we are ordered by Gen. Pleasonton to
hang you"
The man called Jim now came up with
rope.
"What is your regiment, Corporate" 1
well, it's none of your business" said
he: "but / don't mind telling YOU: it's the
9th n. W
noticed that the men We're armed
with new Spencer carbnes-seyen-
shooters.
You might as well say your prayers, "
said the Corporal; your time has come,
and you have got very little to spare"
/ thrust my hand into my haversack.
drop that" said he.
Corporal said l, Il am simply going
to give you Gen. Meade's own handwrit-
ing. / am not armed. There is nothing
in my hayersack to hurt you"
well, fetch her out" said he; Tets
see what she is
/ rummaged in the bottom of my haver-
sack, and brought out all five buttons, but
they had become SO greasy that / was
unable to distinguish the marked button
which contained Gen. Meade's order.
However, after diligent search, Il believed
that / had found the right button, and
handed it to the Corporal, saying, Take
the butt of your carbine, please, and break
that"
He laughed scornfully. "The hell you
say! How can anything be in this but
toni" Yet he handed it to Jim and told
him to smash it. jim placed the button
on stone, and brought the butt of his
carbine down upon it.
There was nothing in it
1 suppose l looked very blank. The
men-at least two of them--seemed an
cry, thinking that l was merely consum-
ing time with shallow device. The other
man, however, / could tell by the motion
of his head, was in doubt as to my char
acter, although he had as yet said nothing
perhaps the fact that the button had
shivered, was puZZling him.
"Corporalw l exclaimed TREMENDOUSLY,
IAN order from Gen. Meade detaching me
is in one of these buttons. l want them
all smashed until the right one is found"
The Corporal said, "NO, by God; | will
fool with you no longer. l will string you
up"
And now the mild man broke in. "Cor-
pOral," said he, Il would not do that; let's
give him chance. Let's break all of the
buttons" and he took them from me, and
began to work on them, but in not one Of
those buttons was anything found, the
on the stone.
Even the mild man now turned against
me. "String him up" said he.
OF course it would be impossible for me
to tell my thoughts, if l had any at the
time. My own testimony had fallen upon
me with fatal force.
Jim began to untwist the rope. l did
not give up entirely; l took out the note
had written to Gen. Meade, and handed
it to the Corporal.
'Read that" / said.
He read it and said, "Well, what is
this?"
at is report to Gen. Meade" said l.
"How do know that? You are writ
ing here to some General, or somebody
is writing to some General, but how in the
hell do | know what General, or who it is
that's writing? This is some more of
your tomfoolery"
Nevertheless, he put the paper into his
pocket, and looked little staggered.
began to believe that l had succeeded In
getting respite at least, and that my
complete success was assured. and | said
with all the holiness that l could muster,
Corporal, whatever you do with me
makes very little difference, but 1 beg
tina. you send this note to Gen. Meade
without delay"
Evidently this staggered him little
more. He bent his head in reflection, and
said, Say, Jim, tie this man."
l put my hands out before me-
NO" said he, behind your back
/ obeyed, and my hands were bound
tightly with the rope. The men led me
away TO their horses the old Enfield was
left behind in the thicket.