The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1903-05-01

brothers death and the younger ones
imprisonment. She read the letter
many times, and as the tears rolled
down her sunken cheeks she fell on
her knees and thanked God that one
son at least had been spared to her. A
sudden resolution possessed her. She
would leave the little home in the cove
and go away to the North. She would
60 to Fort Delaware, and thew would
not refuse to let Il mother see her son
even a Confederate" mother. Once
she had looked upon his face again she
would have courage to wait for his
release.
Travelling was slow. Weeks passed
before she was enabled to get through
the opposing lines and into Washing
ten: At last, dying from want, sorrow
and fatigue, she stood in the command
ants rooms at Fort Delaware with
written permission to see and speak
with the boy she loved so well.
They tell sad stories of Fort Della
ware in the South. They call it the
Libby Prison of the North. [ don't
like TO believe it. Neither do you.
They say that after a certain engage
ment the Northern generals accused
the C~onfederates of outrageous cruelty,
and in retaliation a score or more
prisoners were taken from the fort and
ANONYMOUSLY hanged. Perhaps they
were mistaken. and that there were
better grounds for hanging than that.
by some means a had gained
credence in the prisoners barracks
that something of the kind was to take
place. while the impression prevailed
that special vengeance was to be meted
out to the soldiers of Alabama. because
of alleged outrages committed by regi-
ments from that state. Young Rogers
was not a coward. but he had no desire
to meet SO unsoldierly a death. With
that inventive genius which develops
SO rapidly among those held in con
tinement, the prisoners in Rogers
gang dug out the stonework and
earth under n of the banks, and thus
secured not only a comparatively safe
hiding place for pilfered provisions,
but also for one or more of their num-
Der when occasion demanded that they
should keep under cover for q time.
The rumor that retaliatory measures
were in order struck CONSERVATION to
many a brave heart. and when, for any
reason, a Federal orderly came to the
prisoners barracks and called the
name of Johnny Reb," there was a
general feeling of misgiving, and an
effort made, when possible. to discover
for what purpose the prisoner was
wanted before answering to his name.
So that when one day the barracks
were excited to a fever point by the
calling of a dozen names or more. and
the name of Joe Rogers rang with
startling distinctness in the ears of
that young Albanian. he did not wait
to be seen. but hurriedly crawled into
the grub hole and held his breath
for fear of discovery and the conse-
quences that would follow. Three
times the orderly called.
Joe Rogers! Joe Rogers! Joe Rog-
ers!" rang through the long corridor.
Then the prisoners crowded around,
and the orderly seemed to be unaware
that Rogers had failed to answer to his
name. He went away. and on the rec
ords it was written that Joe Rogers
had been transferred-as even the
officers thought-to be hanged.
A sau look came over the face of the
commanding officer when the white
haired oma gave him the slip of
paper that to her meant so much.
Rogers is not here now" he said
finally.
She looked at him, dazed by the in
telligence.
''Not-here?"
mo; he has been transferred"
WHEREOF
The officer had a heart.
IL do not know he said. He
could not tell the sad-eyed woman
what he believed to be the truth.
But he could not deceive her.
He is deadm she cried, wildly, and
lettering forward she clasped her
hands across her breast and sank into
a chair.
my poor boy!" she sobbed. II
loved you too, and yet l was too later
The parched lips closed over the sad
grey eyes; the tired head fell forward;
the nervous fingers relaxed their hold.
Come said the officer kindly,
"you must go now. l can not permit
you to remain here"
There was no answer.
Il am waiting''-he began. and then
he paused abruptly. Something strange
in her appearance startled him, and he
stopped down and peered into her face.
As he did SO tears came into his eyes.
The sweet-faced mother would never
see the valley of the Tennessee again.
She was dead.
News flies in jails as it flies else
where. In his hiding-place that night
young Rogers was told the story Of his
mothers death. Strong man though
he was, the shock was almost more
than he could bear, aud he grieved
bitterly at the thought that, even dead.
he might not look upon her face. but
he vas glad for one thing. There
were kind hearts among the boys in
blue, aud they took the body Of the
dead mother across to New Castle, and
there in the old church yard reveren-
TALLY laid it to rest.
Rogers managed to escape detection
for the few weeks remaining before the
close of the war. After the surrender
he was liberated and returned to Ala
bama. There he lives and there. / met
him. He told me this story. and I
repeat it because it m so neal
home. 1t interested me andI think it
will volt Philadelphia NeWs.