The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1904-10-28
PRISONER
TO A GIRL

General Grant, and on this particular
day I had approached what / thought
Was an abandoned farmhouse that
might get a drink of water from the
well The front door stood partly
open, and that was one Of my reasons
for believing the place was deserted.
As l reached the door looked in and
saw furniture and at once realized that
some one must be living there. / was
hesitating what to do when the door
Of an inner room opened ana a girl
about twelve years old stood before
me She was poorly clad and hands
and face were not oyerclean but her
eyes shone with intelligence. and her
expression was pleasing.
What do you wantg she asked aft
or we had surveyed each other for a
minute.
Something to eat, and I viii pay
you for It" / replied. IF you viii give
me the gourd / win get a DRINK Of wa
teri
But father is away, and | am all
alone, and you are a Yankee"
Well, what Of that? / shant hurt
you"
she looked me over from head to
foot and no doubt wondered how / got
there and what my errand was. lean
ed against the door and smiled at her,
but the pleasant look left her face, and
she frightened her lips as If she had
come TO some decided conclusion about
something l thought she was going
to turn me away, but after awhile she
slowly said
"You will find gourd at the wei,
and | win yet you something to eat.n
went ont and satisfied my thirst
aid ten re-entered the house aud sat
down n the rude table in the kitchen
Nt esin Tie meal was served She
some milk and some corn
cold meat
M ,y best as ate to engage her
in cM,e cessation, but she either an
swera in monosyIlables OF not at ALL
She knew all about the war, young as
she was. and being southern born, 1t
was not to be expected that she would
give me very cordial welcome. |
could and did make allowance for this,
and when l found that she was sullen
and uneommunicative I ceased to an
noy her with questions. When my cup
was empty she took II down cellar 20
refill It ! heard her moving about
down there and heard her ascend the
stairs, and though she did not immedi
ately Feappear, did not raise my eyes
A minute later, however. she spoke,
and my eyes lifted fast enough. She
was standing IN the door between the
kitchen and the front room, and she
had shotgun leyeled at my breast
from distance Of only ten feet
Yankee, you are my prisonerl'
What do you meang ! asked as !
rested an elbow on the table and stared
at her in surprise
Just what ! said, SIR You are my
prisoner. and If you don't DO just as
say VIII shoot you Stand up"
Don't be foolish child i said as
/ stood up and smiled at her. That
gun isn't loaded, and even II 1t was you
would not dare to fire It OF. Put Il
away and hand me the milk. | am go
ing to give you the silver half dollar
when am through eating
THE gun Is loaded, and I'll shoot"
she exclaimed. though her voice be-
trayed that she was somewhat fright
ened "Do as tell you or | will fire.
90 into the pantry
Ny revolver was IN is holster I'M
der my coat, and | knew that the girl
would fire II / made a move to get 1t,
1t was absurd to let a child like her
make me prisoner, and yet was
forced to realize that she was as danger
Gus as q man perhaps more SO. The
result was that / backed up to the
open door OF the pantry, and as she adj
vanced upon me stepped into the lit
tie room, and she closed the door
and fastened It with button.
My idea was TO escape by the win
dow before she could get out and
around the house. but ] found the
opening small one and barred from
the outside / could not have escaped
that way had I been alone IN the house.
Drawing my revolver fred through
the door and made threats, but the
girls voice was firm and determined as
she answered me:
IF you fire again will shoot through
the door, and there is big load OF
buckshot In the gun"
/ coaxed and attempted TO bride, but
she refused to hold any conversation
with me. I hoped that she would leave
the house to get help, IN which case a
couple of kicks would hare sent the
old door flying, but she sat down in the
kitchen to net as guard until some one
should come along
II was almost noon before any one
arrived. and then II was q squad Of
Confederate cavalry beating up the
country in search Of Federal scouts
and spies. They were passing the
house when the girl called them h.
ind as the sergeant opened my prison
door and commanded me to step forth
seven or eight others had their car.
bines leyeled at me They joked and
guyed me not little and had much to
say in praise Of the girl
was taken to Lees headquarters e
be questioned and later on was sent tc
ftaH r.