The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1904-12-16

sick, and frazzied out generally:
and when / heard the negroes
close up and come tramping out
behind me, while the officer
marched in front, it made me
wish was safely back in the
prison once more. The guard
was drawn up outside, and l was
left standing some ten or fifteen
steps in front of them. The
officer again questioned me about
the uniform, and I again gave
him the same old story. After
| beafadIGy bt,ElKi3G 9a ne for a time, and re-
was not telling the truth,-in a
word of three letters, he ordered
the sergeant to put me back in
prison. was put in the dun
geon Wednesday morning about
seven O'Clock and was taken out
Friday night about twelve.
/ wore the ball for nearly two
months, when it was ordered off
by Capt. Ameron himself. He
was officer of the day, and was
watching some prisoners clean
up the grounds inside the prison.
walked up close to him and
dropped my ball. to attract his
attentionf He turned when he
heard the chain rattle, looked me
over, and asked why Twas wear
ing the ball. l replied because
| could not get it off (Which was
| a fib, as l could pick the lock
with a small nail and stout cord
as fast as it could be locked, and
| which / did every night after
yetting into my bunk, but was
afraid to go without it in day
time for fear some spy would re-
port me, then it would have been
| riveted on my leg). What did
| they put it on you for?" he in
| luired. | stated the case, and
| told him it was a reflection on
the standing of his company,
that I had simply claimed to be
member of it when they i'm
| mediately proceeded to iron me.
[ saw his eyes twinkle a little as
ne said, $50 you are the little
| rascal who claimed to belong to
mNAcompany, are you?" I con-.
70 ro1ruw,. *We nau reIcfed the
| oig ditch that was being dug
| ,cross the prison, when he sud-
| lenly stopped, looked me square
in the face, and asked if my
IRONS were riveted on: l told
| him they were not. Without re,
moving his eyes, he asked me #
| [ had been wearing the ball all
| the time. I assured him l had
| with proper allowance for truth
under the circumstances.) NOW,
see here. Johnny, l am going tG
have that ball taken off, but
, have heard that you fellows car
, nick one of those locks in a flash
Let me see you do it," he said
! looking around to see that no {. ON
6 was in hearing distance; Attel
another assurance from him tina
" The ball should come off, l too
. INV little nail and string out, O
y nv pocket and in twinkle ha'
V the shackle off. He examine
n the nail and the string, then toi
:. me to do it again, which l dlc
- He only said: ,..Well, I'll be d
i;ss Fasten it back and come along;
~ Passing out the gate, he called
. sergeant and told him to tar
tb INV irons off and put me back ,
No No prison. | thought / detected
,t- sly wink as he nodded his he'
Mt to me and turned away.
~ ~ There is but a short span
IN, IN, life left me, but L would give
h. b. good slice out of it to know
ad nv comrade in the dungeon
living and to grasp his hand on
,r more. or to meet some OF t
i; ;tv members of the detail that
,j j marched out that morning, w
sad the slop barrels, none OF whor
me- knew; but if any are living a
, my read this article, they will c
~, a,,, tainly remember the clrcu
to stances of my arrest,
~ " Nearly forty years have pas
o. since my dungeon eXperler
tbe vet at times l can feel the
the breath of that burly negro
hat hat NV cheek, can see his bulg
nas @ ewes with q maniac's glare
at a them close W liliil@, 20 NV ha
men his uplifted hand ready to
COW COW and crush my head; | screal
I he mortal terror, and-l feel S
nf ono shaking me and a v