Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1905-01-11
PRISON. *
TO a GIRL

1 NhtutTui tfki1as OAt ILLS
day had approached what thought
was an abandoned farmhouse that !
| might get Il drink of water from the
we'll The front door stood partly
| pen. and that was one of my reasons
! for believing the place was deserted.
As reached tie 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 and a girl
about twelve years Old stood before
me, She was poorly clad, and hands
and face were not overclean. but her
eyes sh0ne with intelligence. and her
expression was pleasing.
What do you WANT" she asked aft
er we had surveyed each other for a
| minute.
Something to eat, and ! win pay
you for it, replied. IF you will give
me the gourd will get a drink of wa
ter"
But father is away. and / am all
alone, and you are Yankee"
We'll. what of that? | shan't hurt
you"
She looked me over from head to
foot and no doubt wondered how l 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 | thought she was going
to turn me away, but after awhile she
slowly said:
You will find a gourd at the well.
and | will get you something to eat
went out and satisfied my thirst
and then re-entered the house and sat
down at the rude table In the kitchen
whereon the meal was served. She
brought me some milk and some corn
bread and cold meat.
tried my best as ate to engage her
In conversation, but she either an
swered in monosyllables or not at ALL
She knew all about the war. young as
she was. and. being southern born, II
was not to be expected that she would
give me very cordial welcome. !
could and did make allowance for this,
and when found that she was sullen
and uncommunicative l ceased to an
noy her with questions. When my cup
was empty she took 1t down cellar T.
refill it. heard her moving about
down there and heard her ascend the
stairs. and. though she did not immedi-
ately reappear. did not raise my eyes.
\ 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 a shotgun leveled at my breast
from distance of only ten feet.
Yankee, you are my prisoner
What do you meanf' | asked rs
| 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 l will shoot you. Stand upr'
Don't lie foolish. child" said as
| stood up and smiled at her. That
gun isn't loaded. and even If it was you
would not dare TO fire it off Put it
| away and hand me the milk am 60
ing to give you the silver half dollar
when | am through eating'
1.-The gun is l9aded. and I'll shoot."
she exclaimed, though her voice be-
trayed that she was somewhat fright
ened. "Do as tell you or will fire
Go into the pantry
My revolver was in its holster UNI
der my coat, and | knew that the girl
would fire if l made a move to get IT,
1t was absurd to let child like her
make me prisoner. and yet | was
forced to realize that she was as danger
| GUS as d lnan,-perhaps more so. The
result was that I backed up to the
open door of the pantry, and as She adj
vanced upon me l stepped into the III
| tie room, and she closed the door
| and fastened it with button. 20 %
My idea was TO escape by the win
dow before she corld get out and
around the house, but | found the
| opening small one and barred from
the outside. | could not have escaped
| that way had been alone in the house.
| Drawing my revolver. fired through
| the door and made threats. but the
girls voice was firm and determined as
she answered me:
IF you fire again win shoot through
the door, and there is big load of
buckshot in the gun"
l coaxed and attempted to brlbe. hut
she refused to hold any conversation
with me. hoped that she would leave
the house to get help. In which cass a
| couple of kicks would have sent the
| old door flying. but she sat down in the
kitchen to act as guard until some one
should come along
1t was almost noon before any one
| arrived. and then it was a 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 in.
and as the sergeant opened my prison
door and commanded me to step forth
seven or eight others had their car
bines leveled at me. They joked and
1 t-yIvnd mo .x1I 4. n