Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-01-05

| that day Col. ChaS. Cotesworth Pinck-
ney's voice was sweeter than shawns
and trumpets, as the preacher says, and
bugles to boot. I have hearn people
tell of speeches working like a fiddle on
mans nerves, major; but, for my
part, / think they sometimes work like
a battery Of field-pieces, or whole
regimental band on parade day.
Howsoever I am going on to tell you,
Colonel Pinckney put stop to all this
par!eying with our poor fellows; and
knowing major, that you was likely to
be coming this way, he axed me If I
thought could give the guard the slip.
and make off with a letter to meet
you. Well, studied over the thing for
while, and then told him neck was
but a neck any how, and that I could
try: and 80, when his letter was ready,
he gave it to me, telling me to hide 1t
so that, II 1 was searched, it couldn't
be found on my person. Do you see
that foot?" added Horse Shoe, smil-
ing, at isn't so small but that I could
put a letter between the inside sole
and the out longways, or even cross
ways, for the matter Of that, and that,
without so much as turning down
corner. Correspondent and according
ly stitched II in. The colonel then
told me to watch my chance and make
off to you In the Jarseys, as fast as
could. He told me, besides, that
was to stay with you, because you was
likely to have business for me to do"
That's true, good sergeant"
There came on a darlish, drizzly
evening; and a little before roll call, at
sunset, I borrowed an old forage cloak
from Corporal Green-you mought have
| remembered him-and out I went to-
wards the lines, and sauntered along
the edge Of the town. till came
to one Of your pipe-smoking, gin
drinking Hessians, keeping sentry
near the road that led out to-
ward Ashley ferry-a fellow that
had no more watch In MINDLESS your
soul!-as these Dutchmen hav'n't-
than a duck on a rainy day. So, said
I, coming up boldly to him, Hans vile
gehet es'-'Geh yum Teufel.' says he
laughing-for he knowed me. That
was all the Dutch could speak. except
I was able to say 1t was going to rain.
so l told him-'Es will regnen-which
he knowed as we'll as I did, for 1t was
raining all the time. had little more
palaver with Hans, and, at last, he got
upon his feet and set to walking up and
down. by this time the drums beat for
evening quarters, and I bid Hans good
night but instead Of going away,
squatted behind the Dutchman's SEN
try box-and. presently, the rain came
down by the bucketful: it got very
dark and Hans was snug under cover.
The grand rounds was coming, could
hear the tramp Of feet, and as no time
was to be lost, I made long step and
short story Of 1t, by just slipping over
the lines and setting out to seek my
fortune"
well done, sergeant! You were
ever good at those pranks"
But that wasn't ALL" continued
Robinson. "As the prime file leader of
mischief would have II, outside of the
lines meets cart with a man to
drive it, and two soldiers on foot, by
way Of guard
| "The first I was aware Of 1t was
halo and then a bagnet to my breast.
didn't ask for countersigns, for l
didn't mean to trade In words that
night: but just seizing hold Of the
muzz!e of the piece, twisted it out
of the fellows hand, and made him
present Of the butt-end across his pate.
l didn't want to hurt him, you see, for
1t want his fault that he stopped me.
A back -hander brought down the 9TH
er, and the third man drove off his
cart. as IL he had some suspicion that
his comrades were on their backs In
the mud. I didn't mean to trouble
peaceable man with my compliments,
but on the contrary, as the preacher
says, I went on my way rejoicing"
You were very considerate, SER
geant; entirely approve Of your mod
Grafton. AS you are a brave man, and
have a natural liking for danger, this
was a night that doubtless, afforded
you great satisfaction"
when danger stares you In the
face" replied Horse Shoe. "the best
way Is not to see it. 1t is only in not
seeing Of it, that brave man differs
from a coward: that's my opinion. Well,
after that had a hard time Of 1t.
was afraid to keep up the Neck road,
upon account of the sodgers that was
upon It; so I determined to cross the
Ashley, and make for the Orangeburg
district. When I came to the ferry,
was a little dubious about taking one
Of the skiffs that was hauled up, for
fear OF making a noise; so I slipped
off my shoe that had your letter, and
put 1t betwixt my teeth and swum the
river. I must have made some splash
ing In the water-although / tried to
muff1e my oars. too, for first, heard a
challenge from the ferryhouse, and then
the crack of a musket; but 1t was so
dark you couldn't see an egg on your
own nose. There was little clustering
of lights on the shore. and turn out
of the guard maybe; but, I suppose,
they thought 1t was a sturgeon, or some
such beast. and so made no more Of 1t
and I got safe to the other bank"
Faithfully and bravely, sergeant"
For the first three or four days the
chances were all against me. The
whole country was full Of Tories, and
1t wasn't safe to meet man on the
road: you couldn't tell whether he was
friend or enemy, dursn't show my face
in the daytime at all, but lay close In
the swamps; and when 1t began to
grow dark, l stole out, like a wolf, and
Travelled across the fields, and along
the byways."
You had a good stomach to bear 1t,
sergeant"
"A good stomach enough, but not
much in 1t. I'll tell you another obser-
walton l made; when man travels all