The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-03-09

istep By step. were turning again and
lagain 10 rend and STAY.
But there was one oomfort:-It was
Isoon over; an at tea w1Ite honest si3
1.-THE rnarauders were preparing TO
lmount their horses. and depart with
their plumber, when Abe saw BLUE
Gum joe" a negro about twenty
Iyears OF age. approach one of the
lhorsemen. look all around carefully,
Isay a few words ia a low tone. and
lpoint 10 the thicket where Rock. the
black horse, was concealed. Two men
tput off. and in a few minutes returned,
Heading their prize; Blue Gum Joe"
was mounted on Rock with a halter,
land went of in triumph with the Yam
Ekees.
Those who were left on the place
Esaid afterwards that Abe's wrath was
something terrible 10 See He stormed
land ragged, foamed az the mouth, and
his eyes loo 1cd fni~ful. staring and tac
Iblood-shot. When Major White VEN
ttured back a few hours later, Abe was
lsitting on the steps Of the smokehouse
lin a brown study; and when his mas
tier came out on the piazza he arose,
land approached him. "Marse Mai"
lhe said, 81 don't want you to De sur
lprised and hurt. but I'm going 10 DE
Yankees" Why, Abe, | am both
surprised and hurt; l did not expect
you to desert mc-and, besides. if you
Igo you ir- 4 iann"' fool.
."Marse Mai" don't you mistrust ne;
I'm going, but I'm coming back, IND
Inn going to bring old Rock back, n
,~a ~~n4ht~~ AtcA Won watch
Ime."
Major White then set to work seri-
Iously to argue the negro out Of his
Ifoolhardy idea, showing the danger and
Iimpracticability of it; but Abe's head
WAS set on his plan, and shortly after
wards. with a small bundle tied 10 a
stick over his shoulder, he passed our
of the stable gate, and took the road
Iby which the Federal troops had gone.
The third day after Abe's departure
MAJOR Whi.e Ii ,bkled ult on the piak-
"a to smoke his pipe; and in a little
while. glancing up the road, he saw
1.-TWO horsemen advancing. AS they
might be Union cavalry, bent on mis-
chief, he retreated into the house,
land reconnoitered through a knot
hole of espial to see if it meant run or
|stay. To his great surprise, he soon
recognized the half-trot, half-pace, of
his black horse Rock. and, looking
more closely, he saw that Abe was
riding him. Much interested, Major
White returned to the piazza; and. as
1.-THE riders came nearer, he saw that
THE other ma was mouEted on < stout,
housekeeping bay horse-and it was
|"Blue Gum joe" There was a rope
around his neck, the end being in
lAbe's left hand, and Abe's right hand
lpOinted a revolver at JOseph'S wOOlly
head.
This strange cavalcade-Abe's face
las set and stern as the stone Of Pom
Ipe's statue passed alonS III abso nte
Isilence. went around the barn, made
way with difficulty through the briers
: land over the fallen trees, approached
1.-THE fateful thicket which had beer
Rocks haven-and then, in a minute
Tor two from cut its oep rs vera soun1:
las of beating a carpet or threshlns
wheat, and yells and shrieks and cries
flor mercy, with the carpet beaten al
Ito frazzles. Abe was giving Blue Gun
lJoe," the al Gr.est failing that {
NEGRO ever did get, right there on ,h'
lscene Of his theft.
In a little while Joe came, leading
the bay horse up to the stable, groom
| ling and rubbing sundry parts of hi!
I%belabored person, and after him cam
Abe with the black horse. Unstrap
ping from Rocks back a huge bag, b.
. turned the horse into the stall, and
? as solemn as an owl, but with some
1 thing of a twinkle in his eyes notwith
standing, he approached his master
y. standing in mute astonlshment at IN
: head of the steps. "Marse Mai" h
I said; 81 told you lot to mistrust me
for l was coming back, n I'm here
you've go. Rock back. and you've so
. "a good bay horse besides; and here
. !enough provisions in this bag TO last
}, week or two, and | tell you vlctual
, lare mighty scarce on this plantation
Isince the Yankees passed by" Tn
lbag contained three large hams an
goods. Abe had invaded the enemy
f camp, spoiled the Egyptians" the
E"folded hi, tens and silently st )ie
s laway.".
d Major White got the story by piece
q meal out of the two negroes but ina
S Iof Blue Gum Joe was most dramatic
d ABE appeared as a fugitive slave lat
l. at night in the Yankee camp, wher
q 1.-THE army made its first halt afte
= leaving Fayetteville. and Joe wa
> badly scared, for Abe was the terro
|of his life; but the latter shook h
;. hands with MIN SO heartily, was S
O polite all around, and o o so We
4 with the soldiers of the Federal arm
THAT he was treasured. About an hot
- before day Joe was awakened, whel
Y he lay asleep under the outside fly {
n ia commissary tent, by a grasp OF h
- shoulder, ~ :. Gear had e.: hln
r. starting up, he saw Abe with a pist'
- lat his head, and just then a rope w
- thrown about his neck.
At the point Of the revolver, Al
lcompelled him to creep on his kne'
~ Ito the end of the line of wagons, III
" hitch Rock and the bay horse ne!
Ito him, and lead them out OF the cam
:, whence they mounted and rode ave-
iS La ,afo&- what TINA and hn