Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-02-23


went down to Camden three days ago
Who saw the vidette besides yourself?'
"The whole detachment" replied TIT
lieutenant I'VE talked to the man ant
had the story from him-and a quee
fellow he was-a good stout chap tina
liked to have been caught by pair o.
reconnoitring Wings, few miles bacl
between this and Pacolet; they pushed
him up to the saddlefaps. But yol
must have seen him yourself, Captain
Habershaw; for he told us that yot
were on the road.
From towards Pacolet!" exclaimed
the captain with surprise. I'VE saw
nobody on that road. When did the
man arrive?"
"Abuot an hour before you. He came
at full speed, with his horse--a grea'
black, snorting beast seventeen hands
high at least-all in a foam. He was
first for passing by without stopping
but we challenged him and brought
him short upon his launches, and ther
|
mustn't be delayed" ...
What kind of a looking man was
he?" inquired Habershaw.
"A jolly fellow" replied the lieuten-
ant; almost as big as his horse A
good, civil fellow, too, that swigs wei
at q canteen. He made joke Of the
matter about your coming up, and call
ed you old Cat-o'-nine tails-said thai
you were the cat, and your nine tag
rags were the tails-ha ha, hal"
Blast the BASTARD" exclaimed Ha-
bershaw: "who could he be?"
why we asked that, but he roared
out with a great haw-haw-took an
other drink, and said he was never
christened."
You should, as a good soldier" said
Habershaw, have made him give you
his name"
Il tried him again, and he would
only let us have a nickname; he told
us then that he was CALLED Jack-o'-
Lantern, and had a special good stom-
ach. and that II we wanted more OF
him we must give him a snatch OF
something to eat. Well, we did so
After that, he said he must have our
landlords sword. for his own had been
torn from him by the Whig troopers
that pushed him so hard, and that the
bill for 1t must be sent to Cruger. So
he got the old cheese-knife that used
to hang over the fireplace and strung
1t across his shoulder. He laughed SO
hard, and seemed so good-natured, that
there was no doing anything with him
At last he mounted his horse again
just stopped down and whispered in my
ear at parting that he was an old
friend Of yours, and that you could tell
us all the news, and away he went. like
mad bully, clinking it over the hills
at twenty miles to the hour"
"A black horse did you say?" inquir-
ed Habershaw. Had he a white star
in the forehead, and the two hind legs
white below the knee?"
Exactly" said the lieutenant and
several others of the party.
ut was Horse Shoe Robinson!" ex-
claimed Habershaw. 'by all the black
devils!"'
Horse Shoe. Horse Shoe. to be
sure!" responded half a dozen voices
He was a famous good rider. Horse
Shoe or anybody else" said the lieu
tenant.
THAT beats ALL" said one of the
troopers: 'the cunning old fox! He
told the truth when he said you would
tell the news, captain; but to think OF
his lies getting him past the guard
with a sword and a bellyfull into the
bargain!"
"Why didn't you report instantly up
on our ARRIVAL" asked Habershaw.
"Bless you" replied the lieutenant,
Il never suspicioned him more than
did you. The fellow laughed so ma
turally that would never have thought
him a runaway"
There 1t is." said Habershaw;
that's the want Of discipline. The
service will never thrive till these log
gerheads are taught the rules Of war"
Butler had heard enough to satisfy
him on one material point, namely
that Robinson had secured his escape,
and was in condition to take whatever
advantage of circumstances the times
might afford him. 1t was a conso-
lation to him also to know that the SER
geant had taken this route, as 1t
brought him nearer to the scene In
which the major himself was likely to
mingle With this dawn of comfort
Frightening up his doubts, he address
ed himself more composedly to sleep.
and before daylight, the sounds Of riot
having sunk into a lower and more
drowsy tone he succeeded I'm winning a
temporary oblivion from his cares.