Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1907-02-02
A MYSTERIOUS SCOUT.

One of the strangest characters that
met during the five years | fought under
;he Confederate flag was a person known
throughout the south as Tucker, the
Scout" My acquaintance with this sin
gular being began with terrible Incl
dent Soon after the fall of Vicksbrg
was in Canton awaiting orders from
Richmond.
One day / was sholling through the
military prison when / noticed Il young
man talking with Yankee Their CON
| versation became so animated as to at
tract our attention, and mine was es-
pecially drawn to this youth. He was
clad in a neat and beautiful suit of gray
cloth; he wore a fine black felt hat, in
which a single long black feather was
fastened in front by bright steel
| buckle.
He was small but compactly built, and
in every pose and movement as graceful
and rs bright as Apollo Altogether he
was one of the most strikingly hand
1
the first words I heard the boy speak.
and they were spoken clearly, incisively.
in a peculiar, ringing, silyery, bantering
tone:
"Oh. yes. OF course the Yanks and all
other men are brave enough when there
Is crowd of them together, but when it
comes to personal courage we southern
ers defy Gods earth to match us. Now,
don't doubt that you're pretty good
soldier for a Yankee, but you haven't
got true grit You can't sight down
the barrel of my revolver without
flinching, but southern gentlemen can
meet death, single handed, with a smile.
You can't face it even as a test. Try it,
if you dare!"
And with a light, hooking laugh he
extended his arm. The Yankee looked
startled for moment, but he shut one
eye and calmly looked down the barrel
of the pistol with the other.
You had better dodge!" said the
young man, with a tantalizing laugh. Il
am going to fire at the word three.
Dodge Dodge! 'One!' 'Two!'"
"'Three!'"
At the word, the long. delicate finger
pressed down upon the trigger, loud re-
port rang through the rooms. and the
poor Yankee dropped dead in his tracks
a bullet having crashed through the right
eye into his brain
A thrill of horror ran through every
one at the sight of this cowardly, cold.
| blooded, inhuman murder, while the
young man stood looking down upon his
victim, his beautiful face still wreathed
with that knocking, wicked smile. 1t was
only for an instant. | sprang forward
and seized his delicate throat with one
hand, and with the other clutched the
pistol. saying: Give it up, you muir
derer!"
He gave up the weapon at once. stand
ing passively. He gulped, as | haC
choked him pretty hard, and then said
with a beaming smile; Major, it is rath
er tough to choke man SO for mer,
accident like that"
Accident" | cried
Certainly" he said with his wicked
smile Every one saw that | was onl,
: Joking the Nank, ! hope no one doubt.
that the pistol was discharged by acct
; dent"
l was dumbfounded by his calm assur
ance | called the sergeant of the cuar5
a,J -o;1 80 = ''''i
''i' ..,,, st.n ana.
l"NG 'nis man INTO mt, custody.
! cnoIse nun WIN ,he WiIltul murder of {
! 'tlSon'r ana wan appear to testify t
: '"g pa SUM , "nr'TNe. desired to do So"
= pe. ..pl -, ,o'S , received request from
Gen; "ked Jackson to come round to hi,
''e az , uoI ,rls ,,l ne general said:
~, ! understand You We're present whel
4 u'Ee[ shot prisoner this evening.
: nn n,. ., informed also that You are Il law
n S'i 80, ,...,.
:, s"" '"'t MS information was cor
" ev e..
;. - was u. murder sand the general. De
o vs. :; ! N9o" IT, But the fact put.