Connecticut western news., 1909-12-30

sight of this the corporal shouted. ''Spies-traitors" ard danced about wildly.
 It was useless for us to try to ex- plain to the infuriated man, and, to tel! the truth. We were too badly frightened to give a good account of ourselves.
 I'm going to carry you to General' Beauregard's headquarters" the cor porul said. and you'll be shot as spies"
 We believed him. Ii was not, there fore, with. very good spirits that we started on our march to General Beau regards headquarters.
 We wished to throw our sacks away, bat our captors would not allow 1t, so we plodded along, our loads on our backs and the corporal constantly threatening to thrash us for our slow ness.
 We turned out of the turnpike into n crossroad. l ventured to ask how far General Beauregard's headquarters were and received cuff on the side of the head from the corporal. asked the other soldier if he would not carry my sack behind him on his horses back little way. I believe he would. have done so If the corporal had not forbidden it.
 Just as we reached the top of long. hill and was about to drop from fa- tigue l saw that we were near our journeys end. In front of Ills was n, large building which before the days of h,I inn Two guards slowly marched back and forth before the tumbledown steps that led to the porch, which extended across the front of the house and which was now crowded with sol diers, apparently couriers and order lies.
 As we reached the porch the soldiers began to rally the corporal upon his "baby prisoners" He made no reply, but stalked pompously through the open door after instructng his com ! panion to hold Us.
 This was useless instruction. We needed TO holding except as we were receiving from the floor of the porch, upon which we had fallen completely exhausted and where we remained un- ! til the corporal came out to summon us to the presence of General Beaure- 1 gard.
 Bring the sacks" yelled the corpo- raj as we started in without them.
 l am certain that no murdcrers ever went to receive sentence of death with weaker knees than we had as we were. pushed into the presence of General Beauregard.
 had my eyes shut, but opened them when heard low, kindly voice saying, Well, my boys. what Is the troubleT'
 I saw seated at little pine table n dapper little man in n gray uniform. with small mustache and imperial and kind looking brown eyes. He was smiling straight into my eyes, and be- fore l knew what I was doing | was smiling, too, and thinking that our lives were safe in the hands of a man who could smile like that.
 Behind the general several men were busily engaged in writing, and scat tered around the room were officers whom I took to be members of the staff
 Every one was smiling in the pleas antest way. In fact, the only i'll na- tured man in the room was the cor poral who had brought us in.
 Well, we'll" the general repeated, what Is the troubleY
 The corporal began to answer, but the general, said: Il have had your story. Now l want the boys side"
 Jack was much encouraged. He step ped forward and told straightfor- ward story of the way in which we had been arrested and of the cor poral's brutal treatment of Us.
 "Shamefulr' said the general as he looked at the corporal with angry eyes Then, turning to Jack again, he said kindly, Now tell me where you got the flag and other things"
 We got them from General Buffers abandoned camp on Shippen's farm" said Jack promptly.
 What! Are you telling the truthT excitedly asked the general as he jumped up and walked around to where we were standing. Al the same time the room was filled with the sound of rattling swords as the officers approached.
 Yes. sir, l am telling the truth" Jack answered proudly. looking the general straight in the eyes. Contln- uing, he told the whole story from be- ginning to end. not forgetting the din ner we had eaten in General Buffers kitchen tent.
 General Beuu"r%ard held Il whisper cd consultation with the officers pres ent, and they soon hurried out. Turn ing to the corporal, the general said 2 "In view of the important information these boys have given me l forgive your foolish arrest and brutal treat ment of them. You may go." The corporal went out, crestfallen. By this time 1t had grown quite dark, + and the military clerks were writing by the light of tallow candles. Gen. i eral Beauregard turned to o2e of them and gave instructions in n low tone.