The Newport miner. [volume] (Newport, Wash.) 1899-current, 1911-09-28
A Prophecy
BY CAROL IL PIERCE
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. ISL

burg, found himself a northern man
with southern interests Despite the
differences between him and his neigh
bors they didn't drive him oat. His
son. Zeke. who had lived in the south
longer than in the north. enlisted In
the Confederate army. and this dis
posed the southerners more than ever
TO let the father alone.
Enoch Armsby told his southern
friends that there were reasons why
the north would prevail.
Il guess be said. 'nothin' can
stand against the south for fightin'.
but it isn't 6ghtin' that's goin' TO win.
The northern people are full OF re-
sources When they come down here
you'll find that they will convert a fer
ryboat into man-of-war, build
bridges with cotton bales. and when
they capture one O. your railroads
they'll git out q time table and run
it nearer the schedule than you fellers
can do it in time OF peace"
Il reckon one southe.ner can whip
five Yankees" would be the reply.
''S'posin' they do. S'posin' they kill
three out O. the five Yankees and
make prisoners OF the other two. The
two they don't kill will invent some
way O gittin' out O. Jail and go on
fghtin'. They will be joined by three
more Yankees and be as strong as
ever. That'u go right on"
The Federal forces slowly made their
way down the river and In time the
great event OF the war in that region,
the siege Of Vicksburg. began. Zeke
Armsby participated in the fighting
that took place in the rear OF that city,
was captured and confined with a lot
of Confederate prisoners OF war in q
mandatory OF undertakers' supplies.
When the news reached his father the
neighbors said:
Mr. Armsby. reckon yer son II have
chance to show that Yankee ingenu-
ity yo' been braggin about now.
Reckon he'll find way TO gettin' out"
Il guess Zeke II git out Ii any one
can"
"How's he gofn' to do il? That fac
tory is on point O. land sdckin' out
into the river There's a high wall on
one side and water on the other. The
Yanks hain't such fools as to give
their prisoners boats, are theyY
Il guess not" the father admitted
We'll. we1l see what Yankee inge
nuity II do. There's several hundred
southerners in that building, and il one
northerner inVents a way to git out
Wen give up the point about the su-
periority of yo' people"
One morning one Of Mr.. Armsby's
neighbors stood on the bank looking
up the river. shading his eyes with his
hands Another person saw him, and,
having nothing to do, walked slowly
out to see what the first was looking
at Another and another joined the
party. and finally Armsby himself ap-
peared-
"Somep'n quaarT' asked one Of the
party
Powerful QUAR- I'd reckon it was
driftwood. only TO somep'n shinin' on
it. Thar-did 20 see the 6ash?'
Every one saw it and wondered The
driftwood or whatever it was came
rapidly nearer. for the current OF the
Mississippi is by no means slow. and
as the thing approached many were
the comments made upon it. Some
said it was log that had been
squared. some that it was an oblong
box, while others noticed that it was
smaller at each end than in the middle
AS it rolled something. either glass or
metal. occasionally caught the rays Of
the sun and sent out a fash
BY gum. it's a cofinp' exclaimed
one of the watchers.
"A coffin?" exclaimed the others.
What can a coffin be dom sailin'
downathe riverT
lit is a coffin. sho'."
While these remarks were being
made the coffin-for such it was-was
approaching the bank on which the
party was standing
There must be a co'pse In II" re-
That thing that reflects the light Is
the plate"
The coffin foated by. and as 1t did
SO the upper part OF the lid was lifted
Off by the said corpse, and pale face
rose and looked at the party with
frightening effect
BY jing. exclaimed Armsby. Its
my boy Zeke"
Reckon" said several others
Dad" cried the young man. come
out in a boat and git me. | haven't
got no oars"
Armsby ran downstream to where
a boat was tied. rowed out to the COT
fin and towed 1t ashore Then Eeke
told them that in the underta ker's sup
ply mandatory (his prisons he nao
discovered a pile Of collins He nao
launched himself in one Of them De-
fore daylight.
"Feller citizens" spoke up one or the
party, we'll neve' conque' SIGH people