Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1911-11-09
THE WISE
JUDGE
A Story of How President
Lincoln Rectified an
Injustice.
By JOHN JOYCE

nas aslecp Wouio De or on some adj
venture. There was a southern girl
south Of US. her home being most Of
the time within the southern lines,
who captivated my youthful fancy, and
1 was constantly absent without leave
| visiting her.
On one occasion would surely have
been captured by some Confederates
who called at the house had she not
put me upstairs In one Of the bedrooms.
There found some citizens clothing
and, putting it en-, went down and
mingled with the soldiers.
gained some very important infor-
nation from them about the enemy's
movements, for passed myself of for
redhot Confederate. They belonged
to Jubal Early's command and told mo
that they were the advance of his
force, intending to sweep around In
our rear
AS soon as they had gone l rodo
away to my general and told him what
l had heard. He sent out orders with
a view to defeat their purpose, then
said to me:
I've been wondering for some time
where could get q man like you. I
want some one for secret service work.
1 can get plenty OF hired spies, but I
dare not trust them. They will take
my money to bring me information
and take the ConfederateS money to
bring them information. But from
what you have told me you're just the
man for secret service work. Most
men have a dread of being caught In
citizens clothes, with the penalty OF
swinging. You don't seem to mind the
risk at all. Now. 1 wish you to go
down on our left and find out what
the enemy is about down there.
have reports that there Is no force In
that region at all. and 1 have reports
that the enemy is concentrating there.
Can't you go at oncer
Yes. general" said. shall re-
port your orders 70 my captainr
You were absent without leave on
this little expedition, weren't your
Eyes, general"
well, you can continue absent with
out leave. II you report TO your cap
tain the men will know that some
thing is up in your case and talk II
over / don't like any talk ut all about
secret service work. Besides, II YOU
do we'll / shall make q regular secret
service man Of you, attaching you to
these headquarters"
Won't my comrades think I have
deserted? I've always been in trou-
bic with my caiptain-my own fault,
OF course. because, being OF a rowing
disposition, I always objected to regu-
lar duties"
That's just what l wish them to
think Of you. 1t will keep them from
thinking anything else"
but, general. II 1 should come back
into our lines and not find you to
vouch for me-
''I'u tx that"
He sat at table and scratched or
On order attaching me to his headduar-
tiers and handed It to me.
There" he said, do what you like
with that. But don't get caught with
1t on you in the enemy's lines or It will
hang you"
l took the paper. put it IN the lining
OF my hat and, with a godspeed from
my commander. rode away into the
darkness.
The first thing for me to do was to
get citizens clothes. could do this
and see my girl again ct the same
time. So l rode straight to the house
where she lived with her mother, q
widow, and family Of younger chill
dren. ! awakened the household and
told the girl that / wanted the cloth
ing l had found upstairs and which
she had told me belonged to u brother
or her mothers who lived with them.
but who was now In General Jackson's
army. Both mother and daughter were
rebels and wouldn't have given me the
clothes had not told them a cock and
bull story about Confederates being
after me. As soon as was rigged out
as Virginia farmer leaving my horse
In their barn and my uniform In the
garrett Of the house, 1 marched away
on foot In southwesterly direction to-
ward the region was to look into.
had no sooner reached it tn
saw indications of an important move
on the part of the Confederates. The
location was swarming with troops
Ny object was to return at once and
report the fact to the general, but
there were several things about me to
lead them TO suspect me. l couldn't
talk like southerner, didn't look or
act like southerner and told contra
| dictory stories about my antecedents
Seeing that they were uncertain about
me, / told them that what / most
wished for was to light for Dixie, So
they enlisted me. and thought l was
all right. l was 90 fearful of being
accused of desertioH on nv return thar
I kept the generals order concealed
under the thin leather strip inside and
over the sole Of my boot, but as soon
as | was suspected l hid it under q
stone, marking the spot carefully.
found myself marching with the
very force 1 had come to spy upon
against the very general who had sent