Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1913-06-11

was. He undoubtedly would be hang
I'd. ard be would like me to write let
/ ter TO his mother. saw this would
do more to break me down than bun
| tired guns. and | didn't wish 10 do IL.
but l couldn't refuse him. and. getting
the materials. | sat down by his bed.
and he began TO dictate. The very be
ginning caused me to waiver. Dearest
mother" spoken in a tremuious voice.
was ike sticking knife into my heart.
lie went on TO tell her that she must
hot grieve for him; that he died for
/ his country and had he got through
without being captured would have
| rendered IL "a great service. ! was weak
enough 20 regret that | had been the
cause of his capture. and when he
came to the last words Your loving
son who Is about TO die" burst into a
torrent OF tears and sprinkled them on
the paper.
This ended the fight for me. My
rout was complete. WIS ready to
turn traitor to my country by assisting
in the escape of one OF her enemies
who might cause the defeat--indeed. the
Slaughtered her sons. among whom
were my own brothers. To get him out
of the house during the day seemed
impossible. and by evening the mes
seuger might return with soldiers to
take him away. But | was now as
hot for the enemy as | had been
against him | looked out OF the win
dow. There was the man on guard.
sitting on a wood pile with q shotgun
between his knees. A wheatfield ex-
tended from a few yards Of the house
to wood an eighth of mile away.
In the interval there was not tree
or an obstruction OF any kind. The
wheat had been cut and was stacked
on the ground In sheaves Could any
thing be more hopeless for an escape7
But that power of duplicity. sym
patty. unreasoning antagonism to see
ing a fellow ereature-especiaily man
who has awakened the divine spark
of iove-suffer. had been aroused In
me. and | was as ready to do and dare
in my field as man In his. | must
act In broad day, dare not risk wait
Ing for night | looked at the sheaves
and the guard below. and an idea-no,
two ideas-came TO me like the dash
OF gun. SEEKING part OF the bed
covering. began to tear II into striss.
Are you strong enough" asked
the invader. ITO let yourself down from
the window by thisF"
Il am strong enough. sweetheart"
he said. his eountenance lighting with
hope and love. ito do anything you re-
quire."
Oh. that word sweetheart" II stung
me With ecstasy. when had made a
rope long enough TO reach nearly from
the window 10 the ground went down
stairs and. taking an empty bucket
and giving II TO Sam Warder. the
guard. who "a crown for my treachery)
had asked me TO be his wife. asked
him to go to the spring across the
road in front of the house and bring
me some watsr while guarded 1.-THE
detestnbIe Yankee in his place, and
sealed the iniquity by giving him a
Judas kiss.
His absence gave me just time
enough TO seize one Of the sheayes
and toss IL up TO the prisoner. whom
| called TO the window. He caught
II and took 1t In. Then | returned to
the room where he was and unbind-
ing the sheaf put IL about him and
tied it up again. Then l put one end
Of the rope OF bedciotbes into his
H. tag he AL IN m
leg of the bedstead. This all done.
told the spy to watch by the window
and II he saw me disappear. when he
heard me give a little shrek, to make
the descent and take position in the
field as a sheaf OF wheat.
Going downstairs again / began 10
talk to Sam warder about our affair.
putting up my lips near his to tempt
him. He begged for kiss. and after
teasing him awhile I told him that II
he would come around the corner Of
the house where there were no win
dows would give him one. After
a hesitating glance at the prisoners
window be consented-"only for a
minute"-and attempted to take the
kiss. ! gave little shrek. then Al
lowed him TO take me In his arms and
give me as many kisses as he liked
When he started TO 60 back to his
post looked at him reproachfuliy
and asked him II he was through 30
soon. This detained him for few
minutes longer. when. fearing that II
endeavored to keep him further be
might suspect my design. went back
with him to the rear OF the house
There was the wheatneld. lint l could
not detect the sheaf which contained
the man for whom had become q
| double traitor. While my heart was
beating wildly l ran upstairs.
The room was empty.
| danced for JOY. There would bs
no hanging. had undone what had
done for my country and deserved &c
be hanged instead OF the spy. But In