davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington herald., 1915-03-07

About thirty days before Grant
broke through Lees lines At PETERS
burg and the beginning Of the emu
came. Il portion of my regiment cap
tured seven Confederates and brought
them into camp. My own company was
q part of the Federal force. but as !
was on detached duty that week
was not with them. The first / knew
of the capture was when I heard the
story that had deserted to the Con-
fedcratcs and been recaptured and
would he shot visited company
headquarters to ascertain what the
talk meant. and there met with
strange reception. | was there, wear
ing 4 blue uniform. and yet ! was in
the guardhouse half mile away
wearing the buttcruut | had been
on duty at division Headquarters. and
yet ! had been captured on the ad-
vance lines. | was at once placed
under arrest. and IL was an hour or
more before the mystery was solved.
Then it was found that one of the
Confederate prisoners was my double.
As the case excited a good deal OF
comment at the time. | will give you
the full particulars
My double was a member or an
Alabama regiment. When placed side
by side we were twin brothers. Each
of us was twenty years old: each Ave
feet nNe inches high: each weighed
49, pounds. Our eyes and hair were
of the same color. Even our voices
were the same. except that he spoke
with more of a drawL The name of
the young man was John Wakefield.
and we were born a thousand miles
apart and were in no way related. We
were as much astonished as the Off
GERS and surgeons who were called in
to gaze at us. No twin brothers ever
bore 4 closer resemblance. and they
declared that even our gait was the
same.
had not yet recovered from my
surprise when the suggestion was
made that l go into the Confederate
camp as n spy on the strength of the
wonderful resemblance. was given
three days in which to pump Wake
field. He did not know my object. or
I should credit him with having told
me less. although he was tired of
the war and rather glad he had been
CAPTURED. ! first got his family history
The Washington herald., 1915-03-07

l".I t'u SurinG came Hmd Amen
SrrIn" cam" he h"-h. -
II Was portion of an essay h. had
written aud delivered as a schOolhoy.
The cat go; on T." it and howled. \
hoy ia = back ward got ON to il and
threw potat" against 'hc BOWSer
mansion with e h"art-tnr:liing smash
Mr.. HowS,.T minSrl! got on to IL and
threw vas" at the cat and made a
mighty Kick At :, chair and went down
viii. all his w.i=ht ON the floor.
Things we're StIIl rattliu% and Earring
when Mrs. BowSer started downstairs.
Sh" was just il Tim" 10 answer the
ring Of :, rolic.mau. who took of his
hat and said.
"Excus. me. ma'am. but heard n
great mOIs" aud thought The not wa
Ter boiler or tho gas meter had flown
up. I So" il Mas only Mir. Rowser praC-
ri"iuc with Italian clubs or something
Good uiuh'. ma'arI. I'll be in front il
YOU should find amy bones broken and
want a ductur.
BY thunG"r but cant = man-can't
Il man siammercd Mr. Rowscr as
he got to his feet.
NO. h" can't practice athletics and
jar the Who'll" of IN" sixteenth ward
You L" back up stairs. and when
! want Won viii Let you know"
She w"rf. and after rhre" or four
minutes III" orator ErOwled 10 hIm-
self.
IF am getting ~ofteuin= of TIE
hrair want T." know il here and row.
II | one" 1t tn" hang OF il that
speech viii unwind like u bah OF
Irvine. Her" goes.
MIR rhairmau: stand before YOU
as the r"prcScutaIiV" Of 10.oOO.000
electors. and am here :" a0Uud-to
sound l am here to tell thcm--tcll
thcnr--fcll--'
That YOU can't max" Il sp,c"h."
cam" Mrs. Bow Scr'S voice from ;hs
head of the stairs: ard tn" oraio- nut
on his OV"rCoat and hat and Went or
into the. ni.hi 10 d.ECpN or some an y
and give HIM a good licking To got
even
The Washington herald., 1915-03-07
MR.. BOWSER HITS 1T
Not the Point, However, But the Floor

Mr.. Bowser had been as good as pie
all the evening. but that he WAS also
nervous and restless had not escaped
Mrs. BowScr's attention. There were
several things h" could have picked
a row about. but didn't. The cook
burned the STEAK. but he never noticed
it; the gas hill had come i'll and lay
in plain sight, hut he did not PICK
il up: a caster had worked out of the
leg of a chair. but lie put il back
without word of comment on care
lesSness and destruction. Mrs. Bowser
couldn't help but know that some
thing was wrong. and finally queried:
Have YOU got one of your head
aches tonight"
Not the slightest headache" lie re
piled.
''Hut you don't feel exactly we'll"
Never felt better in my life
His goodness continued Till bed
time. and then he announced that he
would sit up an hour later to over
haul certain accounts. He assumed n
very innocent look over it. hut Mrs
Bows"r was not to he deceived. when
she reached the head of the stairs
sh" sat down /" Sc" what would hap
pcI,. For a few moments after her dis
appearance Mr. Bowser sat and CON
terminated the eat in an abscnt-miud
ed way. aud then he got up. peeled
off his coat and vest, and she hcarI
him SAY:
Nov. thea. /" tackle that speech.
I'm bound to make one or bust. The
idea that I've lived to my age with
ont making = political speech is all
blamed nonsense Her" goes am
brought out and introduced as tn"
Hon. Rows"r. bow: I am applauded
to the echo. | draw a long breath and
begin.
Fellow -citIzcus: As mon OF iutclI-
G"nCc. as patriots ANXIOUS for tn" wei
fare % our country We have assem-
hl"d her" this evening I" take "oun-
sci together. Long pause, TIL" Tu"s-
ton before ~ IL vital on. iI'auS"
and ,ouvhIul. with y meow from that
tins republic" hangs III tn" balance
IpauSCt. but | do say that that
Mr.. BoWS"r had got stuck. "" walk
cd to aud fro aud G"stur"i and mutt
tered. hur tn" words would not come.
The eat ht"au 10 howl. III sympathy
or fear. and Mrs. Row scr heard hIm
throw Iuc Il magHZIU" 1T her aud
threatening her life II wa$ tiN" min
ur.S before II" picked w TIA" thread
AGAIN. and his tones showed that n"
felt doubtful Of his hhilit! to carry
out the job in hand
Put | do "a! that II the majority
Of rhr electors Of this country maxi"
e mistake at tho polls III l"lf blood
she'd bankruptcy aud anarchy may
follow While "" differ III particulars.
W.. ar" agreed "I"n Whole. AMI thn'
whole. is is -ipaus"t that whole. TEL
Is-that IS-ihat is
II was another breakdown. y doc ia
a ueig hhoTS back yard hUwl"i DIS
lnaIly. The at under tn" piano ar"hcd
carpet and wondered why she had not
noted these signs of insanity before.
Mrs Bow ser could hear all the CuSS-
words and the heavy breathing. and
The Washington herald., 1915-03-07

finally So "uI on hIS memorable Voy .
age. VI" XIV" him credit a* Il dis
""vercr hut We fan to give him credit
1" xiv" hIm credit / say We fail to
giN"--N0u will agree with me that We
fail I" Civ" credit f"r-fOr--'
Mrs. BowS"r laughed till III" tears
came. II" had wandered oil on an old
speech h" had once delivered before
a gang of forty Italians. not one OF
whom could speak five words of Eng
hSh- He suddenly discovered that
at the wall and wondering il the bot
tom OF the river had fallen out. Even
the cat. who was not born until three
years after that Italian speech. recog-
uiZed the fact that he was work ing
old stock off on her. and she clawed
aud Spat and sent forth a wall of dis
pleasure.
By John. but III git tina, speech
R"wser ~ h" Went tramping around.
and after coupl" of minutes his
voice WAS heard again.
Let us see what Mr.. Wilson has
done: let us see what Mr.. Bryan has
done We must judge men 10y their
actions. There are. no doubt. citizens
before m" who argU" to themselves
who arEue-to-who argu" TO them
VIII =" on aud prosper and prosper.
II" matter who IL elected PRESIDENT
BuI let US-let US
The belt had slipped off tn" drive
wheel again. and Mr.. BOws"r Jumpr|
up and down III his madness. and the
cat rolled over and over. The time
and opportunity for making the
speech of his life we're AZ hand. hut
MIR Rowser couldn't make the old
thing go along without a wuhblr lie
finally got = happy Inspiration. He
had been too anxious. too nervous.
lie would simply open his mouth and
let the words pop out and arrange
themselves into shape. While shaking
with suppressed laughter and cling
ing to the banister to prevent falling
Mrs. BowSer heard him
Sa wing:
The Washington herald., 1915-03-07
THE VILLAGE POSTMASTER
He Always Hears the Latest News.

:. fine, O.. ,,,.,I
o." ','''' me merry
''' "n" Ii|" al" trouble. hut IT'S hIn
.-u.u' OF 30 IOur that I'm rrfGlu' used
., Io =, \. r,.,,,1.,, a.. ,.,,,.I.
''''' - ''' ""'
''''> N"f!'A morning. Peter Tones
'tli~ At 1h" po>ioIflcr ard leads me
....,,. .. ,.n,-,,cr and ,,g,,s,,.,...
luz 'N'' N"I "r" pos master of
mum. '.i ~ touch with tn" gov
''h''l'. My Itii@ r"'nlh' from YOU
ZOOS \"n hn"W what's on foot to
-".'Sn 'i'' ''l"d States al t" Splim-
80.
@" " never dream -. you'd
.'N', suspect II. only caught on
'N 'N' w'f"Sl ""'Id":i. COM" closer.
20" know what \h'i"r J"SlNu IS
-"lh i" q" u H." don't Kit nominated
hr ~" I"IiSihlur". w" got II as
'tal-ni IS - i"r-i""t pole. lies EOin'
/" h"'i. SIR @"lu over To the other
,':'''H ANA 'Hk" SIIhS comfort and Jo"
'''''4 I~"H win MN Yes. SIR. thar :
- pho, and plan. and You hin judge
"u't IN" results viii he Wen he
tx h"'N"" colder wedge. Move. sir
N'"N" without moments delay. Jest
81 rlSr' down and get letter off
j." M"Sh,nEt"n and tel Them what's
The Washington herald., 1915-03-07

touch with The government. ii
wouldn't take m" ten minutes to get u
dispatch /" WASHINGTON. They ought
to l." notified At once. 1t ought to he
put to them mighty strong. Tell them
It ~ a cas-" of fix things with Moses
and | guess they had better send fur
him aud hey " long talk and try and
cotN him around. po it. Jubc-do il
right away. and If YOU want to men
iI"u me in your letter hey no OBJ
je"riOus. though YOU know that ! am
mau who never wants to push him
self forward"
Wednesday KIN aIlus look for
Jacob Warner. Jacob had a brother
ScIlped 10y Indians in 1861. and he
wrote Il letter to Gen. Grant in 1872.
and he's accounted :: purity big man
about roduuk. He's allus bin wantin'
To run for supervisor. hut has some
how allus got left. He's still wantin'
and comes in on Wednesdays and
hangs around fur a spell and then
:Jubc. I've known YOU goin' on
iwcnfy-cight years. ANA I'm the last
one to take the bread out of your
mouth"
Anything up | asks.
Thar is. sir. and don't YOU forcit
it. Yes. sir. thars sumthin up. and
soon I'll talk to YOU as l would TO
no other man in rOdunk. because |
feel as if ! kin trust you. Jube, do
YOU know that thar is one man in
inns low VI tIld' 'stll buSl tue Iolt
United States higher than KiIderoys
kite just making one speech
NO. is il possible" says I.
IT'S Just this way" he says. as he
drops his voice TO a whisper. You
write to Washington and tell them
thar's danger ahead, and the awful
est kind of danger. Tell them that
thar's a man in rodunk who has
worked fur the party night and day
fur the last twenty years. and has
got no thanks fur il. That man has
contributed every liberty pole for the
last ten years. He's argued and 1awcu
and fit fur the party. He's even cailed
his own brother Il liar fur sayin' that
taxes was too high. lube. such faith
fulnesS deserves n reward-virtue is
Goin' 10 triumph, as usual, but if
not
Don't get excited. Jacob
I'm not Eittin' excited. lube. hut II
you and the rest of the government
wants TO avert cataStrophN. you'll
get your heads together mighty quick
and see that the right thing is done
It's fur you 10 wreStle and then give
them your advice. ! haven't mentioned
any names. sir. not a name but YOU
know the man. and know what he can
do when driven to the wall That's ali,
sir. I'm lcavin' it all in your hands"
The Washington herald., 1915-03-07

or wrote out. In reply gave tho
| christian name of father. mother md
sister. as well as Il number OF uurl,S
lunts and cousins. gave the names
| Oi 4 number OF streets in NuutgUu"rv.
Ma. IN" names Of many families. the
| situation of the State House. Exchange
Hotel. police station. "tc. told the
part taken by my regiment in various
battles and skirmiShes. ard related a
funny incident connected with my en-
listm"nt. which capt. Thorn clearly
rene ~ bered
had pumped John Wakefield so
: Thoroughly. and 80 plainly remrmhrr-
ed everything. that | believe pa ss.d
the examination fully as well or better
than he could. The general was salts
fed and yet unsatisiied. He ackuowI-
edged that my &:!:- =" ard comrades
ought I" know me after being to-
r"th"r for year. hut added that
Their" was no great hurry to dispose
Of the case. and sent me to the guard
house VI the end Of two days
WIS escorted back 10 his headquarters.
and h" played his last card. In his
tent was a soldier dressed in Fed
eral uniform. whom I took To be
dcSert"r. There were also two men
dressed as civilians. hut believe they
were Confederate soldiers tempOrarilv
disguised. The general had two letters
and u telegram hefor" him. and as 7
stood ~ attention he looked up and
said:
We'll. my Yankee lad. You are
pretty sharp and have stuck 10y your
= ~
clean breast of il now. You SEQ this
desertcr from your IincS--thcsc CIti-
ZenS from MontgOmcry-theS written
proofs that you are not John Wake
field
who do you want me to be-"
asked.
Il want your right name and the
story OF how you got into our lines.
You are spy. and hanging is the
penalty. but. owing to your youth.
We may decide to treat YOU
prisoner of war.
! declared that was John Wake
field. asked him to remember that all
my company had fully Identified me
and expressed my Willingness TO facN
any new proofs he might have to
the contrary. Tie leaned back in his
chair and lookr. me straight In the
eyes for a moment and I knew he
was a beaten EIaa. lie did not call
they had been "pS-pared' for the Oc-
caston. and could not have helped him
out. After what seemed fully ten min
utes to me he quic;ly said:
Well perhaps mistake has been
made. You can ~s.urn TO your regi-
ment."
My two arraig 1mcnts before Gen.
Malone made me an object of curios-.
ity and gossip in my company. and
when I returned il wsS TO find all the
men anxious to quiz NE. and two or
three of them seemingly suspicious.
The captain called me into his tent
and questioned and cross questioned
4 fool could have taken me for any
one else. put the mer OFF by pre-
tending to ID" angry, and three nights
later. we held breastwork at'the
front. I slipped away in the darkness
and re-entcrcd the Federal Inca
The Washington herald., 1915-03-07
A SOLDIERS DOUBLE

complete. Then the town from which
ne nailed, the names of many people
and the S!ir"tI4n Of streets and pub
lie buildings. Then the names Of his
officers ana comrades and incidents of
campaigning. Having nothing else to
uo. and my aim being to acquire in
formation. | got from him almost
every incident of his life in those
three days and nights. AS my life
would depend upon my being thor
oughly posted. we canNassed the most
trivial incidents of his lif. at homo
and rs soldier. lie was a ready
talker and had good memory and
of course. these things helped me out
wonderfully. When l was quite ready
took his suit of clothes complete
and he was given another. Then I
was taken down to the front and
one of the Confederate prisoners es-
capped and dashed across the space
which separated the opposing lines
Not half dozen men were let into
the secret and as | ran | was frrd
upon .by half a rsG.menr.
| ran at fun speed straight for the
Confederate lines. and on dashng over
a breastwork found myself in the
fantry. y colonel questioned me as to
my name. regiment. when captured.
etc. and | answered so promptly that
| supposed everything all right. II
wasn't. however. Federal spies had
played the game before. and Confed-
crate wit had become sharpened.
was sent 10 inc headquarters OF zen.
Malone. who was subsequently cele-
brated in Virginia and national poll
tics. He asked me the same questions
which the colonel had put to me and
many others in addition. I saw that
he was suspicious, and. Drawing all
at one stroke. ! requested that my
captain be sent for. The Alabama regi-
ment to which ] was supposed TO be-
long was stationed two miles away.
and il was about o'clock before the
captain arrived. Previous to his ap-
pearance | had been asked his name.
which ! gave correctly. and had also
described his person. When he reach
ed Headquarters | was sent for, and
as ] stood before him and two or
three headquarter officers Gen. Ma
hone asked:
Capt. Thorn. this man claims TO be
long to your company. Is he men,
Der or not"
Yes. sir" was the prompt reply.
whats his name:'
The Washington herald., 1915-03-07
JULIUS CAESAR
How the Hopeuille Debating Society Played Him

brokers'. but he actually went hungry
for three days while huntin up TIL. loser
Struck by such ah display Of unscliSh
, honesty. the owner presented him with
81. tOon him under his wing. and in tI.r.'
mad" him king.
: That's another tally fur the aflir;na-
tive said the Deacon. and ! guess
Iii give Aaron the same number 81
pints as the rest. Nlvin Bidwell. If IL"
negative side. is hitchin' around in an
anxious way. and well hear what his
got to say in favor Of honesty"
'FOllcr IN" back to the days OF julius
Caesar" began Alvin in his raInhiu'
voice. but thar was wells and wh"Ups
and protests from Ebenezer. Jonas and
Aaron.
IT'S a curious coincidence. I'll admit
said the Deacon when he could be heard.
hut | don't soc how We kin help but fol
Ter NlNin back ii he insists upon, H.
hadn't You lief be fullered back to tE..
Garden Of Eden or to Dan'l in the lions
dem
Alvin struck for Julius Caesar and
went ahead. He found Julius poor and
discouraged and living on turnips, and
n" related how the young man sat down
and thought il all over and then decided
|" steal Il hog. lie stole one. sold HIM
Tor &. doubled his money on a boss ra,'.
and finally mad" plt"" and nam" for
himself. Had h.. continued to he honest
he would hav" starved to death ami
been buried II thu expense of tn" town.
His dishonesty enabled him to b"cOm.
XIII and +" ii" @""I t" millions. =,
r, tn, 'HlN' ar, ar" even :" fur" said tn
now hear from i'h.lctus Johnson ON the
affirmative" side
''FuIier M" beck to the days ~ Julius
Caesar" h-gan rhIl"tuS, as hr NJ.
minutes t"i"r" "r'l..r was restored. and
durin thar tim" everybody got hi hr.,d
punched at lest one" Iud his coat torn
mr IN" back. T.; and Icy Deacon Sio"n"r
Sai d:
The Washington herald., 1915-03-07

Next day | count on Fhiletus Blue
fields show in up. PhiletuS had great
grandfather killed in Havana by the
fall of = hogShead of sugar. and since
he's become of age. he's been pressin'
claim fur sl0.OUO damages. He's got
up about twenty different sorts of pa
perS and had them signed by the peo-
pie of Iodunk. hut he's Eettin' dis
Couragcd about the money. He comes
III once week to say TO me:
Look here. Jube, is thar any room
TO doubt that had father
Not a mite says l.
Then | must of had a grandfather
and great grandfather:
Fur sure"
Then what's all this delay about"
haven't asked nobody to take my
word for it. hut I've made out papers
and Swore To them. I've SwOre to
grandfather. to Havana. and TO
hogshead Of sugar three times over.
hut the government keeps hangin' off
about my claim. lube. I'm a*kin, you.
as postmaster Of this town. ii you
think ia swear to lie
NO. PhilrtuS. ! DON'T
Then why don't git it" What
The Washington herald., 1915-03-07

ih:,i Sh" wanted to show us that ""
dldn I run this town. The editor aud
proprietor of tn" Kicker JWho is our
$"lD. tn" mayor a.: this town ,who
- "hr>e!fb. tn" postmaster Iwho Is
"ilr>"ii'. and th" state senator from
inns district dwh" is also ourSelD can
t." socially Snuhh"d, but il always re
suits badly for The snubhrr. In this
case the party Was Il failure. because
"" ~"r" not there to steer things.
.tuI two days ago the captain left
"a" SAIL Lake city in charge of an
officer. bcCauS" We gave him away as
q fugitive from justice. We are the
social head Of IiiVradam IiulCh. We
have come to stay. and the party who
~uuhS ~ or attempts to pull us Off
tn" perch will feel 4 tipping up of
''" earth two or three days after.
"" say this in no spirit of revenge.
'ui that our society readers may
make no MISTAKES calculated to bring
sorrow INTO tho family. We sometimes
remain away from 81 high tea be
cause our white shirt is over at Pine
I'M "r Lone Jack. hut when a lady
sets out to deliberately knock our
chm of with a cold, cruel snub the
case - different.
The Washington herald., 1915-03-07
John Wakefield. sir"
"Mhen WIS he cnnfured ~

'I"n WIS ne Clptured-
-Four days ago, along with several
other men"
Are YOU positive that this is your
man
certain. sir. | knew him before he
enlisted. and he mas been in my COM
pany for a year"
That settled il. There were about
forty men in Company l.. They all
gathered around pc as ! appeared and
gave me welcome. and young man
named David Ganny, who had been
Waketield'S terminate. put his arms
around me and shed tears in his glad
ness of my return. You may say it
was 4 wonderful thing that | could
plCiCn. but | am only telling you what
was known to Gen. Grant himself. Ny
orders We're t" ascertain Lees
strength on a line about four miles
long. How was to accomplish this
after entering the Confederate lines
was left for me to decide. Wakefield
told m" hat he had cousin in the
seventh Nirginia-a young soldier
named John Winslow. He had visited
him whenever opportunity offered. and
this was 4 good excuse for IN" to get
out of camp. | got permission of my
captain 10 90. and in hunting up the
Seventh Virginia I took care to miss
ii and cover the whole front and have
u look at guns and Notifications. |
ing was far from cordial The TWO
had evidently quarreled about some
thing on which ] was not posted. lie
was so suiky and unfriendly that !
WAS about to cut my visit short when
he gave me searching look and cN-
claimed:
WHY. you are not John Wakefield
at ALL
Then who am l." I asked with
laugh.
Il don't know. but you are certain
ly not my cousin John. You look like
him. but you are not he.
1t was queer that he alone should
have suspected me. but something in
my speech. walk or look warned him
that ] was a counterfeit. ] laughed
ut him in q good atured way. hoped
| would find him in better humor
when | called again. and started for
my regiment; but I had not gone
quarter of a mile when I was over
taken and put under arrest. and an
hour later was once more in the pres
ence OF Gen. Malone. | was followed
to his tent by WinslOw. who boldly
that ! was not John
Wakefield. Then all the officers and
half a dozen men of the company. in
my terminate. we're sent for.
and the general heartily entered upon
the work of trapping me.
My life was the stake being played
for. and. though | was terribly anN-
ious as to the outcome. as you may
believe. think I displayed all the
friend could have hoped Sor. Every
officer and every man promptly identi-
fed me as John Wakefield but to on
set this Winslow said that his cousin
had "A scar on the neck. which could
not he found on me. and then my cap
tain was requested TO ask me certain
questions which the general suggested
The Washington herald., 1915-03-07

Lust week Alderman FRANC went
over to Devils Elbow TO visit his
mother. and had h.su in town only
two days when he got into row
with "a resident and started to pull
= KUN H., hadn't got his hand be
uui him y hen d" received = bullet
in ms hIp. and there is no hope of
his bcru- anl" =" come home for
weeks yet. 90 all the men We know
Nld.rmau I'rIuC ~ the sl"w"st on
the draw "" warned him before h"
went away to depend on club. or
to n'f IN" other fellow on the nos"
With ms hat. but lie waved our well
meant advice aside. and things hap
u..u,d just IS We predicted. We hop"
Inc ll,cI,icui viii be 4 lesson to Ice
needed \ man who cant get a gun
"ur Of his pocket in less than tw"
minutes after j." has made up his
mind % shoot has no business 10
carry one Even an old blind mule
would have lots OF time TO kick him
20 death.
The Washington herald., 1915-03-07

she wondered if Mr.. Bowser woul,i
knock the face Off the new everyday
clock before he got through with it,
He walked about for awhile and then
his mind seemed to suddenly grasp
the missing link.
with u determination mistaken by
prophecies Of evil. with a heart UNI
ia united 10y danger with his trust i'm
u being higher than man. columbus