Year: 1874

ing and planning. could see no prospect
of escape, and made up my mind that
was good for a "swing." The captain
might not return that day, but he surely
would the day after, and then should be
taken to camp, and court-martial would be
assembled for my benefit. While / was
pondering the case, the tailer entered,
walked up to the door, shook it, peepedlin
to get a good view Of me, and then went
off. In few minutes, as before, the boy
came along with my meal. Removing the
bar and unlocking the door, he adjusted
chain so that the door could be opened Just
wide enough to hand in the dish, and when
he had passed it through, he replaced the
bar and commenced walking up and down.
There was heavy case-knife and an iron
spoon in the dish, and he had no sooner
turned his back than seized the knife,
thrust it into the straw tick of the bed, and
sang out


"See here, boy, why didn't you bring
me knife? / am not used to eating like
dog"


"Thar's knife in the dish !" shouted
the boy, looking through the door.


I replied that he was mistaken, holding
up the dish so that he could see for him
self. He was quite sure for a time that he
had brought one, but at last doubted, and
went off and got another. He stood close
to the door during my meal, to be sure that
did not hide the knife, and went away





with growl that was source of much
trouble. Ten minutes after, sure that
none of the officials were about, began
my work. Finding where the corner of
stone projected out a trihe, beat the edge
of the knife upon it, until after an hours
work, had pretty good saw. The knife
was of ancient pattern, but all the better
on that account, as it was of true steel and
heavily made. Selecting bar of the door
just where it was the smallest, l began
saving away, wetting the spot with spittle
to lessen the noise.


Finding the saving created noise which
must be heard by the other prisoners l be-
gan singing Confederate camp song in
loud voice, and thus drowned the sharp
squeak of the knife as it cut into the bar
1t was slow work, but at noon l had one of
the bars ext so near through that could
easily wrench it off, Knowing that the
boy would bring in my dinner about
twelve o'clock, crumbled up bit of
bread, mixed in some dirt, and filed the
cut in the bar so deftly that only close ex-
animation could detect my work. Soon
after was ready, the boy came in with my
dish of food, and stood with his hands on
the bars while dined. Seeing that he
was suspicious, asked:


"Did the jailer tell you to stand there
and watch me, lest l should eat up the
dish?"


None O. yer bizness ~ replied the boy,
getting angry in an instant. "You are GO
ing to get yer neck stretched in day or
two, and ye needn't be finding fault with
me -


"Guess not, sonny" replied, eating
away. 81 guess our folks won't hang a
good rebel, who is going to join the army
as soon as he gets out of this"


"Wall, they win," he replied, "for
they've got the dead thing on ye to show
that ye are cussed spy from the Yankees
across the river"


saw that he had overheard some con-
versation between the jailer and the caval-
ry captain, and his confidence that would
be hung caused me to break off the con-
versation. He took the dish out, made the
door secure, and then was left alone. A
few minutes after, was at work on the
second bar, singing and whistling to drown
the noise of the knife. This bar was
somewhat softer, and ! got through it as
near as wished by the middle of the af-
ternoon. then hid the knife in the straw
bed again, filed up the cut in the bar, and
then nearly broke my neck in my efforts to
attain such views of the hall as would in
form me how must proceed after getting
out of my cell. The rear hall window had
a set of bars, but they were SO far apart
that believed l could squeeze through af-
ter saving one OFF.


There was nothing to do now but wait for
evening. knew that could escape from
my coll without much difficulty and be-
lieved that could get out Of the main hall
after two or three hours work. Stretching
out on the bed, ] fell asleep, and did not
wake until about sunset, when tho boy
brought in my supper. He had just gone
away when the iailer came, looked in to be
sure that was all right, took hasty