Year: 1873


country along the road and so l remarked
to the corporal


"I did intend to go up the road few
miles, but it is so dark and the mud is SO
bad, that l would stop here if could get
quarters"


"You can stay just as we'll as not" he
replied. "Our captain went off to-day to
be gone all night, and you can take his
quarters and welcome"


l had got well out Of the town, and would
probably hear no more of pursuit, so de-
cided TO accept the kind offer. / was led
back some twenty rods from the road to
where an infantry brigade was stationed,
and directed to a shanty as the one was
to occupy. There was nobody sat home"
except the captains negro servant, and he
seemed glad of my company. The corporal
remarked that he would send the lieuten-
ants in to see me, but told him that was
very tired, and preferred to turn right in
especially as had to be on the road early
in the morning. He told the negro to fix
up the bed, to prepare me good breakfast,
and then bade me goodnight.


did not much fear being disturbed, as
it was too nasty night for officers to care
about making calls, and SO sat awhile
before the fireplace conversing with the
negro. noticed from the first that his
face wore joyful grin, and that he kept
chuckling to himself, as if having some
news. Just as had left ordinary topics of
conversation and commenced to ask him
something about the troops his grin in
creased until his mouth seemed foot long,
his eyes rolled this way and that, and
directly he uttered long but not bolster
Gus laugh.


" You seem very much pleased, Joe," l
remarked, amazed at his singular con-
duct.


"Pleased ~ he calculated "dat word
don't begin ter 'spress my feelin's p Get
ting up he came close over to me, lowered
his voice to a whisper, and continued,
How IL you, Captin Jack ?-haw haw
haw ~


If an earthquake had tossed me up, l
could not have been more astonished. l
suppose he saw blank amazement in my
face for he laid his hand ON my shoulder
and went on


" ] knew ye jess as soon as seed yer
face in the door but don't ye fear; old
Joe won't tell no stories on ye. Don't ye
member OBJ seein' me the time ye catched
thaS feller at Martinsburg? Warn't I the
niger wot found ye in barn, and brought
ye hoe cake and bacon ?"


remembered him before he had ceased
speaking, and Inever felt so much like
shaking hands with man all night long
as I did then. He had at one time rem
dered me most valua BILE service, aud was
just the man wanted to render me
another. 1t took him some time to get
over his excitement, but when that had
subsidized we blew out the light, partially
covered the fire, and had =" tall1'' which
lasted until near midnight. He had been
with the captain for nearly year, was keen
and intelligent, and he was able to tell me
many things which l was desirous of ascer-
tanning. He had not been up as far as Old
Tavern for several months, but he knew
the name of every regiment within five
miles Of us, could closely estimate the
artillery, knew all about the defences, and
could rely on him as truly as il he had
been Union officer.


He had Heard something that day about
a Union spy being seen in Stevensburg,
and warned me that l had better be moving
early, as some of the officers in the camp
might ask me troublesome questions. He
thought the report had reached no further
than this camp, and that i would not be
suspected after getting beyond it. He
stated that new troops had lately camped
above, and that he had heard some of the
officers say that the Union forces would try
to advance by this road. In fact when /
turned in, was almost as well posted as if
] had been over the road. fell asleep
without a thought that he might betray
me. had given him trial once upon a
time, severer one than this, and found
him true as steel.


1t was raining when fell asleep, and 1t
was still raining when Joe woke me up,
just as daylight was breaking. He had
breakfast all prepared, my clothing cleared
of mud, and was anxious as to my route.
While / was eating, he gave me the name
of Union man living about six miles up
the road, and advised me to call there, he
being sure that no camps had been estab-
lished nearer than a mile from the house.
Just as it was fairly day, feeling equal to