Madera Union High School - Blue and White Yearbook (Madera, CA)

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be done and, as it was already dark. he might as well avail himself of the opportunity to get some sleep. So he lay down on the ground, for there was neither bed nor floor in the room, and tried to forget his troubles in rest. But he could not! Foolish idea for escape kept crowding into hi. head and he moved restlessly. Suddenly, the dirt beneath him fell in and, jumping up, he began to dig rapidly, for he had heard of under- ground tunnels and this mieht be one. Sure enough, it was a tunnel. The Boy stood up, his eyes shining—for surely he would be able to escape now! Lying flat on the ground, he began to wiggle along through the hole. It was barely large enough and the air almost stifled him. But still he kept on. Farther and farther he went and then—a glim- mer of light ahead! Slowly, fearfully, he poked his head out of the hole and glanced around. All was quiet! Quickly he dragged him- self out and looked around. He could see no one; but hark a footstep! Nearer and nearer it came and soon the Boy could discern the form of a soldier in the Federal uni- His heart almost stopped beating and he lay flat on the ground. The soldier was almost there, a moment more and he would be discovered. But no! the fellow passed on, so near the Boy could easily have reached out and touched him. At last—he was gone! Fainter and fainter grew the footsteps, finally dying away in the distance. The Boy heaved a great sigh of relief. Jumping up, he crept on all fours to some nearby horses, took hold of one and carefully led it to the open road. There he mounted and rode for dear life. Faster and fast- er he went. for it was only forty miles to Lee’s camp. But what was that sound? Louder and louder it grew the sound of a horse’s hoof! His escape had been discov- ered and he was being pursued! He leaned far over his horse and whispered to her, “Go it, girlie, go it! They'll form. 4a suah kill us if they get us. On and on he went but h is pursuers sounds were ever erowing louder. Looking back, he could see the faint fieure coming up the dark, lonely road. He spurred his horse, he must escape, he must, he must! Then he saw the Federal draw out a gum and “Bang! The Boy felt a sting go through his shoulder! “Bang!” Another went through his side! A strange warmth seemed to spread over his body. He drew out his revolver, his pur- suer was now almost upon him, and, with a desperate ef- fort, he took aim and fired. His mark went home! The man fell from his saddle—dead ! The Boy spurred his horse, he must go faster, he must vet his message to Lee! On and on he went, only thirty miles more. How weak he felt! He could hardly sit up. But only twenty miles more now. What made his saddle feel so wet and slippery? He put his hand on it, then quickly drew it back, red with blood in the waning light of the moon. It was almost morning but only five miles more! At last! Before him lay the Rebel camp. “Fastah! Oh fastah! my Beauty!” he whispered to the horse for he felt so faint and weak. Everything seemed to be going around. He could not even sit up, it seemed as though he were going to fall-off his horse. last, and surely, ves, that was Lee. Ah! he was there at i icure that he could distinguish any- that tall commanding where. He ureed his horse on through — the soldiers, who gazed at him as a specter from the eraye. and, reaching Lee, he tried to give him the message. But he could not speak. What was the matter? His voice seemed faint and far- away as he gasped, “The Feds—are go—ing to take Charleston—on the—fifteenth !” He made one last effort

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A mere lad Lieutenant rants head- he reached the outermost line of pickets. came forward and the Boy stated that he was Camp of the United States Army bound for G quarters with a very important message. The picket nod- ded acquiescence and the boy went on, passing the vest of the guards with the same results, and wa himself on his success when he came his cousin! There had been an old feud between himself cousin which had been greatly intensified when joined the Southern, or Rebel eee as his cousin, by name, contemptuously called i Yankee. The Boy was undecided as to what to do for, ane would betray him, he had no doubt. Brown, eoing up to the Boy with an insolent leer said, “Well, what’re vou doing here? Ain’t the Rebs good enough for you any more or are vou turning bat, eh 2?” The Bov’s eves flashed as he answered with his soft Southern drawl. “Ah bee youah pahdon Ah don’t Inow vou and Ah don’t want to! me to pass foah Ah must be on mah wav at once.” Brown grinned, “Oh! so that’s the game is it? Well, we'll see! Hey. corporal,” he called to a passing officer, “This feller’s a spy.” The Bov no good is congratulating face to faee with— his Boy and the Brow uv , for Brown was a stanch that his . suh, but Allow {t would do for some of the soldiers were he must bluff it, if possible. So he turned to the corporal. who had leaped forward at Brown’s words and had grasped ee sad if rein of the Bovy’s horse, and said, “ This officah has evidently mistaken me foah someone Ah’m Lieutenant Camp of the United States Ahmy and am bound fouh General Grant’s head- quarters with a very important message. Ah’ve mah pa- pahs in mah pocket, suh !” hesitated and elanced around. to trv and escane now. already drawing near. No else. “ters a liar! dirty, lying Reb!” It was too much for the Boy. Leaping down from his saddle, his eyes flashing, he sprang at his cousin and dealt lim a blow on the jaw that knocked him flat. hen, turn- ing to the corporal, he said politely, “Ahm ready to yelled Brown, ‘Don’t I know he’s a go vefoah youah General. Ah can satisfy him, Ah think, as o the truthfulness of mah statements.” “Very well,” was the crisp reply and turning, the cor- oral led the way to the General’s headquarters. The General was a tall, grave man, with sorrow, and yet h e carr vespoke command. He words and then askec came at once only too whose eyes were filled ed himself with a dignity that listened closely to the corporal’s for Brown to be sent for. Brown eager to testify against the Boy. He old the general that Boy’s real name was Captain Morley, hat he was an officer in the Rebel army, and his own cousin. At those words, the General glanced quickly at the the other so little and nar- and remarked dryly that no would have thought it. Then he dismissed Brown, and, urning to the Boy, said gravely, “The charge against you is very conclusive, Lieutenant Camp, and, though Tam, I think T shall have to detain you pending an in- vestigation.” The Boy listened |] further words wo men, one so tall and manly, row both in body and mind. one Sorry 10} elessly were useless. he knew and vet, if the G eneral investigated the matter at all, he would soon find sufficient evidence to hang him as a spy. But he said nothing and hopelessly submitted to being led away and placed in a tiny jail like room under guard. As soon as he was left alone, he glanced around the room. searching for a way in which to escape. But no chance showed itself! The only window was a little barred affair, far too small for him to get through, even if he could have broken the bars. Well, there was nothing to

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to retain his seat but in vain. He could not. He opened his mouth to speak again but fell from the saddle. Lee sprang to him, felt his heart, his pulse, then his eyes filled with tears and he turned to the surrounding soldiers. “It’s no use, lads. He’s gone to a land where all is peace. Get a stretcher and we'll carry him to my headquarters. Left alone, he gazed at the silent form of the tall manly lad, the soft brown hair. that a mother’s lips had so often kissed, clung in soft tendrils to his forehead. On the face was a look of sublime peace and the eyes were closed for the sleep that knows no waking. “Oh God, God! What a price. What a price to pay for only a few black slaves.” Lee’s shoulders shook with sobs as he gazed at the lad, once the pride of a mother’s heart, lying so silent and still. That night the moon shone on a new made grave and hundreds of miles away, on a bowed and bent old widow who knelt by the window praying to God to bless her son.