Democratic Sentinel, Volume 10, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 May 1886 — Page 6

CONFIDENCE. BY W. A. »UXN. Flowers may bloom and look sweet, Hope may die in despair. Hearts may melt at a maiden's feet; Kot mine, for you are enshrined there. Birds may sing and seem glad, Happiness may shed its tear. Lives may be made gloomy and sad; Not mine, as long as you are near. The sun may shine warm and clear, Devotion may lose its charm, Love may be whispered to a selfish ear; Not mine, for constancy fears no harm. Stars may twinkle in glee, The best of friends may part, Sympathy may take wings and flee; Not mine, I've a lily’s heart. Let the years come and go, Let tears and smiles have their fi.lL Let the rivers cease to flow; But, love, you must be with me stilb Hearts have often been broken, Lovers have parted mad ; Not me, for constancy is the only word spoken, Fidelity the only thought I've had.

The Double Escape.

BY CAPTAIN JAMES MOUNTFORD.

One evening the services of spies was the subject of conversation; and, between a pause in the argument, the Colonel remarked: ■ “I think the majority of the so-called spies who suffered were perfectly innocent of any such intention. 1 had a narrow escape myself.” “We are listening for the story, uncle,” cried his niece; “you must be very cautious in your speech, or you will be forced into the relation of a story. ” The Colonel smiled. “An old man is seldom unwilling to relate his adventures,” he said, “and I am not of the number of those who are.” Everyone was becomingly attentive, and, after a short silence, the Colonel continued as follows: , “Major B and I had been schoolfellows; later in life we were friends. At the commencement of hostilities we joined opposite factions. He was a Tennessean; I had imbibed the politics of ‘old’ Massachusetts, mid our difference of opinion was very natural. “Neveitheless, our friendship did not change, and when my duty brought me within twenty miles of his plantation, he invited me to pay him a visit. “The change from the hard fare of the camp to the company and table of my friend was a pleasure I was not likely to refuse. “The Union troops were at that time victorious, and although the command to which Major B was attached had their quarters quite near, I anticipated no danger. “Attiring myself in plain clothes, I started upon my visit, reaching the Major’s residence at noon. “I was made very welcome, and passed a pleasant day. But I could not fail to see that my friend was preoccupied and very grave, which was unusual with him, his merry disposition being well known. “After nightfall, when we were seated in the Major’s private room, engaged with cigars and talk, I hinted that he seemed uncommonly serious. “ Tam serious, Frank,’ he said, with a grave smile, ‘and I believe I should tell you why.’ “I thought he should, and as I requested his confidence, he said that all his fear was for me. “ ‘lndeed!’ cried I, ‘I am very comfortable just at present. How joyful all my comrades would be were they in the same situation. ’ “ ‘I doubt it,’ was the Major’s reply. ‘We have advanced our lines, and you are now within them. I received the news soon after you came. Your danger is heightened by the fact that spies have been doing considerable damage lately.’ “ ‘And I’m liable to be shot if caught, eh?’ “ ‘I am afraid so.’ “The subject was dropped for the time. It was merely a suspicion, and might not be fulfilled. We became very lively as the evening Waned; but our conviviality was suddenly dashed by the entrance of a servant. “The black’s eyes were almost starting from his head, and he informed us, in an excited whisper, that a posse of soldiers were approaching the house. “This news was confirmed by the sound of men and horses in the yard without. “ ‘Come into my bed chamber,’ cried the Major, leaping to his feet. ‘lf there is any danger it will allow us time to prepare for it.’ “He hurried me into another apartment, and, locking me inside, went to review his visitors. “In five minutes he returned, his face expressive of the utmost concern. “ ‘lt’s Captain Trock,’ he said, ‘with a company of soldiers. He’s my enemy, and would like nothing better than to bring me into trouble. He told my wife he was in search of a spy, who had been seen .in the neighborhood. He certainly suspects you to be in the house.’ “This speech disturbed me not a little. To be executed as a spy was, even in idea, simply horrible. ‘l’ll have to run for it,’ I said.

“ ‘Yes, but you are liable to be captured, and then nothing is gained. Here’s my uniform,’ and he threw the articles upon the floor. ‘Dress yourself immediately and -slip out of the window.’ “I have thought since that this was not very sound advice. Should Ibe discovered in the enemy’s lines, and attired in their color’s, I would be almost beyond pardon. “As it was, I was allowed no time to think, and quickly began to metamorphose myself. I was hastened by the sound of loud voices, raised to a suspicious tone, without; and, a moment later, I slipped through the window. “If he thought about it at all, the Major doubtless supposed that I would remain skulking near the house until the foes had left the premises; but I was driven away by seeing a soldier approaching just as I reached the ground. “He did not observe me, and stealing around to the front of the house, I reached the road, and started away upon the run toward the Union lines. “I hurried along for something like a mile, and began to regain my confidence. There was no moon, but the numerous stars gave sufficient light to warn me of the presence of foes should they appear, and also, unfortunately, to discover me to them. “Major B had said the Confederates tad advanced their lines, and I expected every moment to be challenged. “Still I must proceed. The danger beMbd wa* just da great, and far more certain.

“Suddenly I heard the sound of horses in the wood on tne right hand. I guessed that the foes were there, and leaving the open road in haste, passed among the trees upon the left. “I stole along for some distance, and began to think I was to make a clean escape. But fate was against me, and when I saw two soldiers standing beneath a tree directly upon a line with myself, and not over a dozen feet away, I gave myself up for ‘one of the lost.’ “But they did not seem to have observed me, and, halting immediately, I hoped darkness would screen me from their eyes. “Five minutes I stood there, motionless. The fellows were talking together in semidrunken tones, and I saw a bottle pass between them. “This seemed favorable to me, so far; but my hopes were soon blown aside. “One of the men saw me, and promptly directed the other s attention in the same direction. “Whether it was the liquor they had taken, I have no means of knowing; but they made no attempt to approach, but stood consulting in low tones. “I could not understand it; but even this was better than a downright discovery, and I stood still, straining my sense of hearing to catch their words.

“I heard the word ‘Major' pass between them several times, and thinking they took me for the gentleman whose clothes I wore, I was about to walk in without noticing them, when one of the rascals shouted an oath, and, raising his rifle, discharged it at my head. “I felt a stinging sensation immediately above my left ear, and my brain whirled. I must have thought myself dead, for I .fell forward at full length, my face downward. “I recovered my senses almost instantly, and as the rascals were running toward me, I lay perfectly quiet. “ ‘You've killed him, Hank;’ said one, in a shrill whisper. “He stood over mt*, but did not attempt to touch my person. “ ‘Blank him!' growled the other, ‘I don’t keer if I hev. I remember how he thrashed me t’other day.’ “ ‘For killing the old woman’s cow?’ “‘Yes’ [another blank]; ‘and if shooting a cow is to git a man thrashed I don’t want to stay here no more.’ “ ‘What are you goin' to do? Yon didn't speak to him 'fore you tired, and everybody knows you hate him. You'll be shot yourself.’ “ ‘So will you.’ “ ‘I didn't do the shooting.' “ ‘No; but you stood by, and didn’t stop me.’ “The rascals argued in this strain for some time, and it was at last decided that they should spoil the body, and desert to the opposite side. “I was well pleased with this decision, you may imagine, and scarcely breathed while the rogues rifled my pockets. But I was not yet clear, for they concluded to hide the body, otherwise it would be found too soon, and they should be stopped. “I imagined at one time that they would attempt to cut me in pieces, that I might be more easily concealed, ami was hesitating about discovering myself. “Had I done so, instant death would have been the result; for the fellows would then be commended, as I had no business where I was. They had already deprived me of my weapons, and defense was out of the question. “But, luckily for me, they at last raised me between them, and carried their supposed victim off through the woods, to a point further from the camp. “Beaching, what they considered a convenient point, I was dropped upon the ground, and my murderers began to pile rubbish, brushwood, and, at last, logs upon me.

“I was in no enviable position. It is not the ill-fortune of every man to be present at bis own butrial; for such I soon discovered it to be. “Fear incited the fellows to great labor, and w'hen they bad satisfied themselves that I was concealed past discovery, so much weight had been piled upon me that it was impossible that I should release myself. “Besides I felt that I should be suffocated; a great log, heavy with water, lay upon my breast, and every limb was weighted down as close as though I had been in my grave. “At last the men were leaving, and the horror of being left to perish helplessly alone came upon me. With an effort I essayed to call them back; but my voice was nearly pressed out of my lungs, and they returned not. “The extreme horror or tne next hour"is scarcely to be told. I felt myself slowly, but inevitably, dying. Nothing, it seemed, could interpose to save my life. The only persons who could know my situation were far away by this time. “I endearvored to compose my mind, and die like a stoic, but miserably failed. We all must die, I told myself; why this fastidiousness as to the manner ? This horrible pain cannot continue always; and then I thought of my wife and children, who would look in vain for my return. “I bore all the pains of the most terrible death; but relief came at last. Overstretched nature could sustain no more, and I fainted. “How long I remained unconscious I know not, and it matters little. I wakened at last, and found a number of men around me. “Major B was Kneeling at my side, a bottle of liquor in his hand, which, as I opened my eyes with a groan, he held to my lips. “As I revived, my friend helped me up, and, looking around, I found myself in the midst of Confederate soldiers. “ ‘What is it, Major?’ I asked, weakly, for I was still thinking. ‘How came I here?’ “ ‘Don’t you know, old fellow,’ he responded, looking compassionately in my face. ‘I found you under the brush heap there. The scoundrels thought they had murdered you.’ “One of the officers standing near coughed slightly. “The Major understood its meaning, for, with a glance at the gentleman he turned again to me, saying, in e troubled tone; “ ‘You are not out of trouble yet. That’s Captain Trock. He discovered that you had been at my residence, and trailed you afterward. You owe him your life indirectly, but he seems determined to resume the gift.’ “All this was given in a whisper, while the men stood suspiciously by. “ ‘I don’t understand you,’ I returned. “ ‘Trock captured one of the would-be assassins, and forced a confession from him. He is—— ’ “At that instant the Captain, who was

too impatient to withhold longer, touched my arm. “ ‘You must to the commandant,* he said, harshly. “The soldiers closed in around me (<>nd the Major was included in the circle, and seemed to fully share me ignomony), and w'e marched slowly off through the wood. “I felt considerably relieved to breathe again in the clear air, but still my danger was nearly as great. “Captain Trock was a sour, haughty man, and there was no sign of a relenting disposition in his countenance. “My friend told me in whispers as we walked along that he had been drawn into a dispute with the Captain, in which the latter’s vanity had been joined, and that since that time he had pursued him with great vindictiveness. “I ni Y fric’Rd's disposition too well to imagine that he would receive an affront from any man unless powerless himself. This considered, I thought his case, as well as my own, desperate. “We soon reached the commandant’s tent, and, although it was late, an immediate examination was resolved upon. “The commandant was a rigid-looking man of fifty, and he questioned me in a tone which decided my fate. It would be unnecessary to repeat everything that was said and done, but the substance was, that I had been found within the lines (at the Major’s residence ); that my friend had first concealed, and then furnished me with a a disguise as a means of escape. “Captain Trock expressed his belief that I had bet n skulking in the neighborhood for several days; and one of the men who had fired upon me (the other did not appear) declared that his companion had taken papers from my pocket which the person who searched my pockets bore away 'with him. “M hen the fellow whom Trock had captured a short distance from the camp was asked why he was deserting, he returned that he and his companion, after the shooting, had mistaken me for the Major, and being frightened,, they had fled. “This was sufficient evidence for a military court, and notwithstanding strenuous denial, I was sentenced to be shot at daybreak. The Major was to have another examination. “I observed a triumphant sneer upon Captain Track's face as we were led from the tent. He was probably amply satisfied with his revenge. ““We were conducted to a tent bordering upon the roadway, and placing our guards, Captain Trock retired. “Although I was expected to die at sunrise, my fatigue was so overpowering that, had not the Major been with me, I should have fallen asleep when left alone. “But my friend suffered the greatest anguish; to be disgraced in this, manner he declared unbearable. He was of an eager, ambitious disposition, and many were the resolutions he formed to avenge himself upon the Captain. “The night passed, as nights always will, no matter how uncomfortable our situation may be; and when the guard entered the tent in the morning they found me sleeping. “I was quickly aroused, and taking leave of ,my friend, who protested my innocence with tears in his eyes, I marched from the tent.

“Long Buffeting seems to blunt our senses at times, at least such was my ease at present. .1 felt sullenly desperate, and ready for any undertaking, however hazardous. “I found a file of soldiers drawn up in front of the tent, and Captain Trock, dismounted from his horse, which stood alone at a little distance to the left, waiting for my appearance. “As I saw the horse, the idea of attemptting a desperate flight occurred to me. “Nothing worse than death can happen, thought I, and recklessly determined to execute my plan. “I complained of faintness-, and seemed unable to stand. One of the two guards, more compassionate, perhaps, than usual, started to procure a glass of water. “The tile of soldiers stood twenty feet distant down the road. The Captain stood at their head, his glances fastened upon me. “But the steed, which had the greatest interest for me at that moment, had strayed quite near me, and was quietly picking the damp grass at the roadside. “Everything seemed favorable, and, suddenly calling every faculty into play, I sprang upon my guard, knocked him down, and a second later was in the saddle. • “My sudden onset frightened the horse, and he scarcely needed the incentive which I applied with my heel to send him flying down the road at breakneck speed. “1 heard the Captain give command to fire; then came the crash of musketry, and the balls whistled all around me. My greatest fear was for the horse; but the soldiers seemed to have fired high, for no bullets reached their mark. “My mount was high-mettled, and before the soldiers could reach their horses, I was a considerable distance in advance. “I was not pursued far, and two hours later reached my proper camp, where the resolve entered my mind, as I threw myself from the steed who had served me so well, that never again would I pay a visit within the Confederate lines. * * < * * ■ ♦ “The Major’s innocence appeared,” said the Colonel, after a pause, “but he had lost caste, and upon receiving a slight wound, a few months after my escape, he left the army. “Brit before doing so, he had punished Captain Trock for his perjury, by running him through in a duel.”

Executions in France.

They have no blundering executions in France. The executioner is neither a hero nor an outcast, as in other countries. The system of executions has been simplified as much as possible. The instrument is ere ted the night before, and tried on a dummy to see that it works well. Formerly the condemned was often tortured and torn and hacked, and he was always encouraged by having a good look at the glean ing knife as he approached the ghastly inst.ument. Now the knife is hidden, the victim is in position in two or three seconds, a noiseless touch of the button, and all is over.

A Sufficient Excuse.

Cora (surprised)—Why don’t you have your dresses made shorter? That’s the fashion now. Mamie (confidentially)—How can T, dear? Just look; I always wear the heels of my shoes over on the sides.— Puck.

A Story of Daniel Drew.

Mr. Drew was squeezed one famous day by operators in Northwest stock, and he la d down a big pile of money in losses. Not unnaturally, Mr. Drew felt grieved, while other people were correspondingly high-spirited and happy. It was a great thing to catch the wilev deacon napping, and a hundied jokes went the rounds in celebration of his upsetting. Some of these bits of humor fell upon Uncle Daniel’s own ears, but he didn’t seem to pay much heed to comments that made all the rest of Wall street laugh hilariously. Some young men old enough to know better even went so far as to accost him personally and laugh in his face. Behind the smile that lighted his face it is barely possible that the recording angel heard a grinding of teeth, but the festive brokers did not hear any such thing, and they went on their way rejoicing for many days. One evening a big congregation of them were in an up-town club when all unexpected in marched Uncle Daniel Drew. He had called only for a moment, he was hunting for a man he did not find. It was not an excessively warm night, but L ni le Daniel seemed to be much overheated, and two or three times he drew out his big white handkerchief and bathed his face in it: and finally out of his pocket with the handkerchief came a slip of white paper to float and circle around till it settled at his feet on the floor. Mr. Drew didn’t notice that he had lost anything; the speculative gentlemen before him did, and the foot of one enterprising broker was big enough to cover the slip of paper over as it lay there on the floor. Mr. Drew went out. The eager crowd gathered up the white scrap, and this in the Wall street king’s own unmistakable handwriting was what it said: “Buy me all the Oshkosh stock you can at any price you can get it be'ow par.” Oshkosh was already pretty high. Everybody was agreeing that it was too high, and that a tumble was inevitable, but the handwriting of the millionaire operator plainly exposed on that slip of paper was sufficient to convince the eager crowd in that club-room that night that some new scheme must be afloat to send it further skyward. Bigirt through the mill-stone they saw it all, and then and there they made up a pool to buy twenty or thirty thousand shares the next day. They did, and the man who sold it to them was Daniel Drew. He blandly told them all about it as they saw then' money ali going to pot Oshkosh declined a dozen points a day. Mr. Drew’s handkerchief exercise had been carefully planned.

The Classification of Book-Lovers.

Mr. Sala has lately made a careful division of book-lovers into four classes, and people who enjoy stocking their shelves from time to time will now be able to describe their motives in bookbuying by the use of the terms which Mr. Sala has defined with characteristic illustrations. It is a misfortune that more euphonious terms could not be compounded from the Greek to characterize two of the divisions of the great and growing army of book-lovers, but in the general interest of accuracy and conformity there will be no revolt on the part of those who find themselves described as “bibl.ognostes” and “bibliotaphe.” According to Mr. Sala, “book-lovers are either bibliognostes, bibliomanes, bibliophiles, or bibliotaphes. The biblioguoste is learned in title-pages and editions, presses, and places of issue. He knows by heart the criteria of every editio princeps; he has Brunet and Dibdin at his fingers’ ends, and can tell you at once that the ‘Aristotle’ of Manutius in good condition is worth £SO, but that a Bebal is not worth as many sixpences. The bibliomane is a mere collector who, blessed with a long purse, buys whatever comes in his way. A bit of a bibliomane was Peter the Great, who, when his shelves were built, sent for the booksellers of St. Petersburg and said : ‘Fill those with books.’ ‘With what books, your Majesty?’ was the not unnatural question. ‘With what books? Why, with big books below, and with little books above.’ The bibliophile—the true lover of books—is be who buys to read and enjoy. The bibliotaphe is he who hides his books away under lock and key or who immures them in close-fitting glass cases, and knows little of them beyond their titles and the price which he has paid for each.”— The Book-Buyer.

Plantation Philosophy.

De man, when he sells yer suthin’ would cheat yer, would, when he gins yer suthin’, gin yer de bes’ he’s got.” It am de small things in dis heah woiT dater man haster fear. It’s de little mule dat’s de mos’ ap’ ter kick er pusson. I doan kere how ’spectable er ’oman is, es she doan lub her husban’ wid her whole soul, she ain’t gwine ter be 'tirely true ter him. De man whut marries er ’oman dat ain’t jes’ ez anxious ter marry him ez he is ter marry her is er fool. It may take him er laung time ter fine it out, but de day will come. In all natur’ der a n’t nuthin’ weaker den de human fambly, an’ o’ dese, de ’oman is de weakest an’ yit de strongest. She is weakes’ in putting up wid things dat she doan like an’ stronges’ wid things dat she do lub. Her lub is her strength, an’ her lack o’ lub is her weakness, fur er ’oman whut kain’t lub ain’t no better den er animal. I know dat wimen hab fell ’ca’se da lubed too much in er unwise way, but whar one hab fell on ercount o’ too much lub, er hunnerd bab fell ’ca’se da didn’t lub ernuff. — Arkansaw Traceler. The great mistake that some people make is, they think more of their cunning than they do of their honesty.

HUMOR.

A home ruler—the broom-stitk. Foot notes—shoe and leather “paper.” A see change—putting on green goggles. Drawing instruments—mustard plasters. The rumor that “the world moves’* because it is cheaper to move than to pay rent is denied. A rule that works both ways—when ‘ a fleet goes out on a cruise the crews go out on the fleet. The members of a debating society must arise when arguing a case because they stand to reason. If love is blind, as some folks say, how is it that spoony couples always persist in turning the parlor lamp so low? Johnnie’s teacher asked him to tell her what “he drinks” would be in the future tense. “He is drunk!” said the boy. The average life of a locomotive is thirty years. It must pain a locomotive to know that it will never be old enough to be a ballet-dancer, even if it had the necessary limbs. A physician in Missouri has his sleigh drawn by a team of elks. That isn't the only dear thing about his visits, either. He has a right to charge double for his medical cervuses. A Brownsville (Tex.) paper calls the Mexican raiders into Texas “brazen banditti. ” The press dispatches stated that the banditti were mounted, but not that they were brass-mounted. Says a scientific writer*. “On a clear night about three thousand stars are visible to the naked eyed. A 1 ke number in the opposite hemisphere makes a total of about six thousand that can be seen without a glass.” We’ll bet that that fellow never attended a skating rink or fell on a pavement.—California Maverick. Isn’t this train about two hours late ?” asked a passenger of the conductor on a branch Dakota road. “Yes, I reckon ’bout that much.” “Well, what’s the trouble?” “Oh, it’s Monday.” “What’s that got to do with it?” “Why, you see I can’t never get as good a start Monday morning—have to ’tend the baby while my wife gets out the washing, you know. Just you wait till tomorrow morning, and I’ll pull out before sunrise.” — Estelline Bell. TWO PICTURES. Pretty girl Ou the street. Cherry lips, Oh, so sweet. Dashing fellow, Looks so nice. Falls in love In a thrice. Tips his hat, Makes a mash, Eats ice cream, Spends his cash. Better man Cuts him out. Dashing fellow Up the spout. Girl marr’es Better man. Gets ioe cream— If she can. Daslflng fellow Has his cash. Better man Gone to smash. THE FEMALE ORGAN-GRINDER. She was but an organ-grinder, with a little dog behind her, and a monkey on the organ which collected all the dimes, And her face had all the sorrow that a human face can borrow as she twisted on the handle, playing tunes to ancient rhymes. There was not a grain of pity for the woman in the city, and the boys and men about her hooted as she played away; Then I cried: “On, vagrant woman, exile from a castle Boman, battered relic of an era where your race was of the best— Tell me, now, that I have sought you, tell me, woman, what has brought you from Italian skies of azure to the deserts of the West? Has some cruel word, idly spoken, turned you, homeless and heart-broken, from those flowery vales and hollows where the Boman castles stand? Or were you some gentle maiden dwelling in an earthly Aiden, when some social revolution drove you from your lovely land? Tell me, old and battered woman, are your sorrows more than human ? Is the music that you furnish grating on a weary heart?” And the weman dropped her erg m, orying, “Is it Biddy Morgan that ye’re callin’ ould and battered? Now, begorrah, you depart 1" Note—l departed. —Walt Mason, in St. Louis Whip.

Not with That Show.

An advertisement of: “A party wanted to travel with a theatrical company r s treasurer” brought about a meeting between a Detroiter and a theatrical man at a hotel the other day. “Did you ever act in such a capacity ?* was asked. “No, but I feel equal to-the emergency.” “Oh, you do? How will you go to work to get us out on the road for our first stand?” “Why? Haven’t you got any money?” “Not a dollar. We may strike luck the first night, and we may do a poor business for a week. Can you arrange to keep us along until we hit pay dirt?” “I don’t see how.” “And are you a talker? Can you get us out of a hotel where we are owing $25 and nothing to pay with? Can you give owners of halls the grand standoff? Can you fix it with ticket agents to pass us as dead-heads? When sal-ary-day comes around can you smooth it over with the kickers?” “I—l don’t believe I could.” “Nor I, either. Young man, go hence! Go out and strike a job of sawing wood, shoveling dirt, or ditchdigging. You’ll have less on your mind and more in your pocket.”— Detroit Free Press. Zinc dust has been found by an English investigator to absorb hydrogen from a moist atmosphere at moderate temperature. It has, in fact, the power of occluding the gas after the planner of spongy platinum.