Page 124 - Arkansas Confederate Women

' Narrow Escape From Federal Prison 107

rod, a noble, patriotic woman, who should have a monument
to her memory, came galloping up with the news that a Fed-
eral scout of about one hundred and fifty men was just outside
of Benton. It took only a few seconds for our men to dash out
of sight in the woods near by. The leading officer of the
Federal scout came galloping up to our house, followed by about

fifty men, and demanded a search of the premises. My mother

consented reluctantly, for underneath the floor in her room
were several blankets and a pair of cavalry boots which I had
bought from the post sutler before Capt. McCrary left Benton

—and paid fourteen dollar for paid it in washings, my first

time, too. Oh, how I hated to do it, but the boots were of nice

patent leather to the knees and I thought they would do my

husband so much good. I didn't mind the rubbing of the

skin off my hands, that were so tender and white then, but the
degradation of washing for men who had robbed us, and who

were hunting our loved ones to kill them before our eyes.

But back to my story. I felt a thrill of anger and fear as

I saw the soldiers take tools and begin to tear up the floor. I

feared only for my mother, as I did not care what became of
me at that moment. They tore up the floor in the parlor, walked

straight to mother's room and began to tear up the floor. Great
heavens ! they would soon reveal the blankets and boots, the con-
traband goods hidden there, and then what? I stood pale and

scornful watching them, within my heart saying, "Go ahead
and do your best; I am not afraid of you." One plank ripped

up, another, another. I looked at mother and sister, pale but

speechless. At last I cried out: "They are there with guns to
shoot you." They took no notice of this further than to go a

little slower, and now that there was room for a man to crawl

through several knelt down and peered under the house, and

seeing no one, but seeing a heap of dirt in the little dark cellar,

they crawled quickly in and began digging, expecting to find a

live rebel or a dead Federal, I know not which. The mound

was a covering for our contrabrand goods. "Oh, my boots will

go, mother," I whispered. She, pale and quiet, gave me a re-

proving look. This the soldiers did not hear or see.