Page 125 - Arkansas Confederate Women

108 Confederate Women of Arkansas

"Now they have them all," I said hopelessly.
But, lo I when the dirt was removed there was nothing but
dirt; where were the blankets and boots? The good Father

must have sent an angel to spirit them away and save us from

prison, I said to mother. She looked at me as much astonished

as I was. Well, the search was over at last and the last rays
of the setting sun had flung showers of shimmering gold athwart
the quiet little town of Benton as if to shed a final brightness
over our sad hearts and homes.

That night we all went to bed hungry. The Federals' fre-
quent trips had stripped us of everything to eat almost -and when
they left we had only a pittance of bread and of meat.

GOOD MIKE CURLESS.

But one week from that night will long be remembered
by us all, for at the hour of 10 that night Mike Curless, who
had been permitted to come with the scout, rode in haste to
our house and told us that we had been reported for harboring
alnd feeding rebels and sending contrabrand goods to their
army; also that I was to be taken to Alton, 111., as a prisoner

for attempting to kill a United States soldier. He didn't know

at what time, but he knew I was to go soon and after urging
secrecy galloped down to the court house, where some of the

scout had dismounted. My mother was almost frantic now and

we sat up or walked the floor until daybreak when our joy was
to behold five of our men ride up to door and ask if there were

any "Feds" about. We told them a scout had been there early
in the evening, but had gone back to Little Kock. Then my

mother poured out our fears to them, when to our surprise
they said they had come to notify me that one of Cabell's men
was waiting about a mile distant to carry me to Cabell's head-
quarters near Columbus, Hempstead county. Jack Lecroy was

the man who had been detailed by Gen. Cabell at the request
of Lieut. James to bring an ambulance for me and my babies

and take us to their headquarters.

We were so astonished we could not speak at once. Then

I cried out: "Who told them I was to be sent a prisoner to

Alton, 111?"