[168] prayer, a long rope, ana a break-down danced on the top oa nothina. Better men nur me hed gone thet way ter the Kingdom-sevin on 'em wuthin a month-but I detarmined I wouldn't go ef I could holp it; not thet I 'jected ter the journey, only ter goina afore uv Sally. Ye sees, I hedn't been nigh so good a man as I'd orter be, ana I reckoned Sally-who, ye knows, ar the best 'ooman thet uver lived — I reckoned she, ef she got thar a leetle afore oa me, could sort oa put in a good word wuth the Lord, ana git Him ter shot His eyes ter a heap oa my doin's; ana sides, I should, I know'd, feel a mighty strange loike up thar without har. Wall, I detarmined not ter go, so thet night, as we war camped out on the ground, I slid the coil, stole a nag, ana moseyed off. Howsumuver, I hedn't got more'n a hun'red rods, 'fore the durned Secesh yered me, ana the bullets fell round me thicker'n tar in January. They hit the hoss, winged me a trifle, ana in less nur ten minnits, hed me tighter'n uver. They swore a streak uv blue brimstuna, ana said they'd string me up ter onst, but I telled 'em they wouldn't, 'case I know'd I war a gwine ter live ter holp do thet ara same turn fur Jeff. Davis. Wall, I s'pose my impudence hed suthina ter do wuth it, fur they didn't hang me-ye mought know thet, Mr. --, fur, ye sees, I hes a good neck fur stretchina yit.Wall we got ter Chattanooga jest arter noon. The Commission they hed too many on hand thet day ter 'tend ter my case, ana the jail wus chock-heapina, so they put me inter a tent under guard uv a hull Georgy regiment. Things luck'd 'mazina squally, ana much as I detarmined ter be a man, my heart went clean down inter my boots whenuver I thort uv Sally. I nuver felt so,
