L. P. Brockett, The camp, the battlefield, and the hospital: or, lights and shadows of the great rebellion

[169] afore or sence, fur then I hedn't got used ter luckina at the gallus uvery day.

Wall, I didn't know whot ter do, but thinkina the Lord did, I kneeled down ana prayed right smart. I telled Him I hedn't no face ter meet Him afore I'd a done suthina fur the kentry, ana thet Sally's heart would be clean broke ef I went afore har, but, howsumuver, I said, He know'd best, ana ef it war His will, I hed jest nothina ter say agin it. Thet's all I said, but I said it over ana over, a heap oa times, an it war right dark when I got off uv my knees. The Lord yered me, thet's sartin, 'case I hedn't mor'n got up fore a dirty grey-back, drunker'n a member uv Congress, staggered inter the tent. I recken he thort he war ter home, fur he drapped down onter the ground ana went ter sleep, wuthout so much as axina ef I was willina.

Then it come inter my head, all ter onst, whot ter do. Ye sees, the critters hed tied me hand ana fut, ana teddered me wuth a coil ter one oa the tent stakes, so I couldn't move only jest so fur; but the Lord He made the drunken feller lop down jest inside uv reachina. Wall, when I war shore he war dead asleep, I rolled over thar, drawed out the bowie-knife in his belt wuth my teeth, ana sawed off my wristlets in no time. Ye kin reckon it didn't take long ter undo the 'tother coils, ana to 'propriate his weapons, tie 'im hand ana fut loike I war, strip off his coat, put mine onter'im, swap hats, ana pull the one I guv him down onter his eyes loike as ef he never wanted to see the sun agin. When I'd a done thet, I stopped ter breathe, ana luckina up I seed a light a comina. I 'spicioned it war ter 'xamine arter me, so I slunk down inter a corne-oa the tent, jest aside