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Show 8aved by a Donkey Erastus Wilson, or "Hat Wilson," as the boys of tho old Eighty-fifth Now York used to call him, wears upon his watch chain a miniature donkey dono In gold. Recently a friend Joked him upon his esthetic taste aa displayed In his choice of charms. "That charm," said Wilson, "Is worn In honor of an old Virginia donkey don-key which saved my life In 'G4. I was detailed by our colonel to gather somo Information which necessitated my entering tho enemies' lines. I had got tho desired matter, which Included omo fairly accurate mapa nnd drawings draw-ings of the enemy'8 position and for-tlflcntlons, for-tlflcntlons, and was returning to our lines when I got Into tho midst of a party of Confederates unawnrea. When I attempted to withdraw I was ordered to halt, but knowing that to bo captured cap-tured with tho maps and drawings on my person meant hanging ob a spy, 1 did not hoed tho command, but plunged luto tho blackness of tho night nnd fled followed by a- showor of bullets bul-lets and a moment later by a scoro or moro of Confederates. "Hnvlng a llttlo the start, I succeeded succeed-ed In putting a few rods between mo nnd tho camp, and then crawled luto a thicket till such a tlrao as 1 Judged my pursuers would have given up the chase. I heard them hurrying hither and thither, toraetlmcs very near my hiding place, and all hocamo quiet. I waited fully an hour, and then, fearing to longer delay, lest daylight should find mo too lar from our lines, I began I to pick my way noiselessly toward tho cast, In which dlroctlon lay tho Federal Fed-eral army. "I had gone about a mile when, despite de-spite my caution, I steppec upon n decayed de-cayed limb, which gave way with a loud, crackling noise, which so startled" mo that I stumbled and went crashing headlong Into tho copso, making nolso enough to have disturbed a dead man. Instantly a voico not ten roda away cried: " 'Thla way, boy a. Hero ho comes!" "I could hear footsteps of half a dozen men coming In ray dlroctlon and gave myself up for lost, when not a dozen feet awny there was another crashing In tho bushes, and then a donkoy, whoso slumbers I had disturbed, dis-turbed, lifted his voico and brayed protestlngly. "Thero was a mixture of oaths and laughter from tho Confederates over the false alarm aa thoy bolleved it to have been and then they departed, muttering that there was no uso In waiting thoro any longer. When their footsteps died out In tho distance I passed on and regained our lines in safety. Jut I have had a warm place In my heart for donkeys over since, and that Is why I wear a golden Image ot ono on my chain." |