omething to eat. There were two
iron-barred windows in our room which overlooked the yard of our
next-door neighbour. A man, wife, and little boy lived there. A passage
way about twelve feet wide separated the jail and a one-story cottage.
One of our windows was exactly opposite their bedroom window, but both
too high from the ground for the rebel sentry on guard in the passage
way to see into either of them. Our neighbour's name was Crane. The
family were strong Unionists, and we carried on a daily conversation by
slate-writing. All the latest news was given to us, as well as any
information which we desired.

Mr. Crane was a young man about thirty years of age, and he had a
special permit from the rebel government exempting him from military
service, on account of being a wagon-maker and needed by the citizens in
Columbia to do their work. A girl about eighteen years old finally came
to reside with the family. We immediately christened her "Union Mary,"
and kept that girl busy receiving and throwing kisses at us. She seemed
to have nothing else to do but to watch our window. As we had plenty of
leisure time, some one of the party was continually making distant love
to her. At last she let us know that she wanted to go North and live
with the Yankees. Nearly all of us wrote a letter telling her how to get
a pass through the lines and recommending her to our relatives. She
succeeded all right. The father of one of the officers got her a good
situation and gave her a fine start in life, out of gratitude for the
news which she brought him from his son.

A few weeks afterward Mr. Crane was ordered to report for military duty
at Richmond. He and several companions got off the cars at the nearest
point to our lines and were successful in getting through. The next we
heard of him was through his wife, who said that he had reached New York
city and was earning very high wages at his trade.

A company of home guards, composed of fifty men under command of a
captain, first, second, and third lieutenants, were our guardian angels.
The guard-room adjoined ours on the first floor. Their camp was outside
the city limits. Every morning, at eight o'clock, the relief would come
in and remain on duty for twenty-four hours. We became well acquainted
with all, and were quite sociable. Three of the privates let us know
that they were Union sympathizers. Many a favour they did for us, by
assisting us to communicate with Union people in th