Allan Pinkerton, The spy in the rebellion; being a true history of the spy system of the United States Army during the late rebellion, revealing many secrets of the war hitherto not made public, compiled from official reports prepared for President Lincoln , General McClellan and the Provost-Marshal-General .

“ Do you know whether your mistress writes to any one besides her husband?”

Uncle Gallus leaned back in his chair, and looked at me somewhat suspiciously, the whites of his eyes shining like polished china.

“'Deed, sah, I doesn't know whedder she dusdo, or whedder she doant,” he said, hesitatingly. “Please, massa, doant ax dis chile any moa questions. My missus is de bes' woman in de wu'ld, and nebber didn't do nuffina wrong in all her bawn days. Ole Gallus wouldn't say nuffina to bring trubble on her for fifteen cents,” he added, earnestly.

I quieted the fears of the faithful old man by assuring him that I meant no harm to his mistress, and that I had no doubt she was the good lady he represented her to be. Satisfied with the result of my investigations, I permitted Uncle Gallus to depart, first charging him, however, to say nothing to any one concerning my interview with him. He promised secrecy, and bowed himself out with all his teeth visible, saying, as he went:

Foa de Lawd, gemmen, I'se hopin ana prayina de No'thun folks will be de top dog in dis wrastle, ana ef eber dis niggah hes a chance to gib yu'uns a helpina han ‘, yu’ kin bet a hoss agina a coon-skin he'll do it; but I hope ana trus' my missus not be boddered.