The North-Carolinian. [volume] (Fayetteville [N.C.]) 1839-1861, 1854-11-11
VOLUME XV-NO. $40.
HeSou.'onary Incidcnt.---Wn. Cummings 4 others.


Fro'" " The Old North Sfcte in i776"by Coruthers.
Towards the close of the year 1880, probably
in the month of December William Cummings,
John Faddis and William Crabtree citizens of
Hillshorough, II went out morning before
day on a fox hunt, and to avoid as much as
possible the danger of falling into the hands of
enemies, they went into /. section, six or eight
miles east or northeast from the village where
the people were nearly all in favor of indcpen-
dence; for, at that time, when the Tories
nearly everywhere So impudent and SO confident
OF success, such small party could not go
INTO any other than Il whig heighborhoed with
ont running great risk of being killed or taken
prisoners \ little after sunrise, being very
cold and hungry, they concluded they would
call at the house of Thomas Couch to warm
themselves and get something to cat. AS Couch
was wcfT acvJuainteu @witA-tlena and withal a
good friend to his country. he received them.
kindly and treated them as we'll as he could
Having attended to their horses and given di-
rections for breakfast, he asked them to walk
with him to his hog-pen, hundred or a hundred
! and fifty steps from the house, and see his hogs
! that he had put mp fattenny for his winters
meat. Faddis and Crabtrce accepted the in
vtation; but Cummings thought he woud be
more comfortable by the fire; and as the female
part OF the family were out in the kitchen pre-
pairing breakfast, he left for the time being
to amuse himself with his own mcdtations on
the forthcoming breakfast Or anything else he
chose.
There living in the neighborhood,
two or three miles off, by the name of Jake
Bracken, who was Jealous royalist and was
always ready to improve any opportunity that .
occurred for aiding the cause of his master. He
had come over that morning either incidentally
or on an errand or, more probably, had been
sneaking about to see what discoveries he could
nrake. They all of them we'll and init
mately acquainted with Brackcn, had been
before such animosity existed between the
royalsts and the friends of liberty. Though
nnobservcd himself and perhaps had studiousy
kept himself out of view, he had been where he :.
saw the fox hunters when they arrived, and
could also perceive how many went to the hog
pen, and how many remained. Determined to
Improve the opportunity of doing something
that wonld recommend him to the royal favor
he entered the house very silly, and stepping
up softly to Cummings, who sitting with
his back towards the door and his face to the
fire apparently absorbed in his sage rchec-
| tions and not dreaming Of any danger, laid his
hand on his shoulder, and saying he did SO,
| YOU are my prisoner, sir, and You must come
along with me forthwith" Cummings, who was
Il man of i ready turn and very jocose Gispo-
sitIon, looked up at him. not at all disconnected,
and said to him with pleasant laugh, why
Jakr, you r7aD+ NO i>lz;.r, he~~~ had ray
breakfast yet, and l cannot go without that ~
! There was no time to be lost, and he replied
with an air of pOsitivcness which left no room
to doubt. No, William, you know me we'll
| enough not to indulge any such thought | am
! not joking but in good, solid earnest, and you
must come along at once without a moments
delay or hcsitation." very well" said Cum
mings, ''if | must 60, let us be off, and, so say.
ing, he brisky to his feet and started
along with him close behind; but rccollect-
ing at the lucky moment, that when he went
into the house, he had hung his hunting horn
to nail outside of the doorpost, and as he
stepped over the Threshold lie jerked that
down, and putting it to his mouth gave it IL
few blasts, to"fe, toetc ToorE which reused M
the hounds, from their slnmbers in the corners
OF the fence, and in minute, less, they all
| came ye ping around him, as much as to say
eve are at your service, sir, and would be
glad to have an opportunity of doing some
| thing right clever before go home" The
men at the hos-pen concluded from the sound
of the horn, SO earnest aud quickly repeated
| that there must be something in the wind and
they came with all possible expedition; but
when the dogs came up, expressing such hearty
/ good will to do the bidding of their master.
Jake, found himself in rather a "bad box" and
took ''to his scrapers," down the lane lie had
not gone many rods, however when Cummings
gave the hounds the signal, and the whole pack
took after him, opesng altogether if they
were within few Jumps of down fox,
and stimulated to the utmost of their speed by
the well-known voice of their master Mr. Cn,n-
mings always loved to tell this anecdoto especiaf-
ly when in company with his friends, or wheH
lie got in the spirit Of talking with one about
, Revolutionary times, and he would generally
add, that it the finest race he ever saw, ulr-
til Jake had to take tree at the end Of tho
, lane, where the dogs kept him as safe coonr
until the up. He was then taken
prisoner carricdrto l1ilsborough, II and lodged in
: Jail Without adopting the old Latin ma KIM.
that fortune favors the brave" we may say
that a kind Providence fayors the good, or
those who are heartily engaged i'll good cause
G and this important lesson may be read all
through the history of the revolutionary war,
t in characters too egible to be mistaken, and in
e the minutcst as we'll as in the most important
events.
: CosT OF PUBLIC WoRsHIp.-It is estimated
that the current expenses Of the churches OF Bes'
: ton will amount to $24O, 900 year. The valnc'
of the church estates is about - 600, 900. The
texpenscs of the different societies vary from
r ST 500 to So, 500 year The cost OF pnblle
l. worship in the churches occupied by the wealth.
icr portion of the citizens will average abort
: > 90 Sunday. The clergyman has salary
$ of SO 900, the music costs about 81 200 aRa
. the miscellaneous expenses will be from $ 04}O
to S 500 year.
81
Dr. Rush says that the exercise of the organs Of
the breast by singing, contributes to defend
I them very much from those diseases to which
the climate and, other causes expose them The
iGermans are seldom afflicted with consumption
. and shifting Of blood is almost unknown aimon,r