The Panola star. ([Panola] Panola County, Miss.) 1856-1857, 1856-10-08


boisterous tones for admission. 1t
was just candle light. The clang of
their "steel-girt tread" struck fear in =
to more than one heart, in that spa
cious dwelling and, when the leader
of the marauders, with some four or
five soldiers, entered the parlor where
Bessie, and Mrs. S0mers, the house
keeper, were, they found them sur
rounded. by a perfect shral of woolly
heads. while the squeals and exclama-
ti6ns, from their alnl0st white lips,
made even the stout British recoil.
But, above. and through all, in dis
tinctness, came the mellow voice of
the young heroine, like the clear, ring
ing tones of a silver trumpet:
"What come you here for at this
time of night! Surely it was brave
sally to make ON two females, and
some few negroes ~ Her matchless
beauty-her ~unexampled bearing
struck chord of respectful admira-
ton in the rude breasts of those rough
men; and, their officer, respectfully
dofing his cap, made an apology, as
he stated Lord Corvallis orders to
supply themselves with horses for the
service of King George.
"My uncle is not at home, and were
he, / am sure he would never, by his
own will, give to you his steeds for
your King. 1 re-echo the sentiment.
But | am aware It's useless. /, how
ever, beg from your courtesy as. sol
diers, you will spare, at least my un-
cle's favorite horse, whom it will dis
tress us all to part from. Excuse me,
if I also beg, as personal favor, you
will rid the house, as soon as possible,
of guests as unwelcome as they are
unbidden. Cato"-she said, turning
to an old seryant-"go with them and
serve such refreshments as they wish,
for it's Wan to resist" No Cato,
| however, responded to the call, for
when he found that he was about to
be sent with these formidable visitors
he had lodged under the table, in
great bodily fear, and for the first
time Bessie found them mutinous, and
ill-disposed to do her bidding.
"What!" she epeated-"will none
of you obey me? Then l must even
go myself, and perform disagreeable
task, from which you could save me,
but will not"
| But the chorus of yells, and excla-
nations of have mercy, oh Lud |"
| again arose and Bessie was grasped
| by more than one pair of dusky paws,
to prevent her going. Dinah, Cato's
| better-half, turned in anger also,
against "that cowardly Niger" as she
called him, enforcing her commands
for him to 60, by saying-''the Lord,
he knows you had better mind young
missus; for me, old mass, and massa
/ Gerald, all three Of US, will sartinly
kill you if you doesn't" At this
speech, more powerful than even his
young mishess' commands, up rose
Cato, all trembling from under the ta-
bic, and with ehattering teeth, slut
tered forth:
| mo, no, little missus, for the dear
Lords sake, you mustn't think of gwine.
What, sure nuff, would old massa and
young massa say to us niggers, if we
| let you go. They can kill the old mig
ger for true, but. better die for young
missus."
/ He grasped with one hand the prof
| fered keys, and with the other, essay
ed to catch by the arm his old woman,
to bear him company in his misery !;
she, however, had no idea of it, tho
she pushed him forward on his unwil-
ling mission. The soldiers cast more
| than one look of admiration on the
brave girl who thus bade them def
ance; and, with all respect, too, did
they politely bow themselves from her
presence. Bessie's voice again sound
ed on their ears, as she told Cato "to
remember Tarquim."
| The sounds of revery gradually
died away in the house; and Bessie
had almost succeeded in quieting the
| frightened negroes, who still clung too
closely around her. Half an hour la
ter, old Cato rushed, as fast as his
/ legs would bear him into the room