The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1862-06-05

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from sight down the road. When he
turned TO go back in the shop, he was
met by the fugitive, who, grasping his
hand exclaimed:
sob how shall | ever be able to
thank you, Mr.. Bradley ?"
"This is no time for thanks, Mr.. Pc
ters, unless it is to the Lord; you must
fly the country, and that at once"
"But my wife and children"
"Mattie and / will tend to them.
But you must go tonight"
"To-night?"
| "Yes. In the morning, if not soon
err, they will return with large force,
and carry you off, and probably hang
you on the first tree. You must leave
Tonight"
"But how ?''
"Mattie will conduct you to the rem.
devious of our friends. There is a
party made up who intend to cross the
mountains and join'the Union forces in
Kentucky. They were to start to-
night. They have provisions for the
journey and will gladly share with
you."
At this moment young girl opened
the shop and hurriedly said.
"Fa:her, what is the trouble to-
night?"
Her eye resting upon the fugitive,
she approach him, and in sympathiz.
ing tone, continued
"Ah, Mr. Peters, has your turn come
so soon % 1870
This was Matte. She was a fine
rosy girl, passed her eighteenth birth
day, and the sole daughter of Bradley's
house and heart. She was his all-his
wife had been dead five years. He
turned toward her, and in a mild but
firm tone said:
"Mattie, you must conduct Mr.. Pc
ters to the rendezvous Immediately
then return, and we will call at the
parsonage to cheer his family. Quick!
No time is to be lost. The blood
hounds are on the track. They have
scented their prey and will not rest un-
til they have secured it. They may re-
turn much sooner than we expect. So
haste, daughter, and God bless you."
This was not the first time that Mat
tie had been called upon to perform
such an office. She had safely Gen.
ductcd several Union men, who had
been hunted from their homes and
sought shelter with her father, to the
place designated, from whence The,
made their escape across the noun.
tains into Kentucky. Turning to the
fugitive, she said:
"Come, Mr.. Peters, do not stand
upon ceremony, but follow me-"
She left the shop and proceeded but
short distance up the road, and turned
off in by path through strip of
woods, closely followed by the fugitive
A brisk walk Of half an hour brought
them to small house that stood alone
in secluded spot. Here Matte was
received with a warm welcome by seve
raj men, some of whom were engaged
i'll running bullets; while others were
cleaning their rifles and fowling pieces.
The lady Of the house, hale woman
of forty, was busy stuffing the wallets
Of the men with biscuits. The fugi-
tive, who was known to two or three
of the party, was received in bluff,
frank spirit of kindness by all, saying
that they would make him chaplain of
the Tennessee Union regiment when
they got to Kentucky.
When Matte was about to return
home, two of the party prepared to ac
company her, but she protested, warn
ing them of the danger, as the enemy
were doubtless in search of the minis
ter. But Notwithstanding, they insis-
ted, and accompanied her until she
reach the road short distance above
her fathers shop.
Matte hurried on, but was somewhat
surprised on reaching the shopt to find it
vacant. She hastened into the house
but her father was not there. AS she
returned to go into the shop she
thought she could hear the noise of
horses hoofs gathering down the road.
She listened, but the sound died away.
Going into the shop she blew the the
fire into blaze !; then beheld that the
things were in great confusion, and
that spots of blood were upon the
ground. She was now convinced that
her father had been seized and carried
off, but not without desperate strug
gle OH his part.
As Matte stood gazing at the pools
of blood, wagon containing two per-
sons drove up, one of whom, an athlet-
ic young man of five aud twenty years,
got out and entered the shop.
"Good evening, Matte Where is
your father" he said. H
Then observing the strange demean-
or of the girl, he continued, Il
"Why, Matte, what ails you? What
has happened?'' p ,,st., s.a
The Young girls heart was too full
for her tongue to give utterance, and
throwing herself upon the shoulder of
the young man, she sobbingly ex-
claimed af..ss e
"They have carried him off! Don't
you see the blood I? l3 s.
"Hlave they dared to lay hands upon
your father? The internal wrstches!'
Matte recovered herself sufficiently
to narraic the events of the evening.
When she had finished, he exclaimed:
"Oh, that should have lived to see
the day that old Tennessee was to be
TINS disrraccd! Here Joe -