Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1864-03-04
Mrs. Stackridge !? said they in heavy Teu

lying W Hiue tue Suiity oashct Hnu pau Oe
hind her skirts. What do you want Of Mis-
Stackridge?'
One Of the strangers said to the other ii
German, indicating the plunder, This is III,
woman. She is getting provisions ready I,
send to her husband in the mountains.'
Let us see what there is good to eat sale
tho other
Mrs. Sprowl, although understanding n,
word that was spoken, perceived the borrow
ed property formed the theme of their rc
marks. Have some she fastened to say
with extreme politencss, as the Germans ap
preached the provisions.
Thank ye,' said they, finding some breat
and cold meat. And they ate with appetite
exchanging glances, and grunling with salts
faction. -. 5000
%, take all you want said the widow
lou'rc welcome to anything there is in th,
ho,fse, Im sure adding within herself, q
am so glad these soldiers have come! Now
whateveris missing viii be laid to them
You de lady of dc house p said the for
eigners, munchng.
Yes, help yourselves ! smiled the hospi
tsble widow ........
You Mrs. Stackridgc?' they inquired
more particularly.
Yes; take anything you like, replied tn,
widow. ..
Where your husband?'
My husband my poor dear husband he
has been dead these She checked her
self, remembering that the soldiers took hel
for Mrs. Stackridge. If she undecuived then
then they would know she had been stealing
Dead2 The Germans shook their head,
and smiled. No lie was here last night
lie was seen. You take desc tings to him uy
in de mountain
Would you like some cheese p said tn,
embarrassed widow.
Tank ye. Dis is better as rations.
Mrs. Sprowl returned to tho pantry, in or
der to replace the provisions she had so gen
erously given away, and prepared to depar
with the basket and pail; inviting the guests
repeatedly to make themselves quite at home
and take whatever they could find.
Wait said they. Each had knee OF
the floor, end one hand full Of bread anC
cheese. They looked up at her with broad
complacent unctuous faces, smiling, yet res
olute. And one, with his unoccupicd hand
laid hold of the handle of the basket, Will,
the other detained the pail. You will tel
us where is your husband said they.
%, dea: me, | don't know! I'm a poCi
lone woman, and where my husband is can
consaive, I'm sure u....
You will tell us where is your husband,
repeated the men; and one of them, gottn.
upon his feet, stood before her at the door.
He's on the mountain somewhars. 7 dom
know whar, and don't keer,' cried the wild
ow, excited. There was something in Tia,
stolii, determined looks Of the brothers sh,
did not like. He's a bad man, Mr.. Stack
ridge is I'm seccssionist myself You ar,
welcome to everything in the house-onl,
lot me go now.'
You will not 60, said the soldier at th.
door, ill you tell US. We come rJr dat
On entering, they had placed their mu ket
in the corner. The speaker took them, anc
handed one to his comrade. And now the
widow observed that out of the muzzle o
each protrudea the bait end Of small COW
hide. Each soldier held his gun ut his side
and laying hold of the said butt end, drew
out the long taper belly and dangling lash o
tho whip, like black snake by the neck.
The widow screamed. IT'S all mistake
Let me 60, amt Mis- Stackridge!'
! Nothing so natural as tlrat the wife Of III,
notorious Unionist should deny her identil
at sight OF the whips. The soldiers LOOKED
at each other, muttercd something in Ger
man, smiled, and replaced their muslets in
the corner. ~" '.
You tell us where is your husband, OF
else we whip you. Dat is our orders This
they said in low tones, with mild looks and
with calmness which was rrightful The
widow saw that she had 10 do with men who
obeyed orders literally, and knew no mercy
i hain't got no husband. | amt Mis-
Stackridgc I'm poor lone wdder, that
jest came over here to borry few things
and that's ALL
We unterstan. You say shust now you
are Mrs. Stackridge. Now you say not. Dat
make no difruns. We know. You tell us
where is your husband, or We string You up,
This speech was pronounced by both the Cor.
oigners, a sentence by each, alternately. AT
the conclusion ono drew strong cord from
his pocket while the Other loked with sat,s
faction at certain hooks in the plasteripp
overhead, designed originally for tho support
OF kitchen pole, but now destined for an,
other use. .ss0 -rEeea Gafm. ts..# .u.
Don't you dast to tech me = screamed the
false Mrs. Stackrdge. Pm a secessionist
myself, that hates the Union sbriekers wtIs'n
you do, and I've got a son that's q captinr,
and poor lone widder at that!' =.
Dat We don't know. What we know is,
you tell US what we say, or we whip YOU
OATS Captain Shprowrs orders
Captain Sprowl that's my son my own
sonl If he sent you, then it's all right!'
So we tink. All right And the sol.
diers, sezng her, tied her thumbs as Lysan.
der had taught them, passed the cords over
the hook as they had passed the clo,hes.ne
over the cross. beam tho night before, and
drew the shricking womans hands above her
head, precisely as they had hauled up Tob's.
They then turned her skirts up over her head
and fastened them. This also they had been
instructed to do by Lysander. II was, you
viii say, shameful for this woman was free
and white. Had she been slave. with q
different complexion, although perhaps quite
as white, would it have been any the less
shameful 4? Answer, ye believers in the di-
vine rights Of slave masters!
Now you viii tell2' said the pllegmatlc
Teutons, measuring out their whips.
Go for my son! My son is Cap.ing
Sprowl! gasped the stfled and terror strick
en- widow.
Dat trick won't do. You speak, or we
shtrike.' . 20
II Is true; It is true am Mrs. Sprowl
and my husband is dead, and my son is Cap.
ting Sprowl, and a poor lone widder that if
you strike her single blow he'll have you
took and hung
II he is your son, den by your own sons
orders we whip you. lie will not hang us
Tor dat. You will not tell Den we give you
ten LASH
Blow upon blow, shrek upon shrek, fol
lowed. The soldiers counted the strokes
aloud. deliberately, conscientiously, as they
gave them, Vun, two, tree &c, up to ten.
There they stopped. But the screams did not
stop. This punishment, which it was sport
TO Iniiict upon faithful old negro, which it
would have been such good joke to have
bestowed upon the wife of a staunch Union
ist. was no sport, no joke, but altogether
tragic affair to thy mother, O, Lysander |!
Then she who had 50 often ,r;ebaa ,h,t H.