Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1867-03-21
WOODSTOCK, VIRGINIA, MARCH 81, 1867.

drew everything inside the curtains, and
lay down to sleep.
We had fallen asleep but shortly, when
We were awakened by loud and confused
noise outside the hut, which we soon re-
cognised to be the voices of number of
men. Stamping and swearing, they rush
ed in, seized hold of small table at the
foot of the bed, and placing it in the mid
die of the floor, they began emptying out
great sums of money upon it, which, or
the parting thereof, appeared to form the
matter of their dispute. As it now sufi-
GENTLY appeared to me and my friend that
these rufians were no other than highway
robbers, and that it was in their bed we
were now lying, we were driven to the
extremity of despair, not knowing what to
do. AS soon as discovered, we could ex-
pect nothing at the hands Of these bloody
and lawless men but certain death; if we
dared move, we were discovered; and If we
remained as we were, there was hardly a
chance that we should eventually escape
observation. Being almost afraid to breathe
and nearly stupefed with the squabbling
and swearing of the ruffians, at length,
in the courage Of despair, whispered in the
ear of the black man these words:
"My dear friend, God is always good,
and helps us in our time of need; have
faith, and do this. seeing tina: God has gil
ven you a skin differing so much from the
people of this country, you will seize my
stick, and rise up naked in your black
skin the first time they mention the name
of the devil, and rushing up to them cry
out: "Wbat in my name is that you do ?"
Then, waiting his opportunity, which
was not long coming, the black man,
springing from the folds of the curtains,
and rolling up his eyes, and showing his
great jaws, roared out in Gaelic the words
I gave him. The lucky idea brought the
desired result The black no sooner APP
peared in his satanic character than the
villains scampered like so many scared
sheep.
After fervent praise be to God !" we
began dressing as quickly as possible for
our departure 'for." said [, F'though we
are perhaps safer here than we can be an
ywhere else, the villains being so supersti-
tious that they will not venture within
some miles of the place before daylight,
yet, with the sfrst break Of day they will
be sure to return to see after their money;
and if then found in the neighborhood we
shall fare ill indeed" We next gathered
up and secured the money for the purpose
of having it restored to those who might
claim it. Much Of it was paper, and it a.
mounted to a great sum; and [ wondered
how such an amount Of money could have
come within the reach of robbers in that
part of the country. We equipped our
selves, moreover, with two of the lanterns
which the robbers had left behind in their
fright, and having got our horses, we were
ready to start The black then proposed
to burn the hut, and, suiting the action to
the word, he thust a burning peat into the
wall, and fared wisp of burning straw
over the roof; and we soon had blaze,
which, the black said, would let us see
how to set out on our way. as it had guild
ed us on it. The night was very dark.
there being no moon, and the sky overcast
with clouds. and we had no sign to guide
us but the wind on our cheeks. We were
not, indeed, without apprehension that we
might fall in with some one of the scared
bandits, but the black said he was prepar-
cd to meet them all again We continued
our march for many hours, wiebout sight
or sound of anything to realize our appre-
tensions, until we got into a more open
part of the country We then expected
that we should soon either reach the high
road or some human habitation. and were
beginning to assure ourselves that we had
now got clear of the enemy, when both
our horses gave loud snort, pulled back
and snuf6ng air, were eager to plunge a.
way in new direction.
| We stopped and called for any one to
answer us. Then receiving no reply, we
dismounted, and resolved to know what
was before us and the black saying he
was the fttest man to meet anybody, took
bis lantern and went to search. He had not
far to go, when he stumbled on white
figure lying on the ground, and bringing
his lantern over it, he saw it was man
stripped of everything but his undercloth-
ing /; and laying his hand upon his body,
he found the man was dead, and looking
at the face, he saw it was his master. The
black then raised howl of anguish, and
threw himself on his knees, and began beat
ing his breast and crying and sobbing as
if his heart was struggling to burst, and
it was long before [ could draw his atten-
ton to hear that was speaking, and to
answer my questions, put for the hun
dredth time At last the matter was ex-
planned, and the black coming to guard
the frightened horses, went to look at the
body, and making minute examination,
stupe6ed the poor black by crying out that
[ believed his master was not dead The
poor slave SO far forgot himself that he let
the horses 60, and ran up to his master to
be assured that he was not really dead. If
We only had brandy or whiskey.' said |.
Il think he would revive" Then the
black, saying he had brandy at his sad