The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1875-10-27

word to kill 1t sight, and started for the
cellar. I laid myself as fat as could
be, and turned my face toward the wall,
for knew my face was thinnest from ear
to ear. The light came to the door. ,~
u II tell you, brethren, Ijust quit living.
You have heard it said that when q man
is drowning all his past life comes up be.
fore him. .'*
The speakers voice trcmbled his eyes
became suffnsed, and his whole frame
shook with suppressed emotion as he
continued: * stood then before the
judgement seat. l was dead man. My
heart ceased to beat. I already stood be-
fore tie Judge. Brethren, what could l
do, but trust myself to the Lord.
'';he man who carried the light was
tall, and provident;ally stopped 50 low in
entering the cellar, that the light shin
ing against the bank of earth, threw
shadow over me. They searched the GEL
lar, but did not find me, and went back
upstairs. My wife sfterward told me
that when the men went down the cellar,
she took her babe and went into the par
lor, and stood there holding her hand
against one ear, and her babe against the
other, expecting every moment to hear
the report of the revolvcrs in the cellar,
announcing the death of her husband, -
''The soldiers set fire to the house in
several places. and leaving one Of their
number to prevent the wife from putting
it out, departed. The man seemed to be
touched with pity, and told her if she
wanted to save some furniture he would
help her. My wife thinks that holding
the baby in his arms had touched his
heart. She pleaded with him that if he
had any consideration for her or her
helpless children, to leave the house and
let her put out the fire. He consented
and left
MY wife then came to me and ask
ed Inc was all right between me and God.
L AIN afraid they will come back and kill
you yet, and it will be the greatest com:
fort to know that you felt prepared to die.
81 told her felt prepared to die.
''Telling me to pray she left me. 1t
was not long before another party OF
Quantrell's men came, and in drunken
tones.--for the marauders had become ill.,
toxicated by this tjme---demanded whcth.
er was in the house.
"'Do you suppose said my wife conf
IDENTIFY that he would stay here, and you
shooting and burning all over the town.
No; he left this morning as soon as the
firing commenced, and unless some of
you have shot and killed him outside, he
is safe. Some Of your men were here
this morning and searched the house.
However you may look for yourselves.
''ln this she bluffed them. They set
! fire to the house, and left one, who drew
his revolver on my wife, and said he
would kill her if she tried to put it out.
He stayed till the house was so far con
sumed that there was no possible chance
of saving it. My wife pulled up car
pet, and, l., taking it to the yard, drop.
ped it accidently by the door.
MY wife was afraid, and so was I. thai
l would be burned alive, for had M
thought of doing anything but what my
wife told me. The floor was on fire al
most over me, and the flames were creep
ing nearer. My wife stood and threw
water, pail after pail, on the floor, ant
was, doing this when a neighbor, Cath
olic woman, came and said why, Mrs
Fisher, what are you doing? What gooe
it will be to save that floor? Beside;
you can't save it,
'I don't care what good It will do,
replied my wife, 4 am going to keep OF
wetting that foor.'
But finally. when she saw she coult
not save it, she asked the neigh bo,
whether she could keep secret. Sht
then swore by the Virgin Mary never t.
reveal it.
"'Well, them said my wife, my hus
band is under that floor
"rhe soldiers were still everywhere
shooting and burning, and the air was
filed with the shrieks Of wounded anc
| dying men, the wailing Of widows and or
phans. and the sound of falling buildings
My wife then called me to come out ant
threw a dress over my shoulder. Tn.
two women picked up the carpet, and
crawled under it between them, ana 81
we three proceeded to small bush abou
four feet high out in the yard.
"There my wife saw four soldiers ready
to fire. They were not hundred yards
off. Then, for the first time, the poo
woman dispaired. A pang then shot t.
her heart, and she gave up all for lost
Nevertheless, SUNK under the bush, an
they threw the carpet over me.
"Save the chairs' cried my wife; an
they rushed to where the chairs were
piled, close to the burning building, AM
ran with them and flung them carelessl!
upon me. and piled up all that was save
of our household goods about me. TIL
soldiers thought the pile only a 10
of household furniture, and left it unmo
Tested.