Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1878-09-18
SHENANDOAH HERALD
cans were pouring their Gre into these
woods, thinking the enemy would seek
...f..-.o 49, IT, a,.~&abo1 f,o<;t,uas

expected every moment to be the last.
On they pushed through mud and rain
and screaming shot.
Soon they found they were getting
more out of the range Of the guns. They
began to hope: yet now and then ball
tore the trees around them, or rolled
fearfully acress their path. They reach
ed one of the houses where their field
hands lived, with no one hurt: they
were over a mile from the mansion, and
out of range. Unable to flee further,
the family determined tostop here. AS
soon as they entered, Mrs. Gibbes felt
her strength leaving her, and sank up
on low bed. Chilled 10 the bone,
crenched, trembling with terror and ex-
haustion, the family gathered around
her. She opened her eyes and looked
about. She sprang up wildly.
"Oh, Maryv" she cried, "where is
John %
The little girl turned pale, and moan
ed: "Oh, mother! he's LETT" She
broke into crying. The servants, quick
ly sympathetic, began to wiring their
hands and wall.
"Silence 20 said Air. Gibbes, with
stern but trembling voice. The tears
were in his own eyes. The little child
now missing was very dear to them all
and. moreover, was deemed a sacred
charge. as he wrs one Of the orphan
children Of Mr.. Gibbes's sister, intrust'
ed to him on her death-bed.
The wailing ceased; there was silence,
broken only by sobs, and the master
asked:
WHO'S willing to go back for the
child?"
No one spoke. Mr.. Gibbes turned TO
his wife for counsel. AS the two talked
in low tones, Mrs. Gibbes called her
husbands attention to Mary, who was
kneeling with clasped hands, in prayer
at the foot Of the bed. In a momenr
,ho LITTLE maid rose and came to them,
saying, camliy:
"Nlother,I I must 60 back after baby"
"Oh. my child" cried the neither IN
laf van ",
"But, mother 1 must" pleaded Mary
"God will care for me-"
II was fearful responsibility. The
guns yet roared constantly through tne
darkness; the house might now be :"
flames 1t it might be illed with carnage
and blood. Mr.. Glbbes turned to her
husband. His face was buried in his
hands. Plainly, she must decide 1t her
self. With streaming eyes, she locked
at Mary.
Come here, my child" she called
through her sobs. Mary fell upon her
mothers neck. One long, passionate
emnrace in which all mothers love and
devotion were poured out,and the cling
inc arms were opened without a word
Mary spraug up, kissed her fathers lore
head, and sped forth on her dangerous
mission oflove.
The rain had now ceased, but. the
night was still dark and full OF terrers'
for through the trees she saw the RE-
ouent flashes ofgreat guns. The woods
were filed with the booming echoes
so that cannon seemed to be on! every
hand. She flew on with all speed. Soon
she heard the crashing trees ahead, ana
knew that in a moment she would be
once more face toface with death. She
did not falter. Now she was again IN
in the fierce whirlwind! Allaround her
the shot howled and shrieked. On ev-
cry side branches fell crashing to the
earth. A cannon-ball plunged into the
ground close beside her, cast oyer hera
lheao of mud, and threw her down. She
sprang up and pressed on with redouo-
led vlgor. Not even that ball could
make her turn back.
She reached the house. She ran to
the rsom where tae little child usually
slept.
The bed was empty! Distracted she
fed from chamber to chamber. Sudden
llv she remembered that this night he
had been given to another nurse. Up
into the third story she hurried, and, as
| she pushed the door, the little fellow
sitting up IN bed, cooed to her and put
out his hands.
With the tears running down her
cheeks. Mary wrapped the babe warm
" rnd started down the stairs. Out III
10 the darkness once more; onward with
her precious burden, through cannon
roar, through shot and she'll! Three
times she passed through the iron storm,
The balls still swept the forest ; the
terrific booming filed the air.
With the child pressed tightly to her
brave young heart, she fled on. She
neither stumbled nor fell. The shot
threw the dirt in her face, and shower
ed the tVigs down On head. But she
I was net struck. In safety she reached
, the hut, and fell exhausted acrsss the
!, threshold.
i And the little boy thus saved by q
e GIRLS brave devotion, afterward.. became
r Gen. Fenwick, famous IN the war o
: 1912.
+ A farmer recently boush horse by
photograph. thus literally getting th'
y carte before the horse.
/. Edgar Fawcett wishes that "mal
Ie could love like bird" He does, Ed
- L. Iooa l;la a onooa