The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1878-12-20

none of them seemed TO notice Der or her
burdens The last horse had been carried
off that very day there WAS no escape but
OH foot.
Suddenly a ball came crashing by them
through the trees. Then n charge of
grape shot cut The trees overhead. They
were exacIly in the range of .he guns 1t
was evident that they had taken the worst
direction but there was no help for il now;
II was too late to turn back la her agony
the mother cried aloud un God to protect
her family. Mary hugged closer the child
in her arms, aud tIembled SO that she could
hardly keep mp. Another crash The
shot shreked past them, striking the trees
in every direction. The assault was fierce,
the roar incessant. The fiigh ened family
rushed ON swiftly as possible toward Il
friends plautat ion, tar back from the shore;
but it was soou seen that they would not
have strength Ia reach it, even if they were
not struck down bv the flying sho,. The
Americans were pouring their fire into
these woods, thinking the enemy would
take refuge there and the wIetched fugi-
tiveS expected every momeutJ IL be the last.
On they pushed through mud, ain aud shot.
Soon they found they were getting more
! out of the range of tie guns. They began
! To hope yet and then a ball tore up
| the tIet-S around thcm rolled leaIfuily
/ across their path. They reached one uf
! uo one hurt; d; they wers over Il mile from
the mansion and out of range, The negioes
/ said no shot had come That way. Unable
! to flee further, the family determined To
! stop here. A. soon they entered, Mrs.
! Gihbcs felt her strength leaving hef, and
| sank upon low bed, Chilled To the bone
| drenched, trembling with terror, aud ex-
hausted, the family gathered around her.
She opened her eyes aud looked about her.
She sprang up wildly.
30 Mary - she cried, ''where is Jphn?"
The little giil turned pale, and mOaned-
90 mother, mother, he's lett
She broke into crying. The negroes,
! quickly sympathetic, began To wiring their
| hands aud vail
Silence - said Mr. GibbeS, with stern
but trembling vDIce.
The teaIS were in his own eyes. The
! little child now missing was very dear TO
! them all, and, mOIeover, was deemed a
sacred charge, aS he was one of the orphan
! children of Mr.. Gibbes' sister, eutIuS ed to
| him on her death bed. The WaIlIng ceased; !;
/ there was silence, broken only by subs
/ then th master asked
"Who is willing tn go back for the child?'
! No one spoke. Mr., GIbbes turned To bis
/ wife for counsel A. the two talked in low
! tones Mrs. Gibbes called her husband 5 at
/ tentIon To Mary, who was kueelug, With
hands Clasped IN prayer, at the foot of the
| bed. In a moment ;be little maid arose
and came 20 them, saying calmly
Mother, | must go back alter baby"
80. my child = c,Ied the mother III ag-
/ ony, Il cannot let YOU
But, mother, | must" pleaded Mary.
/ God will care tor me.
/ 1t was a fearful responsibility. The
/ guns yet roared constantly through the
! dan knesS the house might nov be in
/ flames 1t might now be filled with carnage
D Y u i
/ husband. His face was buried in his hands.
Plainly she must decide il herself. With
/ streaming eyes she luoked at Mary.
Come here, my child" she called thro'
her tears.
Mary fell upon her mother neck One
! long, passionate embrace, in which all a
/ mothers love and devotion were poured
! ont, and the clnging arms we've opened
/ without IA word. Mary sprapg up. kissed
her fathers forehead and sped forth on
her dangerous mission of love.
The rain had now ceased, but the night
| was still daI k aud full Of terror, for through II
the trees she saw the frequent tiIshes of
the great guns. The woods were filled
with the booming echoes, 50 that Il cannon
/ seemed to be un every hand. She flew ON
with all speed. Soon she heard the crash
ing trees ahead, and knew that in mo
meut she would he face To face with death.
She did not falier. Now she was again in
The fierce whirlwind. All around her :he
shot hna led and slrieked on every side
branches fell crashing To the eaIth. \
cannon ball plunged into the earth close
beside her, cast over her a heap of mud.
and threw her down. She Spraug mp aud
pressed on with IedOubled vigor. MOI even
that ball could make her turn back
She reached the house aud ran to the
room where the lIttle child usually sleut
The bed was empty! Distracted. she tie "
from chamber To chamber. Suddenly she
remembered that this night be had been
gwen to another muse. Up into The third
story she hurried. aud. as she pushed open
the door, the little fellow, sitting up in be,
coOed to her ana put out his hands.
With the teats raining down her cheeks,
! Mary wrapped the babe warmly and start
ec down stains. Out into the dan Huess
once more o1waId With heI piecinus bur.
den, through cannon roar, through siU'
aud shell Three times she passed ;hrougl Il
this iron storm. The balls still swept the
all. With the child pressed closely To hei
brave young heart, she fled on. She neith
~ stumbled nor fell The shot threw dirt
! in hpr face and showeTed the twigs down
! upon her head, but she was not struck ia
safety she reached the bur, and fell ex
hausied across the Threshold.
Aud the little boy thus saved, by girls
brave devotion. aftcrward became Genera
| Fenwick, famous in tue war of 1872.