The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1881-12-01

"surely, I tho1ght. was not turned
back to l)ok at this f,rlorn animal; yet
what else Is there - see p
At this instant heard the barking of
a dog at some little distance in the rear
of the house. I went toward the sound.
At the back Of the large garden there
was sudden drclension Of the ground,
making shallow rsvine; a few peach
and pomegranite trees grew on the sides
of the little Valley, aud, further up be-
yond the garden fence, came the voice
# the dog. AsIheard the sound saw
a snail cabin made of rough boards, nei-
ther painted or whit5~washed The door
was closed; the window curtained with
calico.
Ireigned up in front Of the door and
called loud "Halloo." No answer came
but 1 heard a mufflsd sound, and the
smothered bark of the dog, small ter
rier, as if it had been suddenly seized and
choked into silence.
After one or two 'Halloos'' to no pur-
pose, I dismounted and knocked at het
door. Only dead silence within. shook
the door; it vas locked. I ran against it
with force; it flaw open.
One glance showed me three human
beings: the yellow woman I had seen the
day before, the chubby little girl, and an
old gray headed negro man; withered
and wriukled old man. This latter trem-
bled and almost fell to the floor, as be
looked at me. Had l been the very devil
he dreaded to meet in the future world,
he could have been no more frightened
He was covering in a chair by the one
small humble bed the cabin contained.
His knees knocked together; his hands
shook; he looked at me with his old
bleared eyes, with pitiable [ f,rt to TO
pitiate by humility.
"Massa mus 'scuse; de ole man never
heern his knock. Massa hab a cheer -
He gave me chair.
The child lay fast asleep on an old quilt
in corner, as rosy, as fresh, as happy
looking, as if no cruel war had wrecked
her home and robbed her of those she
most loved.
The yellow woman was in bed; her face
was grimmer and ghastlier than ever.
She raised herself on one elbow, ana
peered at me from under her eyebrows
with stern set look in her eyes, then
turned her face ID the wall as if the sight
she saw was! horrid and hateful to hen
soul.
SIS the woman sick?" Tlnq1ired.
BERRY sick, Massa. She say she done
for, sh3 do"
"W hat is the matter with herr"
Dunno, massa; de fire" he stopped
and looked as if he expected me to shoot
him for mentioning the fire.
"WeI, what happened at the fire? Did
she get burnt?'
'No, sab; not 'zactly bunt mIssa; b u
massa, but soTter weakened W:
see massa, sorter skeered. massa, an sor.
ter strained in de back trying to pull
him outen de house"
"Pull WHO out OF the houss?"
ode master, misses husban,' yes sab
You see bofe dem DOMAINS, de white an,
de black, war nigh bout outen de senses
De white CONAN, she kotch her husband
in her arms and hold on, and the fire IL
blazen on to de ruff of der house; de so
jers, dey didn't want to burn no live pus
son, so dey jes cotch up de white 'oomal
and drag her out in der yard, an aole OF
to her, and she a begging on 'em to le
her go to herman; den comes along Fan
ny whar was de nuss Of miss's when sh
war baby, and she sees her mistis
breaAin of her heart becase her husban'
copse was agwine for to be buut up in d
house; so she say ''Neber mind, honey
yer ole nanny II go in an fetch out mas
ter's body" an she ies run in fro de d.
down de hall. and de ruff all in blaze
when the sojers see her sorter grow fain
an gin out in de knees like as if d
smoke, or de heat war too much for he,
so dey Jus run forrerd, and tar her QUITE
de house for to save her life; yes, sab, d
sojers did'n seem to go in fer burnin u
no
Here a SILVER, a sort of conyulsiv
movem eretadotiagd yb the wo
man IN The old man stoppe
in his narrative to speak to her:
Bar, up, sister Fanny, bar up. De
good Lord II help you bar up" he sal
piously.
"What became Oh the mistress?" I ask
ed, after the woman was more composed
He shook his head, his gray old head
from side to side, and looked at me witt
tears in hisL.eared old eyes for a minut
before speaking. Although grotesque b
was pathetic. Painful sasplcions fashe,
over my mind as to the fate of the whit
woman; suspicious of personal violence
outrage. done by brutal and enraged sol
diers.
Another CONFUSION OF the body unde
the bed clothes.
Gin yer self up to de Lord, siste
Francis" entreated the old man, layin
his hand on the woman's shoulder. III
will pervide.'
"Will you not tell me where is tn
child's mother" 1 again asked.
The child at this instant walked, an,
sat up on the floor, and looked smilingl
around.
"Me want mama; me do to mama
house."
At the sound of the child's voice, tn
old woman. raising herself up, and open
ing her arms as if inviting the little on
to her breast, looked at it, affection ant
despair in her eyes.
"Bar up, sister Frances, bar up; d,
Lord will help YOU" murmured the oil,
man, as he lifted the child upon the bed