The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1882-09-01

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and barred from every window.
Houses were thrown open to chance
guests in gray, and rs few had time to
enter. the gateways were crowded with
children. Matrons and maids. laugh
ing. weeping. shaking hands. asking u
thousand questions. stopped only to re-
gale their friends with the delicacies
most enjoyed by these sons of chivalry
| -buttermilk and onions.
Toward the middle Of the day the
foundry buildings and the old school
house were fired. These held army
stores that could not be taken away
delicate eatables for the hospital. boxes
OF medicine, barrels of flour. coffee. su-
gar, tea. whisky. brandy and wine; so
it was determined To destroy them,
rather than leave them for the benefit
of the enemy.
The people of Holly Springs had
known by this time what is was to sui
fer actual want, and they could but feel
a pang on seeing the fire lick up what
would have been ife-blOOd to so many.
The black population found it too much
to endure, and for once, taking the
initiative. they set an example, follow
| ed by all who had strength for the VEN
ture; and so they hurried from all parts
of the town with wheelbarrows, bags
and baskets, and rushed. as it seemed,
iuto the very heart of the flames. They
would come back laden with whatever
came nearest to hand. and perhaps
some angel of the Odd watched over
them. for not life was lost during their
perilous work.
Tobey and his father had their share
| in all the excitement. Uncle Jim skip
ped around in his white trousers like
patriot on an electric machine. and
shouted, ..Hooray for Van DORM loud
er than anybody; and when the robbing
or saving of the foundry stores began
he was in his element He went halves
with u man in town who owned a GO
cart, and together they worked like
Troians.
Tobey soon escaped from his fathers
eve. spurred on by his own ambition.
He knew that firearms were stored
somewhere in the building, and he de-
| termined to tit himself out in u way to
strike terror to the heart of every other
boy in the village. He ran up stairs,
through the smoke curled about him
little daSgers of flame were striking
with wavering menace at the steps.
Running through passage he tried to
dash into a room where he fancied he
should find what he sought. but the
door was locked. Daunted for an in
slant, he looked about him wondering
what to do. At this instant the thumb
erous explosion of the powder shook the
building with frightful violence. Tobey
fell, stunned, deafened and frightened
half to death. When he picked himself
up he saw that window leading into
the locked room was shattered into
fragments, and, with a spirit worthy Of
blue blood, he jumped through.
1t was the paymasier's room. Some
one had evidently left in 4 hurry, some
one who had tried to save the money
just received for payday, as the chests
were open and their contents partly
gone; some one who had remembered
to lock the door as he fled.
Tobey was greatly disappointed.
What stupid thing to find nothing but
boxes filled with green pictures, and
net. The little boy had never handled
any money, never seen any, might
almost say. The crisp, new bills look
ed pretty, and with q sudden remem-
brance of his mammy's fondness for
FASTING pictures on the cabin walls,
Tobey thrust 4 handful into each pocket
| and stuffed out the bosom of his flannel
shirt with as many rs it would hold.
| When positively driven out by the heat,
| he bounded down the stairs, the last
living being to leave the doomed struct-
ure. and worth much more than when
| he entered it,
As night fell, Van Dorm golloped out
of Holly Springs as hurriedly as he had
entered. The town grew quiet, the peo-
| pie dispersed to their homes. Aunt
Betsey at her prayers, as have said,
was surprised by the return of the
wanderers, 10Th in state of radiant
| Joy. Aunt Betsey heard their account
of the day with many comments of
wonder; but when full coffee sack WAS
thrown down beside her she merely
folded her hands and said. "Bress de
Lordv' And who wouldn't have said
the same thing who for two years had
been drinking coffee made Of goober
peas and sweet potatoes!
They Toasted royalty that night, and
when supper was over Jim climbed the
magnolia tree and tied the sack of COT
fee securely to its branches; the bag of
flour he hid under the house, and into
every rabbit hole in the mound he pack
ed can of fruit.
What is you up to now, JimP" said
Aunt Bctsey.
Never you mind, old 'ooman, tain't
no fool head on dis nigger's shoulders. ="
In fact, Mr.. Kinkle'a wits seemed
preternaturally sharpened; and the
event proved his wisdom. The next day
Grants army came pouring into Holly
Springs, and men were detailed to
search every house in town for stores
that might have been saved.
They called on the Kinkle family.
Jim met them at the door, a clay pipe
in his mouth, his trowers blue, his senti-
ments loyal.
me got anything. gen'lemenp" he
said, in a tone of great surprise. "Why,
lor! was sick in bed with the rheuma-
tiz all day, an wouldn't a-been able ter
hav' acted like dem harem-scarem mig
gers in town Of had a-wanted to. To-
l Dcy ucEc, nc "eut III, al oOLuCOouJ Siu
him an ole powder flask, an can o
pineapple. We done eat dc pineapple
las night; but know Mr., Lincoln
wouldn't begrudge dat much ter a good
Union niger like me-"
| This elOquence was not convincing,
and the soldiers made a pretty good
search. But they did not think Of look
ing under the house, nor up the trees,
nor in the rabbit holes. So Jim saved
his prizes, and held his head very high
all the rest Of his life in consequence.
Tobey said nothing about the pretty
green pictures; he kept them for a
rainy day Us it were. when Aunt Betsey
should be cross. His night-drcss was
exactly the same as his day dress; so
the bills rested safely where he had
placed them, and nobody suspected
what walking bonanza he had be-
come.
| Van Dorn's raid was on Saturday.
On the Monday following, TObey was
hanging about the smoking pile, that
had been the foundry building, when
two officers rode up and looked sadly
on the ruins.
There's no use lamenting," said one
Of them at last; "let us light our cigars
and 60"
The other felt in his pocket mechani-
cally. Il have no Matches" he said;
shave youp''
mo, but we can light them from the
fire-so much good it can do us, at
least! Here boy! fetch me coal"
Tobey neared the smoking heap eau
tiously. 1t did not seem possible to get
a coal, but he could get the gentlemen
. light by twisting up one of his green
pictures for a spill. He had strong
hopes of receiving dime in return.
He took out one of the bills, twisted q
long lighter and stuck it in the fire. 1t
blaZed quickly, and he ran with it to