The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1884-03-05
For the +. & NJ household.
Jim TradeWeIl's Quarter Race.
CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK

te wisdom OF Miss Lucy's plan, | must 81,
$, to explain, though all will admit [ "
IN critical place to be wasting time.
The house was built in the form of
long square with a passage running ii
length Of it both up and down stair
Ueorge room was front end room IA,
!. ing east and north, communicating wi,
0 the lower part of the house BY flight
stairs that ran down into an entry an
opened directly out upon the front porcl
he passage ran north and south Thei
I were TWO doors in the room, one opepin
5 at the head of the outer. staircase, th
other on the opposite side Of the rool
opened into the passage
through this last door we went, dow
the passage, and into back room at tn
: west and southwest of the house, occu
pied by Miss Lucy. Critical as the mo
ment was, felt a distinct hesitation a
invading the sanctity of this white dove
: nest with raw-hide boots, and blood
chrlstened sabre.
Miss Lucy allowed scant time for scru
Piles, crossing he room she softly opened
a window and said: Jump down ol
the cellar cap, and keep those out house
between you and the house. 1t is tn,
Il
now."
II looked out of the window. anc
saw that the plan was very possible
one. The cellar cap was a high one, ant
once on terra tirnd | could cover my
flight by zigzagging behind some large
bilck out house, cribs, ETC. All this, tho
long In ;he telling occupied scarcely two
minutes. AS L prepared to descend,
caught fair hand which had pointed
out the path for my escape, and pressing
II to my lips, said earnestly, 'If | escape
shall owe my life to you, and one day il
God be willing, | shall pay the debt. -
God save you, she said earnes tly,
and turned away.
climbed through the window, and as
soon as | was out, turned by an irresis
tible impulse, and looked back. Lucy
knelt by the bed, her whole form instinct
with supphcatiOn, praying [ knew lor
me. But the look cost me dear, for the
cellar top was covered with flower OTIS,
and as | stepped down put my foot on
one, which treacherous, slipped and
fell with crash amid the ruins of count
less pots and slips.
| sprang to my feet In an instant, with
the blood gushing down my leg, for had
split my knee cap wide open in the fall
upon jar
The crash of my downfall attracted the
lankees. and as sprapg off at f,Ill Sneed
fhSIuaGe. L soon put the corn house be-
tween us, and snatching my pistol from
my belt, held it behind me, and began
firing as ran. The Yankees scattered in
hot pursuit, yelling like pack of hounds.
On flew over ploughed ground by the
acre, the bullets whistled round me like
hail. and full fifty Yankees in hot pursuit.
had emptied both pistols, and now had
to trust solely to my legs, and no thorough
bred, after seasons training, ever did his
two-torty in better style. | seemed to
myself to literally fly. Before me lay
the woods, shelter in many a former am
bush, and dreaded by the Yankees as the
possible location of masked battery"
Once there, and | Twas reasonably safe.
So on | rushed, the blood spirting from
my knee at every bound. Nearer and
nearer and came the edge Of the woods,
and fainter sounded the noise of pursuit.
At last | reached the forest line and
paused an instant to look back The
Yankees were more than hundred yards
In the rear. Fired by a sudden impulse,
SPlduS upOu d &c lUS. anu
uttered long, loud, defiant crow and
then plunged headlong into the woods,
aud | flew until the sound of my own foot
steps was the only one | heard, and then
perfectly exhausted, i stumbled over a
small root, and fell heavily to the ground,
and lay insensible for many hours.
When | came to myself the sun was
high in the Heavens, and | was parched
with thirst. | tried to move, but the in
tense agony the effort cost, made me
abandon the attempt. After long
while, heard step coming towards me-
'Ianks,' J thought savagely, ''and l
am to be captured after all. raised a
little on my elbow, and tried to draw my
pistol to load it, but the steps came SO
near, that in an agony of impatience,
called out, who the devil are YOU"
''Why its Tradewell, the little South
Carolina gamecock after ALL" joyfully
said well known voice, and Hale all
Hail the boys used to call him, one of
our own men, and perfect son of Anak,
came and leaned over me. A drink from
his canteen enabled me to put him in
possession of the points of the case.
Nv ell, well,' he said with laugh, we
must get you to camp. my bully quarter
horse, and rub you down, and give you q
! feed
Those are the words of wisdom re.
piled, but how will you manage. | can
walk step" But can," he said, anC
with no more ado the brawny giant pick
ed me up, and strobe off as easily as if
had been a child. Once in camp my woes
were ended, the boys made as much o
me as though [ bad been some great one
| was fed n the best to be had, rubbed
ike a racer, until the stiffness and sore
ness of my limbs was relieved, and tn,
wounded knee was bathed and handaged
Two of the boys sacrificing their solitar,
pocket handkerchiefs in their ardent zeal
At night fall Hale offered to 90 to Mrs
Coles and reconnoitre, for | was burning
with impatience to know how it had farce
with Lucy. He returned to say the coas
was clear, the house intact, aud the ladie
rejoced to hear of my safety.
| had to 60 to headquarters to report
so borrc wing a horse, | was helped int
the saddle, and started to camp Gary vi
Mrs. Coles.
The first point was soon reached,
fastened my horse, and limped toward
the house, where saw Lucy standing a
on the night before | was quite clos
ere she saw me, then she made fc,
steps towards me, and stepped short,
SIM gle stride put me beside her, and as
caught one trembling little hand in mine
! she raised the other to hide her face, an
J burst into tears. And [, we'll. / was bu
] man but more l viii not tell.
George and Archie spent two years i
: prison. Later in the war Mrs. Cole
I house was burnt for her rebel sent
8 ..nnte y nrl VI. ,,c,, md hcr.nlf nnye