The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1884-04-16
For the +. a M.-Househo
A Portrait, and a History.
Continued from list ,ceek. J

(Continued from list ,Ceeh.
81 don't know where the inferna'
rebel would skulk." the officer in COM
mand replied. You wouldn't dare to
speak so, coward, if you didn't know
that Capt. Moore was out of hearing"-
she retorted. On the bed lay sleeping
her infant daughter, and one of the sol
diers either by accident or design, in
sticking his bayonet into the bed. thrust
it into the baby's little side. 1t awoke
with a pitious scream. and Mrs. Moore
catching 1t up in her arms, exclaimed
passionately: Curse your black heart,
you have wounded my baby.''
Il hope l have killed the damned ht-
tie rebel cub,' was the civil rejoinder.
The little rebel cub however lived to
be a grandmother, but carried the scar
of the bayonet thrust to her grave.
On another occasion party came in
tent on plunder, and Colonel in full
uniform was kneeling by Mrs. Moore S
trunk, and demanded the keys. You
have no right to open my trunk sir, and
| refuse to surrender my keys"
Very well madam" said the Colonel,
and motioned to one of his men, who
with a blow or two Of an ak rendered
the key matter of indifference. In one
corner of the trunk was a bag of forty
guineas, and a very elegant gold watch
wrapped in lncu cloth. Just as the
Colonel began to ransack, Mrs. Moore
snatched up a billet of wood, and giving
the man a clew upon the side OF his
head knocked him heels Over-top and
then running her hand down in the
trunk she dragged up her valuables and
coolly put them in her bosom. The
room was full of soldiers, and as they
helped the PROSTATE Colonel once more
upon his feet, he looked at his faIr an
tagonist with undisguised admiration
and said, by God Madam, if l had a
regiment like you I'd agree to march
through the length and breadth of your
land and put down your damned rebel
lion i'll less than six months time.''
Indeed, you are mistaken sir, for every
American soldier has my spirit, and you
would have TO kill every man first, and
then your work wouldn't be half done,
for you would still have the women and
children TO conquer, and you would find
an enemy behind every bush on your
pdJll. was llcl utsuuIiCSS
The officer laughed, and said, well
madam, your courage and your saucy
tongue shall save you from any future
annoyance from me-"
He accordingly withdrew, but other
raiders visited the place soon after, and
pillaged fore and att. While they were
in the midst of their work of spoliation,
Mrs. NJ nore withdrew. and gave private
orders to her servants, who presently
began to run to the house shouting out.
Tank God! Master, and de 'Merican
comm de'Merican comin'.'
That was enough to put the valiant
Red Coats in full flight towards their
boats dropping as they went all manner
of household goods. table linen, and the
like, which Mrs. Moore made the ne
groes pick up and bring back to her.
But the war dragged on for some years.
The British enticed all the negroes away
there were three hundred on that plan
tation alone-to die of black tongue and
and small poX in Wilmington.
Only two were left, superanuated
old woman, who tried to run to the En-
glish boats, but Mrs. Moore tripped her
| up, which so terrified her that she gave
up the attempt, and remained content.
edly enough IN the kitchen, and little
girl who was in such abject fear of the
British that whenever she heard, OF
thought they were coming she would
fly to her mistress and hide under hel
skirts, and Mrs. Nash, who was living
with her sister in law, would also spread
her skirts over the trembling little Viii.
loughhy. The last year of the war
when there was nothing left to eat, the
ricetields Were grown up shoulder high
in weeds and bushes, and gaunt famine
held high carnival in the desolate land
little Willoughby used to take her young
master, Ga baby boy, who was to grow
up and serve with distinction, as Col.
Maurice Moore, in the war of 1912 or
her back and GO from house to house o
/ her negro friends and beg them for q
little ash cake, ''for Mau' Maurice. anC
me-
Some would give her eggs, aud som,
a handful OF rice, or meal, and at uigh
she would come home TO her mistres.
and deliver UP her store. which Mrs
Moore said from day to day was all tn,
food they had.
The war ended at last. and Captain
Moore returned home to absolute power
ty and destitution.
The negroes were all gone, the houS,
literally sacked, the stock all either kill
ed or stolen. and the ricefelds returne,
to their orig;na wilderness of brake AN
bramble.
l don't know Low they lived throug
/ Il, n ::
hardships as being extreme. She spu
and wove the cloth that clothed her fam
ilv, Quaco hunted and fished, and Wi
loughl.y planted taniors and potatoes
but bad was the besti In 1872 tn
General Assembly appointed Cap
Moore Attorney General, although
: was well known that he had never oper
ed law book. He used 10 say that h
took his lawbooks out into the woods {
study. SC that he could escape the SCUM
of his childYen's crying for bread. an
sitting on a cypress log wrestled alon
with the intricasies OF Coke and Bacl
stCne. In wonderful short time
had thoroughly aStered the science {
well as the text of legal lore. Jude
Peters, of Philadelphia, of his colleague
on the supreme bench. used to saw
= him that he arrived more instantly
the point and substance of case tina
any man he ever knew. anl the la
HufuS Choate said he had TIE most pei
eir,,ting Intellect he ever eLcOuntere
that his comprehension of any suhie
was aS instantaneous as flash of lisll
ming.
He was at once 4 success at the la
and soon had very large and |
crative practice, and there being but Il
tie money in circulation. various, al