Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1885-12-10

came loud, Whlstllng, screaming
sound, followed by a terrific explosion
directly over the house.
'Whyr CALCULATED Mrs. Gayes, as
she started from her seat, what
heavy clap Of = thunder she was
about to say, but the unmistakable
humming, twanging sounds which fol-
lowed close upon the explosion. with
the falling ofleayes and broken branches
from the trees, told her it was shell
from some heavy gun.
rs it possible the rebels are making
an attack P she said
The children now came running in
from their play, and one Of them cried
out, oh, mamma the lightning has
struck the trees Mrs. Cages went
out on the porch and looked and lis
tened, but nothing unusual could be
seen or heard.
1T was a she'll SAD she. 4 expect
gun at one of the f. IS went off acci-
dentally.'
Well, said Charley, when they load
their guns l wish tA"y'a point them to-
ward Richmond. they ought to be
ashamed Of themselves.
4 don't think We snail be troubled
any more, said he mother as she re-
! turned to the sitting room, followed
by the children. Sine had bat Just re-
sumet her seat wien auother shell bur
led itself in the earth a few rods from
the house and blrst, throwing up
clouds OF dust and dirt.
What can it mean :? SAID Mrs. Cages.
| i know what it means, mamma I
cried Charley. That New York regl-
ment which has Just been sent over to
Fort Smith has pat up a target in our
field, and the fellows are firing at it. |
wish | was genera I'd put every
one Of them in the guard house" "
The boy was right in his surmise, and
! in few moments another missile was
thrown from one Of the Auge siege guns
with which the fort was armed, struck,
a quarter Of mile away, and came
bounding or ricochcting toward the
house, striking the ground at short in
tervals in its mad course something as
Il stone when thrown violently upon
the water skips along the surface
, With a shrek like demon it plunged
through the garden, destroying every
thiI e in It's path, filled the air with
dust, gave two or three more skirs and
scrcechcs, and finally burst over near
the road. Mrs Gay,s turned pale.
Come down into the cellar with me,
all of you,' she said; and they obeyed
with alacrity. After she had quoted
Eliza, the negro servant, who was al
tcrnately praying to de good Lord
and to 'Missus Gaycs' to save her, she
said:
Charley, you mus rnn up to Mr..
Persons S just as f,s : yoa can. and
ask him to 60 aroua. to the fort and
have the firing stopg~3. And you re
main at Mr.. Person until | seld for
YOU. Don't come back, You are not
afraid to go, are you?
No, mamma, In not afraid an
swcrel the brave little fellow as he
Ga ped lis mother hand a little
tighter.
4 knew you would not be; and now
as soon as the mex shell comes ! want
you to 60 Wher It came she kissed
him, and said, Nov, my brave boy,
rum
She would gladly have gone herself,
but she thought j, better to remain
that she might be %ith the other two
children in case lr house should be
struck and burned. 1t cost her strug-
gle to send her son forth on such IA
perilous errand, and her face was very
pale as she kissed him. Away sped
Charley through the garden, glancing
with wonder at tie great burrows the
shells had plowed, climbed the fence
and started to run with all his might
toward Mr.. Piersons house, which was
half mile distant. He had scarcely
left the garden fence, however, when
another shell came tearing through the
shrubbery he had just passed and
burst close to the house. The moth
er's heart stood still for an instant
and there was cansr for it. One OF the
flying fragments strnch poor Charley,
and he fell to the ground with cry Of
oh, mammal Down in the cellar the
mother heard the cry Of her wounded
boy, and in a moment she was kneehng
by his side. 1t was a sad sight for
mother to look upon. The cruel piece