The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-04-08

long hill. Then gloom gathered on their hearts
like mldew on a grape. They were filed with
the customary belief Of men who are fleeing
from a scene Of conflict that they were the only
ones who had escaped with their lives and
whole skins.
The horses, too, which had shared in their
masters excitement, now sank under the same
WEAKNESS and detection. With heads down
and tails dropping they made no response to
either spur or whip, but plodded slowly down
hill, stumbling over boulders and slipping on
rocks in way most discomforting to their
riders. Even Daniel Boone" thoroughbred
as he was, with a pedigree as long as an Aus
TRAN Princes, made slip which at one instant
threatened TO throw him on his knees. He re-
covered himself instantly, and cast an indig-
nant glare around, as il to fix the blame on
someone else-yery much such look as an old
deacon gives when he is awakened from 40
wink nap in the midst of the sermon.
"Steady, Dan," said the Kunnel, with
tightening of the reins; don't be setting bad
example to the rest O. the ho'sses."
"Such internal luck we've had" groaned
the Msjah, 4" is enough to break down even a
hose | feel hundred yeahs oldeh than was
when we hailed that theh boat The country's
grip On it that we can't shake off. To think
how the Dutch on that gunboat have murdered
the flower of ouah Southern gentlemen, sab.
The Dutch are terrors, l tell yo', sah."
Whatever stirred the Majab's nature,
whether it was whisky or excitement or sor-
row, invariably brought his Know Nothingism
to the surface. Besides, it was the fashion
among the Secessionists early in the war to as
sumo that the Northerners would not fight
that they relied upon foreigners whom they
hired to do their fighting.
THAT Dutch peddler that we saw on the
boat" continued the Majah, twas at the bot
tom of all ouah trouble, sab. He brought his
Dutch pals on the gunboat down on u.s."
How in the world could he do that,
Majah?" asked the Adjutant incredulously.
% don't know how he did it," persisted the
Majah stoutly, ANY mo- N know the mean
ing o the hash gbberish that he talks. But
] know that he did it. This is only the begin
ming O ouah troubles, too. The Dutch are
bound TO get Kentucky undeh theh heels
as they have po' ole Mizzourey. Just see how
they've been numbering Southern gentlemen
and ladies out in MizzOurey. A gentleman's
life in Saint Looey amt worth as much as a
glass Of theh sloppy lageh beeah 1t amt,
upon MY honah, sab. It's coming on us, too.
i saw this yeahs ago, sah,-belo' yo' were
bonn, sab, and fought against their being al
lowed to come to this country at all, sab. I'm
not prophet, nor the son of prophet sah
but / could see that dangeh. We can beat the
Yankees every day III the week, but we can't
beat the Dutch, sah."
We'll try once mo-, any way" said the
Adjut2nt confidently.
" Yo' have the confidence O blooming youth"
answered the Majah gloomily. $50 had at
yo' age, but hope has died the death O. despair,
sab. All / want now is a quiet grave, and /
hardly care which it is, sah.''
The Majah's weary horse struck his toe
against boulder and went down on his knees
with such suddenness that the unsuspecting
rider tumbled over his head on the hard road
bed, which he struck with a bump like that of
an empty barrel.
''Are yo' much hurt, sah?" inquired the
Aojut2Dt, as he assisted the ex-Grand Organ
iZeT Of the Know Nothings of Kentucky to his
feet and busted off his clothes with ahandful of
iron weed.
We'll, if / Amt split open so that ought to
be hooped together" groaned the Majah, as he
hmped around, Its because my skins tough
er'n Injy-rubber."
kittin' a holler log with rail-maul," ventured
Atkins
"Mistch Yallerhammeh Atkins" said the
Majah, with his utmost dignity, "yo language
8 coa'sc. sah,-yery coa'se, sah"
Hcah's yo' hose, MGjah," called out the
KuBneI. "Jims0n, lead him up to that corneh
O thc fence theh. Hurry up and get on,
hs1ah, for thehs a storm coming up and we
must hunt shelteh."
Get on that hose agin, said the Majah in sur
prise. ii not peril my life that way, sab. No,
sab, good men are too sea ce TO me to take any
mo- such risks as I've been taking fo' the last
hour. ] must have shureh footed beast or
I'Il walk. Who'll fight the Dutch invadehs if
| an dead and gone? The country demands
that shG'n't take any such chances, sah."
After some little delay another horse was
secured for the Majah, which he thought looked