The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1888-07-26
SANDY SPILLERS.
BY oPfE l.. READ.

S'c' III lul StClIOu OF country WhrTc,
during the war, not only ncighbors
were arrayed against each other, but
where the members Of once devoted fami-
lies hunted one another with deadly in-
tent, there is small graveyard under
spreading pcrsimmon tree. No one
Knows the name OF Il single eternal
sleeper who lies beneath this tree. A
skiimlsh took place on the site Of the
burying ground, "a fierce hald.to hand
encounter; and, after the fight, the vic.
Tins, dressed so much alike that no one
could tell To- which side they belonged,
were buried together. When the time
came for removing Federal soldiers to
national cemeteries, the "Persimmon-
tree Graveyard" was left undsturbcd
Near this graveyard there lives an old
fellow named sandy Spillcrs. During
the war lac was u Confederate guerrilla.
His fearless daring. his enterprise, and
the many stories of his violence made his
name "a terror.
Last year on Memorial day old Sandy,
driving spring wagon loaded with wild
blossoms and the pcrfumcd twigs Of rare
bushes, and followed by "A large number
ncighbors, drew up under the old per-
simmon tree.
SANDY" said an old man aS he placed
a box on the ground, you've got ter
make sort II. speech"
"lou know KANT make no speech"
Sandy replied.
"Wall, thar'll halter be some sort NV
cNpcrnation made ter these yer folks
erbout this here proceedn' an we don't
low that thar's q man that ken do hit
petttr IL 20. ken, so ,iit right up thar on
'hab2o9i! let thnr al outcu the bag"
.lll do the best ken" Sandy replied,
as he took otr his white wool hat aud
threw it on the ground, with the hope
that won't hurt nobody's feelins" He
got up on the box, looked about him in
halt'embarrassed way and then SAID:
~ good many o you know what | wuZ
dunn the war. You know that ] wrl
called tough customer an I'll say right
here that | amt prepared to dispute it,
nuthcr.
al won't tell in purtclcr how wuz
Forced ter sorter bush .whacl, but will
say that the l.Hwd knows that never
had n"thIn' Drg II ther oil flag. Wall,
one day while | wuZ myin' in thcr cane
brake down yundeg on thcr creek. fast
ersIccp, fur had been cr dudgiu round
al thcr day afore, Il party . nion sol.
dlcrS come up, they dad an nabbcd me.
TO ! knowd they wuz in thcr curmu.
nifty. hey dida't gin Inc no chance ter
fight an don't reckon dcsarycd none.
Ehcr sergeant Nv thcr party he sortcr
grlnncd at me, an says
'Psrson Sandy. We know YOU an we
wanicr tell you that it's all up with
YOU
=" y lowed cl much, said |.
q" We'll, you mout says he. Dave,
fetch that rope Ollcn my said e.
The feller fotch the rope an don't
think ever seed uglier.lookin' string
m my life. Gentlemen saws |, thar
amt no usn akin mussy frum YOU, |
reckon, but tell you whut wush you'd
do. wush you'd take me over yonder
whar my wife an daughter lives bout
mile frum here an let me look mt 'em
ag'in. You won't hear no sauealin', |
ken tell you that, fur my folks is ez
merry ez this here gineration hez turned
out
You can't lead us inter no sort %
trap the sergeant lowed, AN you
neenter try. Hold up yo' head an take
this here modicineP
Gentlemen says !, nearly ever
feller in this here curmunity Is ergin me-
an don't see how | ken lead you in cr
trap. IF had been in sich comman' o.
traps would 'er slcp' at my home las
night stead o. laying out here. | amt
or good man, ken tell you that, an |
have did things that n Christun would
sortcr shake his head at, but | don't
wantcr lead you in no trap. Jest
wanter see my folks one mo- time, an
then I'll go out an ho' up my head
un'er cr tree. You won't hear no
bcllcrin', ken tell you that. My wife
won't beg, and my daughter won't,
They'll gin you some pies an sweet
bread, ! low, an tell me goodbye, an
that will be thcr eend o. it. Don't think,
gentlemen, that I'm bcggin' fur my life,
but Jest fer chance ter take one mo-
sJuint ut them folks.
"I don't see no harm in lettn' you
look at yo' folks ergin, said the ser.
geant. Il don't bl'eye that you could
lead us into trap ef yer wanted ter, fur
we've beat about the bush here tell yo'
sorter fellers is pretty skace. Fetch
him along, boys.
'Wall, they tuck me home, an when
we went inter the house Moll-that's my
wfe-she wus cr baking some pies on
the hath. She looked up an says, says
she; Sandy, see they've got you. II
do peer like bad luck comes in or bunch
I"-' - y ~wIs tuct oT the