The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1888-08-24

shieHd enough 10 guess where II Is anC
went all over my search sgain. At last
gave It up. a pretty way to treat me,
grumbled, .after taking care Of him Sc
long.' ! vowed that If ever | should
See him again he should tell me whether
he had really left anything, and what il
VS.
News came Of terrible fighting at the
front stagglers, broken-down horses,
wagons. amDulances from which now
and then CHASTITY face would look out,
kept going by day after day for several
days. The yard, the barn, the kitchen,
were full Of men They first day they
drank up all the water in the well. Then
regiments marched By almost as fast as
when they we're making their forced
march South. They passed on BY the
house. but stopped on the crest OF the
hill up the road There they began TO
dig with spades and shovels, and the
neat morning when / looked out there
WAS a long line Of forts, and the Yankee
fag flying above them, and, great heav-
ems the BLACK mouths of cannon frOwn-
ing directly down at rs.
While WAS looking | heard some
thing rattle far down the road. II
sounded like elnptying barrel of stones
into another barrel Then another rat
tie, mingled with a constant dull DOOM
ing An he morning the sounds kept
coming nearer, till at last / could dis
iinciiy hesr the loud reports Of cannon
and Of muskets all fired at once. no.
tioed q great str in the forts above.
Horsemen were galloping lack and
forth; new guns were every moment
thrusfing out their ugly mouths, and
men were marching aud countermarch-
ing. could hear their officers shout
ing gibberish al them, which they must
have been lad an or Chinese 10 under
stand Then more soldiers passed the
house from the South. TIED. dusty,
gTimed. some OF them running. some
wounded and totterlng along slowly.
All passed in a steady stream behind the
iorfs.
suddenly 4 hosreman dashed up to the
house he was all dust and dirt, and his
horse was covered with foam. He threw
him ELF from the saddle and came up on
70 The verands
Good gracious the captain.
Tome away from here at once" be
said "Our men are reireatiDg; we are
going % make a stand behind the
works. You are directly in range. Be
quick, the fire is liable to open at any
moment
Then there was & scramble to snatch a
few things. One took a lamp, another
q pitcher, another q photograph album
Il seemed a. If everybody took the most
useless thing 10 be found All except
me were haTying down the walk to the
gate stayed behind. The captain tried
10 make me hurry. He was stamping
up and down on the veranda and through
tho hall. almost crazy At nv delay.
Come. be quicki' r. be said, as sharp
Es II he were the general himself.
Captain ! said, hesitating.
What is IL" he asked, impatiently.
'sThe hostage"
~ haf hosiagel'
That you left when you went away:
I couldn't find H. Must we leave It.
he looked at me a moment as if he
thought had lost my senses. then he /
BART into a laugh.
/ never could stand to be laughed at,
md just then II was particularly obnox-
ous made up my mind that he
.hoald tell me what ! had hunted for,
md tell me there ana then.
Never mind that, he said, seeing
hat was irritsted. '.ssve yourself and
4 viii be in no especial danger. d"
IN not leave il, whatever il is" u
aid, res0luiely
Come, come this will be e battle
isid in d few minute
Il won't stir step till you tell me
that / want TO know
Nonsense 4" he said, severely.
The more seTere his tone, the more
esolute became. stood stock still.
-'For Heavens sake 50 he urged. be-
oming really frightened; s'ihe gunners
re stand ng with the lanyards in their
and ready 10 IRE"
"l.et them fire folded nv arms.
A TOlley sounded = short distance
own the line Of forts TO the west. The
aptain rFied 10 seize my wrist
s'Do come. " he pleaded
Tell me what was the hostage" /
aid. stubbornly.
.'Heref-
Here"
''No no; this is rot Git place TO tell ,
Oh that For the love Of Heaven do .
ONE away"
ivowed would conquer him or die on
b. de- d. {
'iou shall either tell me or will stay {
ere 81 10 battle i eyef." 4