Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-07-12


As soon as he had gone l commenced
to think what he could mean about
leaving q hostage. was sure he
wouldn't offer any thing very valuable.
He must know / wouldn't like thai: but
l thought he might leave some little
t-inket for me to remember him by. l
ransacked the room he had occupied,
looking into bureau drawers. into
closets, any place the ingenuity of man
could find to hide any thing. / even
looked behind the pictures hanging on
the wall. Then l went all over the
house from attic to cellar. Not a thing
could find. Then recalled his words:
IF you are shrewd enough to guess
where it is" and went all over my
search again. At last gave it up
"A pretty way to treat me-" grum-
bled, latter taking care of him so
long," vowed that if ever should
see him again he should tell me
whether he had really left any thing,
and what it was.
News came of terrible fighting at
the front. Stragglers, broken-dowH
horses, mules. wagons, ambulances
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.
The first day they drank up all the
water in the well. Then regiments
marched by almost as fast as when
they were 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 next
morning when looked out there was
long line of forts, and the Yankee
flag flying above them; and. great
heavens! the black mouths of cannon
trowning directly down at us.
While was looking heard some
thing rattle far down the road. 1t
sounded like emptying barrel of
stones into another barrel. Then an
other rattle, mingled with a constant
dull booming. All the morning the
sounds kept coming nearer. till at last
/ could distinctly hear the loud reports
of cannon and the muskets all fired at
once. noticed a great stir in the forts
above. Horsemen were gallOping back
and forth; new guns were every mo-
ment thrusting out their ugly mouths,
and men were marching and counter
marching. l could hear their officers
shouting gibberish at them, which they
must have been Indian or Chinese to
understand. Then more soldiers passed
the house from the south, tired, dusty,
grimed, some of them running, some
wounded and tottering along slowly.
All passed in a steady stream behind
the forts.
Suddenly a horseman dashed up to
the house-he was all dust and dirt,
and his horse was covered with foam.
He threw himself from the saddle and
came up on the veranda.
Good gracious! the Captain.
"COme away from here at once" he
said; "our men are retreating; we are
going to 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 a scramble to snatch
few things. One took a lamp,
another pitcher, another a photo
graph album. 1t seemed as if every
body took the most useless thing to be
found. All except me were hurrying
down the walk to the gate; staid be-
hind. The Captain was trying to
make me hurry. He was stamping up
and down on the veranda and through
the hall. almost crazy at my delay.
Come, be quick-' he said. as sharp
as if he were the General himself.
Captain" said, hesitating.
What is it," he asked, impatiently.
1.-The hostase?'
What hostagee"
That you left when you went away;
couldn't find it. Must We leave it,"
He looked at me a moment as if he |
thought had lost my senses; then he
burst into laugh.
l never could stand TO be laughed at,
and just then it was particularly OBJ
noxious. / made up my mind that he |
should tell me what l had hunted for.
and tell me then and there.
Never mind that" he said, seeing |
that / was irritated. .'Save yourself |
and it will be in no especial danger"
''Tll not leave it, whatever it is" |
said. resOlutely.
Come come! this will be battle |
field in few minutes"
II won't stir step until you tell me |
what want to know"
Nonsense he said, severely.
The more severe his tone, the more |
resolute / became. / stood stOck-still. |
For Heavens saker' he urged. be-
coming really frightened; the gunners
are standing with the lanyards tn their
hands ready to fire."
LET them fire. folded my arms.