The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-11-22
SkEeRY LUCY.
Alderman Piunkett Tells Another Story OF
War Times in Georgia.

Alderman Piunkett Tells Another Story OF
War Times in Georgia.
''Skeery Lucy-thats what they
called her." said Plunkett a. he chunk
ed the fire and seated himself in the
corner.
Gas little girl at school the teacher
called her 'Timid Lucy but all the
scholars knowcd her MS 'Skeerv Lucy,
for she went by that name among all
the settlement folks.
when she growcd up and got mar.
ried she was just the same, and when
John, her old man, would be little
late in getting home at night, he'd
find her shut up tight in the house
with the doors all locked and every
table and old bench and chairs up
ergin them, and when John would
knock at the door and tell her who it
was, he'd have to stand and wait till
she moved these things away before
he could open the door, and then he'd
scold her for being such a Ounce, but
she'd just laugh and say:
"'YOu know l was "skeery" fore
you married me-
'EThe name of 'Skeery Lucy elung
Il
deserved it, fer she'd squeal at lizard
or frog, and take fit. almost, if she
seed a snake, but when old Sherman
any man would erbin erfraid to do.
and they quit calling her 'Skeery Lucy
after that, and that's what want to
tell you erbout.
"She was left with four little child
To An HA E
to Virginia, and it was mighty hard
getting along at best, but as the armies
got nearer and nearer things got
scarier than ever. The big guns could
be heard for long time before we
seed the Yankees, and Lucy just look
ed like she couldn't stand it, and the
folks in the settlement said she'd die
some day, just from fright and anx-
iety.
"But everybody had to scuffie, and
one morning Lucy walked up with not
n crust of bread in the house, and the
children were swinging onto her dress
and aproG crying for something to eat,
and there was no other way but for
her to start out and get a little meal
for 'em. She shut the children up in
the house and put out across the field
to the mill, and they, poor little things,
had been taught by their nanny to
be afraid, and there they sat. all in a
huddle as scared as rabbits at every
thing that cracked or made fuss, and
whispered to each other.
''Sherman's army was on the move,
making for the railroad-they'd got
down the night before and Lucy didn't
know it.
''Hardee's army was moving to meet
the Yankees and to keep them from
the railroad, and Lucy didn't know
nothing erbOut that.
"She bad just got to the mill and
stepped upon the platform when down
through the woods came Hardee's line
of battle at double quick, and before
she had time to think they were past,
throwed out skirmishers. and were ex-
pecting every minute to meet the
Yankees.
''Sherman's line was coming toward
Hardee, and it was only question of
a few minutes till the fight would be-
gin,
Lucy thought of her little children,
smut up in the house, and knowed how
scared they'd be when they heard so
many men mafchlng.
''She started in run toward her
house, intending to get there before
Hardee's troops did. But old Sherman
was coming, and it would only be a
minute till there would be warm times
between Lucy and her house,
The skirmishers began to pop their
guns up and down the line, and, here
come battery dashing through a road
in the woods and unlimbered in a
twinkling and let in, and then the
| fight had started. ~
:, eLucY's house was between the two
lines. She seed shell hit the -.chim-
ney and scatter the bricks and rocks.
She thought of her four little children
that were huddled up and couldn't get
out and she didn't stop. --.- F.
.sThe balls were flying thick from
one line of battle to the other, but she
dashed through Hardee,s line and
went up through the cotton patch the
same as deer. The soldiers scream.
ed; .AGome backi Lay DOWN. You'll
be killedr and sich like. but through
it all she went and dashed ergin the
door, and fell in ermong her little
children. ~ -. =.
just then bomb struck Que COR
ner of the house and scattered splint
ers everywhere. The children were
| clinging to her and er screaming a
the top of their voices. Another shell
hit the house and tore awayeQne gabls
end, aud the Mimic balls were patter.
ing the same as hail. She grabbed
the smallest child up on her left arm
and made the rest jine hands, and
then took hold of the end child's hanC
and out they dashed into the'open tele
between the two armies.
The Yankee line was the first to SCI
them as they went stumbling. falling
and rolling over the cotton rows, ant
they yelled like madmen:
IA truce, truce. a trucer $ =
''Then Hardee's men seed what wa
the matter, and they waved their cap
anil jumped up an down and yelled:
"a truce, truce, a truce!
SIN less time than it takes to tel
you, the firing ceased and hundre'
men from Hardee's line rushed for tn
children and Lucy, and the first on,
to them grabbed 'em in their arms ant
were back over the hill in minute
and then the fight went on. -.
..She's never been called ''Skeer.
Lucy from that day to this, and oil
Sherman said the next day that h
would crlost the battle rather than t
haye killed so bpave a woman, Blu
there are others who say that an.
mother would cr,lone the same thing.
-Atidl1ta Constellation. {.
Successful Amateur Faith-Cnring
|