The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-11-02

Becky,
"Wid dat l riz up de ole muskit en- pull de
trigger. Well, honey, de bang er dat muski
wuz DEE zackly like Judgment day. Now
says to myself, yer done done it, Becky
Dey's er dead man out yander all Longer
you En- wild dat tuck'n start for de fiep.
yeller Jake's cabin, tell got ter de wheat
fiep, den KEEP er runnin' en- runnin', en- al
de time de Lord wuz akin me, 'Whar bouts
dat dead sojer, Becky?'
81 corldn't hear nothin' but dat gun, en-
couldn't see nuthin' but de man, en- all dc
time de Lord was after me swif'er dan de
win.
'W'iles wuz gwine on dis away, all av Ell
student sump'n stop me. / des thought tel
myself. DE Lords done trip yer up now.
En- den didn't know nuthin' more fer Ell
spell. Mex thing knowed hit look lik
wuz layin' some'rs on de ground, en- wen
tuck er good look roun' sho huff dar L wul
fiat on my back in de bottom er de oil rabbit
gully.
81 riz up on one arm en- hit looked like ey'y
bone in it gun ter crack. Den prop up on
ter arm, en- dat wuz wus'n de fust one.
been ev'y livin' minute sence day broke gittin
on my feet en- climbin' outen dat gully Yel
needn't be laughin' at me, honey-hit gives
me or spell er de dry grims."
But we couldn't help it. To think of our
dear, fat Aunt Becky racing off through the
fields, and tumbling into the rabbit gully was
too much for us all.
'De wus NV it all is, didn't put no built
in de muskit nohow. l cle'r forgot dat tell
come long todes de house jes' now. didn't
have none, so tuck'n but in er little rock
stidner de BUILT"
Aunt Becky rubbed her stiff arms while
we laughed.
"After ALL" mother said, "the raiders
have taken something for US to remember
them by. Monday is gone and two of the
mules Monday was one of our seven days
of-the week darkies, and he and the two
mules had deserted us and become raiders.
The morning had half passed when we
heard a loud noise up the "big road" and
saw squad of soldiers tearing along towards
the house. They came so fast that we had
not time to be frightened before we saw them
rein their tired, dusty mules and horses be-
fore our gate. Aunt Becky did not shoulder
the musket this time, but she stood quietly
by mothers side, waiting to see what would
happen,
The officer in command came up the walk,
and stood at the foot of the steps. We ex-
pected to hear him say, "You are all my
prisoners" but he did not. He bowed pleas
antly and said:
MADAM, will you be so kind as to give us
something to eat and to let us rest awhile
outsider"
Mother invited him in, but be thanked her,
and said that none of the soldiers should
enter the house. Here was excitement
enough. This time we could see in broad
daylight what the raiders looked like. 1t
was true that their caps hid their horns, and
thought these horns must be quite small,
since they did not stick up through these
little fiat caps. They had guns and canteens
and knapsacks, and looked very grand to me.
in spite of their dirt and holes,
could not understand why they called US
all Johnnie" girls and boys. black and
white, all alike. did not know. then, that
the whole south was named Johnnie"
1t took much work and hurry to prepare a
dinner for so many men, and we children
were sent to every hen and guinea nest that
we could find, for eggs. Some hams, flour,
potatoes and sugar were brought out secretly
from their hiding places. and our good Aunt
Winnie cooked her very best.
1.-Two tables were set, one in the kitchen
and one in the dining room, and mother
decided to put her silver knives, forks and
spoons on the table, and make 1t look as wen
as possible. The officer had acted like
gentleman, and she meant to treat him ike
one.
1t took Icing while to make Aunt BECKY
consent to this and to bring the silver from
its hiding place.
"Dey won't be mare livin' piece lef," she
declared when she brought 1t in.
think some of the soldiers would have
liked to search the house, but the ofiicer had