The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-04-08
Nl1I!i Eaglf
HUMPTY DUMPTY.

master and mistress, who never uEtreated
those who were dependent on them, but did
all they could to make them happy.
When the baby opened its eyes upon this
world her parents were much exercised over
name for her, but before it was settled it
became only too certain that the poor little
creature was doomed to pass through life N
sad deformity. The dark, curly head settled
down too far on the shoulders and the back
arched behind it.
"Oh!" exclaimed Harry Fairleigh, the first
time he saw the baby "Why, mamma,
she's regular Humpty Dumpty; isn't sheg"
"Whas dat, Nlassa Harry, wha's dat
Humpty Dumpty!" cried Aunt Dinah, her
ear caught by the new name.
Humpty Uu1npty on the wall
Humpty Dunpty got fall,
quoted Harry, and that ended the search for
a nice, big name for the little stranger, and
SO Humpty, as they called her, became a
recognized member Of the bouseh old, and by
no means useless one as she grew older.
'Humpty has more thought, young as she
is, than all the rest of the slaves put to-
gether," Mrs Fairleigh used to say, and it
was true.
Humpty's master lived in Georgia on
large plantation where cotton and sugar cane
grew in great luxuriance. He had large
number of slaves, whose neat little houses
We're scattered all over the plantation, each
one with its own garden plot.
The Fairleighs had q beautiful home, plenty
of money, and love and peace among them
selves 50 they ought to have been happy, you
will think. And 50 they were as far as these
things went, but over all there was a cloud, a
tiny one at first, but it kept on growing big
ger and bigger, causing MIR. Fairieigh many
an hour Of the sharpeSt anxiety, until by the
time Humpty was IA years old the sky dark
ened, the thunder began TO mutter, and the
lpg looked for storm broke forth.
Mr.. Fairleigh's homo, which had been his
fathers and his grandfather's before him.
was not far from the Florida line, and the In
dian village of Miccosukee was only few
miles on the other side.
Florida was then a Spanish province,
though the Spanish commanders had no
power outside their fortified posts, and in
the interior, the Seminole Indians, who as
their name indicates, were ''runaways' from
the Greek nation, held full sway. The Red
Stick tribe of the Miccosukee village were
their allies, and were called Red Stick be-
cause in the center of the village stood a tall
pole painted red, to denote the warriors
1t were many hundreds of American scalps.
Besides these hostile Indians there were
hundreds Of runaway slaves and escaped con-
vlCts roaming al viii over the beautiful Flor
ida wilderness, ready at all times to join the
Indians in robbing and numbering Americans.
They spared the Spaniards because the Span
ish authorities in Florida encouraged their
lawless acts. So, as you may believe, things
gy-ar he'd oh of all Init no
were growing worse, and the Indians had de-
clared war. For months past Mr. Fairleighs
anxiety had been intense, and again and
again he had urged his wife to abandon their
home until peace should be restored.
But Mrs Fairleigh loved her home and was
not willing to leave it, so kept putting off her
departure
The day came, however, late in March, 1916,
when her husband came riding home from
the town, twenty miles away, at breakneck
speed, his face white and drawn with intense
excitement.
He rode straight to tie stables, called the
slaves together and babe them harness al the
horses and mules to the wagons. Then he
came to the house and loaded up all the most
valuable furniture.
BE quicl,l" he ordered. ''The Red Sticks
are out pillaging and numbering. We must
get off as fast Us possible. There! There!
Don't wall or moan; work, work, with all
your might; that wiz do more good than
howling!'
Then be dashed into the house, and in a
moment more all there was hustle and con-
fusion and rapid, energetic action. In less
than three hours the plantation was deserted
and its whole population well oT-the road
towards place Of safety.
But Of course, when the flight had been 50
hasty, some important things had been for
gotten, and So a week later, hearing that the
Indians had left that part of the frontier for
the time, Mr.. Fairleigh decided to return to
The plantation for a few days, taking with
him Piuribus Soils Tor thus had Humpty'S
parents named her elder brother, acting on
the advice of nrischievous Harry, a sturdy
youth of Is and Humptv to cook for them,
for young as she was she had learned a great
deal of this difficult art,
There was much to do to prepare for q long
absence, so the three were very busy. and
every. little while HumpVy, who Of course
felt very anxious, crept ont upon the roof 10
look for signs of the enemy, and at last, on
the second day, quite early in the morning,
her heart gave a great leap rs she saw over
the tree tops a column of smoke rising sky
ward. She knew that only one thing could
make such q smoke in that particular spot,
q burning house, thaSof their nearest neigh
Dor two miles away, and she was equally
sure that the Indians were there robbiug
and burning, and only not numbering be-
cause the family had deserted their home.
HumDty was only little girl, only a little
negro hunchback. The sight and the shock
overcane her. Head over heels ike a ball
she rolled down the ladder that led to the
roof and lsyon the floor screaming at the top
OF her voice. Only for a moment, though.
Then she stopped. caught her breath, doubled
up her fists and pummeled herself Unmerci-
gully.
You, Humpty, YOU miSible crit1er," she
cried Indignantly, git right up, and run and
tell masSa ard Soils, There now. stop yeilin'
and git up quick, mean, nlisiols httle niger,
you! Pears like yer ougnter be scalped, but
don'C want TO, no how-oh, Lord!'
Painting and breathlesS, little Humptv
rushed across the fields to Mr. FairIeigh and
her brother and In a few moments ell three
were running back to the house But before
they had gone half way Il shot. smother and
RnoUhsr from cut tho young forest warned
therl that their foes weTe slreadv upon them.
They were close 20 ~ old Iog cabin, once
used as snaGKe hoass for curing bacon. II
had great chimney bszl1 OF clay and sticks
running up On the oura.cle. and On the inside
a large fireplace and tvo rooms.
Since the new troubles with the Indians Mr..
Fairleigh bad repaired the old cabin and built
a high. srrong pieisc fence around 1t, intend
ing. if he was 50 Unfcrrnste as - be sur
prissd by the enemy. 20 take refuge there
until help could come from the settlement.
In the cabin was keg Of powder. a cood
store Of bulleCs and several rifles, besides kes