The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-12-07
KENTUCKY WARMING.

B0tn aDkWeTeu lndI iuef Wcic "Sh, 'De
John inquired
"How are all youuns, SarahY
"All able 10 dig, thankee, john"
"COrn an taters turnin' out wellf'
"Reckon they be, what little we've got,
but barks and roots pay better. Chlliihs
any this fall MaryT'
"Not q bit, Sarah"
Haven't heard from them'uns, reck-
onr queried Hupgerford, litter long
pause, during which the woman trled 10
size me up.
"Mebbe. Who may he'un beT'
"Stranger from the Moth"
'Sartin"
"wilI he back with ye (stand TO your back
| in case Of trouble)w
"Hayen't mentioned, but reckon"
"Well, then, they'uns is coming up To-
nis ht to put On the hickory"
"Hu! Who said itf'
"Heard IL at the corners. It's shore.
Bassett is gwne to lead 'em. Are We pre-
pared, Jim "
"Reckon."
"And Mary -
| "She'un is prepared"
"Well, then, that's all I've got to say.
| Hope you'll hurt they'uns till they'll De-
have themselves. Good by, John-good by,
Mary"
| She was of with that. / had dim sus-
piciOn of what was meant, but the cOolness
of the trio puzzled me. When she was Out
of sight asked:
| as il trOublew
"stranger," replied Hungerford as he
pullen a twig of bush and bit at 1t, "iVe
been warned awayT
| "How-whyT
| .sTook sides with the Oldhams against the
/ N Al - hoN
I 70 leave"
| "And as you have refused to go they are
| coming TO take YOU out and switch your
| "Exactly-if they kinW
"And they are coming to-nlghtF'
| 81 reckon"
| "And yOu-W
| 81 shell he ready"
We sat IN silence for moment. looked
I'D at Mrs. HungerfOrd, but she was sew
ing away and trotting her foot as placidll
as II danger was at the other end oil Inc
| world. The children soon began game o.
| tag. and the husband softly whistled as ne
switched the twig over the ground. o..
"Great Heavens but you take it coolly'
exclaimed. as | noted everything.
"Stranger," answered Hungerford, as he
turned to me, IL need somebody to bach
with me tonight. This amt your fuss
| You don't know the Odhams from the Bias
| sets. Deed. you may have stayed with al
Oldham last night. You don't want to mi,
in, and yet"
4 II don't want TO kill or be killed, bu
can't nelp YOU some other wayW
"You kin. He 'un is all right, Mary.
know he'un was"
! "Glad ont" she briefly replied, not ever
looking up from her knitting.
/. Hungerford took the whole matter a'
coolly as if it was an ordinary business
transaction, There was only one way 10y
|. which his cabin could be approached. Il
was arranged that | should secrete mysel
i'm the cow-shed on the one hand, and hi
wife III the smoke-house on the other, anC
at the proper moment this flank fire would
have its effect. HungerfOrd was to hold the
house, and he was the only one who was U
shoot TO kill. As he said. 1t wasn't my fuss
, but it wasn't human nature TO leave MIN u
fight a mob alone. When all had been ar
| ranged we went in TO supper, and alter tho
meal a double-barrelled shot gun was go
down and loaded for the wife. The husband
had his army musket, which he loaded viii
buckshot. and | had my revolver as {
weapon. AS we finished our preparations
and sat down on the door step the wifi
carelessly inquired of her husband:
"Gwine TO shoot TO kill, John =
"ReckOn | orter," he replied.
"And me ~
That's according. Mebbe you'll have
to-"
"And the Stranger"
"Oh, he'll fire high"
pap, can't shoot?" asked the eldest,
girl often.
"Shet, Tilly!"
The children went of into a corner anc
reloiced that there was going tob "a tout,
but by and by grew sleepy and went on t(
bed. I'D TO 10 o'clock we talked OF every
thing but the coming event. At that houi
Hungerford said:
"Reckon it's time. They'll be hear by
'leyen."
The wife tied a shawl over her head
picked up and examined the gun, anC
walked of TO her station with never word
went over to the shed, took the place
picked out for me, and five minutes later al
was darkness and silence. 1t was jus
about IL that heard the low hum ofyoice'
and the FOOTBALLS OF men, and ten minutes
later four or Ave of the gang of twenty came
directly up to the shed and leaned against i
as they inspected the house.
/ "All sound asleep" whispered one.
ave are dead shore Of him." added {
second.
"There's to be no let up, boys!v caution
ed third. eve must switch him Til hi
"What OF the wifei" whispered the first.
;. "Blast herl She's as bad as he is! Let's
give her "a taste Of the CAD, too"
"Agreedr
One of them went away to call up the
crowd. and ina few minutes all were as
sembled. Then CLEANED from their wins
pers that John Hupgerford was TO be whip
ped TO death, and that his wife was to re
ceiye less merciful treatment. They ever
IL "A 90, Arat ha nd
whole family root and branch. At a sigma
all advanced, and five or six men jumped
against the door. 1t was barred. Then {
voice called:
"Open, John HungerfOrdl We've come
for We, and we are bound TO have YEP
The words were answered by shot from
!, the house, and then the shotgun roareC
from the smoke-house. elevated the muz
zle Of my revolver, and fired six shots over
the confused, flying crowd, and next mo
ment all who could get away were gone
Hungerford came out with a lantern, and
by its light we saw two dead men and three
wounded. The wife had also shot 10 kill
One Of the wounded was past speaking
The other two, who were strangers to tn,
family and belonged in = distant village
begged for mercy and promised all sorts o
reformation in the future.
In the morning, as / was ready to 90 on
there were three dead outside the door
and the two wounded were groaning will
pain. The nearest doctor was five milei
away, and was to stop and leave word fo
him. As left the house Mrs. HunserforC
| said:
"Thankee, stranger, and we won't fur
git it,"
And the husband said
at wasn't your fuss, Of course, bu
what shame 10 have wasted all them bul
lets!"
"Good by, and God bless yel"-M. Quad
The R!.hop of Kition.