Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1890-04-25

uOIue Ol ullo tuCAC was uOt d Ii
that an enemy was near.
But Mr. Farleigh was not deceived nor
tempted beyond the enclosure that sheltered
the old cabin. He knew the Indians were
there in the woods, watching and waiting for
the cover of darkness to creep down upon it
unawares.
Humpty kept watch while her master and
Soils arranged pieces of fat wood, placed in
the enclosure on purpose to serve such a pur
pose, SO that they would burn through the
night and cast light on the whole line Of
fence, for the worst danger they had to face
was that the Indians might succeed in getting
over the fence and then enter the cabin
through the roof or set fire to it.
As soon as it was dark Humpty was sta
toned as lookout at the loopholes, while
the other two lighted the pine knots and then
stood close against the pickets ready to fire
at a moments warning.
Before long Humpty saw a round dark OBJ
ject rise above the top Of the fence and a
warning note told Soils, who guarded that
side. In second there was a flash and re-
port, yell, and the dark object disappeared.
Later on the little hunchback's keen eyes
detected a suspicious movement in corner
that was partly i'll the shadow, and a shot
from Mr.. Fairleigh was followed by shrek
and the heavy fall inside the enclosure of
dead Indian.
There was long rest after this, but to-
ward daylight wide awake Humpty thought
she heard a slight rustling in the room with
the chimney and the huge fireplace, and as
she went softly in several small pieces Of clay
ratified down. The little girl hesitated a mo-
ment, then crept cautiously near and looked
up the chimney. Strange to say, as Humpty
drew back and tiptoed across the room, her
dark face cleaned all over like ray of sun
shine bursting out of cloud and spreading
over the landscape.
In perfect silence she picked up some pieces
of fat pine, used for kindling, and filed her
arms with the coverings from bed in the
corner.
"Hi HIP she chuckled, shaking from b cad
to foot, "I'll swinge dat chicken, fer shua;
fust rate idee! He won't know what's hap
penin'. Goose up the chimbly; swinge 'em,
swinge 'em welll''
Quick as a flash Humpty placed the kind
lings in the fireplace, lighted them, and when
they blazed up, threw on the bedclothes, and
then more wood
Then, the picture of delight, she darted
away, and mounted to loophole.
''Hil massa, Use swingin' chicken goose
up the chimbly. Come in yer, massa, he
tumble down OF he get on de roof Shoot
here or catch him on the roof, one or t'other
Reckon he feel mighty warm by dis time,
hill hia Humpty, swinge 'em, shua"
Mr.. Fairleigh darted into the cabin, and
E Pluribus Soils raised his rifle, ready to fire
if Humpty's chicken goose" appeared on
the roof. And this is just what he did do,
evidently in great hurry, and in the midst
of cloud of smoke. ''Swingin'" was some
thing he had not calculated on, neither on
the bullet that went crashing through his
head, and sent him rolling off the roof to the
ground.
That ended the attack for the time. The
first rays Of light were streaming out from
the east and the Indians drew back under
shelter, having lost three of their boldest
warriors
But still Mr. Fairleigh had no hope of ul-
innate escape; he knew his enemies would
not give up the siege. Humpty saw his
trouble. There was one person whom she
loved with utter devotion, and that person
was her master. All day long she moved
about quietly and thoughtfully she was turn
ing something over in her mind, and just
before night she went to her master and told
him about it.
"Let Humpty go, massa," she pleaded
"Solis, he'll look out sharp, and Humpty'il
creep, creep, creep till she gifts clar off, and
den run, run, run. Git help heah fore to-
morrow night, and den massa'u be all right"
At last Mr.. Fairleigh yielded. The plan
would at least give little Humpty chance
of escape.
And SO, as soon as it was dark picket
was cautiously loosened and the heroic little
slave crept through, not knowing but the
next moment a tomahawk might descend
upon her head.
Slowly, now curling on her hands and
knees like dog, now dragging herself along
like snake, she made her way across the
field until at last she gained the shelter of the
woods Still cautiously, but walking now,
she went steadily on, and when she felt sure
she was beyond hearing Of the Indians, who
were now, no doubt, drawing near to the
cabin, she ran, ran as she had never ran
before.
Twenty miles to the settlement and then
all that distance to be gone over again before
help could reach her beloved masterl
On and on she ran till suddenly she stopped
short, catching her breath and shaking from
head to foot, for there was strange sound
in the air; coming closer along the wagon
track she was following a heavy tramp and
deep murmur. Humpty was terribly fright
ened. She thought it was whole regiment
of spooks, or Chants" as she called the ''spir-
it's" and she dropped down in a heap.
Very soon the noise came opposite her, and
then she saw what 1t meant, and her little,
sorely tried heart gave a throh OF joy.
Soldiers hundreds and hundreds of them.
Yes, it was really Gen. Jackson's army
with that brave hero himself riding at their
head. They were on the road to the Miccos-
rkee village (you will find il. on the Florida
maps to this day, only it is not an Indian
town now to punish the Red Sticks, and how
well they did it, too, history tells us.
But now, led by Humpty, they marched
rapidly to the relief of Che cabin where so
desperate fight was being fought, and they
arrived in time to kill Or capture every one
of the savages, who had just succeeded in
scaling the fence and were attacking the cabin
itslf. So they were nicely caught in trap
Of their own making, and not one escaped.
Hunpty used often to tell the story in the
peaceful after years of her life, and never for
got to relate with glee how she "swinged the
in the chifnbly."
ca GcRo DIV eSAA0 ~ Ses LIZA DIG WtS glfIuR
only two OF three years sga.-Helen Harcourt
In Philadelphia Times.
Beans Without Boston.
Mr. S. G. Bowen, of Medina, N. Y.
appeared at the tariff hearings of the
ways and means committee. His theme |
was beans. He read a long paper to the
committee on the history of bean grow
ng and bean eating in the United States
lie warned the committee that tariff |
If 10 per cent. ad valorom would be in
sufficient to protect the bean growers OF
,his country. Mr.. Bowen thought that
l specific duty of fifty cents bushe} |
would about suit him. The desire of Mr.
Bowen's heart appeared to be that a.
ong as the country lasted beans SHOULD |
never be sold below So I. bushel.
To Mr.. Breckinridges question as tt |
who ate most beans, Mr.. Bowen wa. !
obliged to reply that the poorer classe.
lid. Mr.. Bowen was further obliged t.
admit that dear beans meant, therefore
expense to the poorer classes.
The whole subject appears to have !
been discussed and settled without the |
of Boston. As dear beans |
II \