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

suppose you will think that was not her
true name, but it was. She was a little col
ored girl, slave, too, but she had good
master and mistress, who never ill-treated
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
a name for her, but before it was settled it
became only too certain that the poor little
creature was doomed to pass through life in
sad detormty. The dark, curly head settled
down 100 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 she?"
"Wha's dat, Massa Harry, What's dat
Humpty Dumptys" cried Aunt Dinah, her
ear caught by the new name.
Humpty Dumpty on the wall
Hulnpty Dulnpty got fall,
quoted Harry, and that ended the search for
nice, big name for the little stranger, and
SO Humpty, as they called her, became
recognized member of the household, and by
no means a 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
were scattered all over the plantation, each
one with its own garden plot.
The Fairleighs had beautiful home, plenty
of money, and love and peace among m
co1voc ca thav o1Uht to hava haon baryv vo,1
will think. And so 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 Mr.. 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
long looked for storm broke forth.
Mr.. Fairlegh's home 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 a 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 Creek 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 tall
pole painted red, to denote the warriors
thirst for the blood of the palefaces, and on
it were many hundreds of American scalps.
Besides these hostile Indians there were
hundreds of runaway slaves and escaped con-
victs roaming at will 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
were bad enough at all times, but now they
were growing worse, and the Indians had de-
clared war. For months past Mr.. Fairleigh's
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 the stables. called the
slaves together and babe them harness all the
horses and mules to the wagons. Then he
came to the house and loaded up all the most
valuable furniture.
"Be quickI" he ordered. s'The Red Sticks
are out pillaging and numbering. We must
get off as fast as possible. There! Therel
Don't wall or moan; work, work, with all
your might; that will do more good than
howlingl"
Then he dashed into the house, and in
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 we'll on the road
towards place Of safety.
But of course, when the flight had been SO
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 E Pluribus Soils for thus had Humpty's
parents named her elder brother, acting on
the advice Of mischievous Harry, q sturdy
youth of IS, and Humpty to cook for them,
for young as she was she had learned 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 Humpty, who of course
felt very anxious crept out upon the roof to
look for signs Of the enemy. and at last, Cd
the second day, quite early in the morning,
her heart gave great leap as she saw over
the tree tops column Of smoke rising sky.
ward. She knew that only one thing could
make such O smoke in that particular spot,
burning house, that of their nearest neigh.
Dor two miles away, and she was equally
sure that ths Indians were there rebbing
and burning, and only not numbering be.
cause the family had deserted their home.
Humpty was only a little girl, only little
negro hunchback. The sight and the shock
overcame her. Head over heels like ball
she rolled down the ladder that led to the
roof and lay on the floor screaming at the top
of her voice. Only for moment, though.
Then she stopped, caught her breath, doubled
up her fists and pummeled herself unmerci
fully.
"You, Humpty, you misible critter," she
cried Indignantly s'git right up, and run and
tell massa and Solisi There now, stop yellinl,
and git up quick, mean, misible little niger,
you! Pears like yer oughter be scalped, but
don't want to, no how-oh, Lord!'
Painting and breathless, little Humpty
rushed across the fields to Mr.. Fairleigh and
her brother, and in few moments all three
were running back to the house. But before
they had gone half way shot, another and
another from out the young forest warned
them that their foes were already upon them.
They were close to al old log cabin, once
used as smoke house for curing haepn. Il
had great chimney, built of clay and sticks,
running up on the outside, and on the inside
a large fireplace and two rooms.
Since the new troubles with the Indians Mr..
Fairleigh had repaired the Old cabin and built
g high, strong picket fence around it, intenq
ing, if he was SO unfortunate as to be sur.
prised by the enemy, to take refuge Their.
until help could come from the settlement
In the cabin was key of powder, good
store Of bullets and several rifles, besides a kea
Of water and soma provisions, for he had
thought it ali out and prepared for shor
siege, if needs must.
The bullets ratified against the picket fence
as the three fugitives rushed through the gate
and barred it behind them. E Pluribns Soils
with his teeth chattering and STARTING pndss
the reproaches Of his sister as 10 mean, misi
hiA nioaAr. feared Of Iniuns." vet MANAGED
to help his master get out and load the half
dozen rifles that the latter's forethought had
placed ready to their hands. Around the In
side Of the two rooms that constituted their