The Hazel Green herald. [volume] (Hazel Green, Wolfe County, Ky.) 1885-19??, 1891-05-08

few hours on the bed he had prepared
in the sooty loft OF the cabin.
my ole woman, she'll dry yer clothes.
an I'll fix yer boots ez we'll OF kin, an
ef dars any danjah, witch amt a-lookin
fob at dis time oh night, I'll let yeh
know" said the old man.
With this assurance, we took off our
boots and outer clothing and climbed
into the loft, where we were soon fast
asleep.
81 reckon, gemmen, OF how yeh'd
bettah be gittin' up. It's nigh onto bout
half past three" called up the old man.
Howard and were out OF the loft at
once though IL seemed TO me that had
not been asleep ten minutes. We
found the soles OF our boots fastened on
and our clothes comfortable and dry.
We dressed, and when / told the old
people that we had no money TO re-
ward them, both declared that they
were ready to do "ten times noah fob
dc Yankees IL they could.
The old woman gave US basket con-
tanning cooked food, and then offered
up fervent prayer for our deliverance;
and when we were ready to go the old
man volunteered to guide US "twile
bout daylight"
The rest and food and our implicit
confidence in our guide made us feel
like new men, and as we started off
again we felt that we could march with
out fatigue for a month-that is, IL our
course lay in the direction of liberty
and Gods land"
The neces .Sy for 'skrimagin" must
have developed our guides walking
powers, for he led us on at pace that
was surprising in man of his years.
Just as the day was breaking he
knocked at the door Of log-cabin on
the edge OF dense wood, and in re-
Spouse to 'whos dar?" in q woman's
voice from within, he replied:
"Uncle Jake, an he hez two Yanks
wild him"
Good LORI" from within.
eyes, an l wants Tom to keep 'em
all day, an see 'em on tonight"
tom amt har."
"Whar's hep"
"IIe's done gone off skrimagin."
"Wa'al, Liz, can't you hide 'em till
dark an give 'em place to sleep, fob
devre powahful ti'-ahd"'
"I'll try" said the voice from within.
The door was opened, and closed as
soon as wo entered. Our guido ex-
planned our mission, and when the
woman said that sho had mos nothin'
TO eat in de house." he explained that |
we were provided with rations in a small |
way. This information took q load off
LIS mind-she was middle-agcd and
4 very black woman-for she consented
TO keep us, and after shaking hands and
wishing us God speed, our old guide left
us.
From Liz we learned that the Confed
crate cavalry had been ''gallopin' round
right smart all day." and she further in
formed us that she had "heard ez how
de- Yankees wuz seed down Harrison
way jes' afoah dak las night"
We shared with Liz our supply OF
cooked food, and then crcpt up into the
loft and lay down on the blankets she had |
spread for us We might have slept on
for four and twenty hours had we not |
been aroused about the middle OF the |
afternoon by the tramping of horses.
the familiar clatter of scabbards, and the |
hoarso voices of men. looked out
the chinks and saw about dozen
the leader OF whom was
talking to our frightened hostess.
II Amt seed no Yanks, seed no nav
thin" Liz protested again and again.
With an indescribable sense of relief, l
saw the horseman ride away, and as
soon as the sound of the tramping died
out Howard and left the loft.
AS the woman's husband, whom we
hoped to have had for a guide, did not
put in an appearance by dark, we
thanked Liz for her kindness and start
ed OFF again. 1t was pitch dark, with
snow and sleet driving down from the
north, but we had faith in that Provi
dence who had SO far guided US Alright.
CHAPTER XVI.