Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1892-08-23

the uiNtue stAIh. WIEN W iEtoih'sh W.
vouring tlrc Tor the glory IL Goi.
After supper that night tho old man
said to his wife and daughter,
IL have bc,n praying for tho light,
anil IL has come. see Gods hand In
this war. His wrath must be quenched
In blood. We are given over 10 our
idols n q nation. and he will consume
them In the furnaces Of war. Brother
Bradley IL about right. and shall pray
that his lap-e from grace may be brief.
For two weeks after this the crowds
kept away from the blacksmiih's chop.
and there appeared 90 be quiet In the
hills, but every one felt that II was the
quiet that preceded the storm. News
came that Het Magoone. who had for
m,rly lived In the Tennessee mountains.
hal gone south with hand Of his FOL.
lowers. and some people drew comfort
from this. but Bradley would shake his
head and say;
They're q comm. Zollicoffer Il rails
In a army down thar by the borler.
anil they're COMM And the black.
smith was right.
In the latter part Of November. 1901.
the mouniaincers Of southeastern Ken
tucky were In q state 81 great alarm.
Rumors of Confederate invasion along
the line ~ tho Cumberland river were
rife. AMI wild and entirely baseless
stories ~ the cruelties p.rI-trate,i by
Zollicoler's men. at Zollicotfer's orler.
wer, firmly believed. Now and then =
ragged refugee from farther south fourd
protection ard q stoprage place with
bradley. ani these men told their stories
of suffering and escape. only "a increase
the horror anAindignation Of their bre'h.
rcn along the upper Cumberland.
tine day Union man. who liycl
about fifteen miles south u the Cross
ing. came running down to the black
,inith's shop with the news that liet
Mag,obe. with company % men who
called him captain" were In Laurel
county. and that they were either kill
ing ~ forcing into their ranks every
Union man they met. A. Bradley had
t-cn expecting this he could no, IL sur
pris~l. In anticipation OF inst such nm
occurrence and the better 20 assemble
the Union men within reach. he hal
cause.i pilc- ~ dry wool % u gathered
on the highest hills for mile- around.
the smoke 10y day or the fame by night
hing Oh. signal 10 the Union men that
they must gather at the Crossing.
As soon A. the sun had gone down
iha, night Bradley aud few % his
friends went MP % the peaks and light'Vl
the fr-s. On his way back he stopped
at Father Peters house and said In MS
blunt way;
"The time To- fghtin heE come, thank
the LOr. fo' hit cant IL mo KILN than
the worryin and waiiin. Now git ,u-
g.ther all Oh. things we ken tote and
well foich em down 20 my place. Tharll
b. M u. In lockin up what. left behind
cf the doggone ours er Il a-comin har
wants TO steal 'em. Now let we un.
hurry"
Father Peters AMI his family saw the
Necessity Tor action. There was no
nervousness on his part, no groans or
ou,crie- from the women They gath.
cred up each change of clothes AMI
the few little things that are precious
because - association rather than for
their intrinsic value. The blacksmith
prepared great load of meal Gad bacon
Tor himself to carry; then the stock
were inrncl cut ~ the inclo>ure. 90 that
they might d. able to find water. " heel
L., for themselves: the doors wer. closed
but not locxcl. anil then. with the great
tr-s burning on the hills about them,
the little party started down 20 the
Crossing.
by ten o'clock that night 'hirty-ons
men and half as many women, the latter
wives Or swc.thearts. had assembled In
the black.mi,hs shop. Those frum the
farthe-t points south hal seen the Con-
ft,lerai... and there could 10 no doubt
as 10 their purpose OF their destination
Bradley sent out pickets-"spies" he
called them-to give warning Of the ap-
Iroach Of th. enemy; then he started
iirs In the forge. fastened few tallow
DIPS 90 the black walls, and. having
commanded attention, he stood NJ on
the anvil block and shoutedi
Boys. what shall we uns do-retrcat
10 the moth or stand and hghty'
This was followed by a few seconds
of n silence 80 intense that every man
could hear the beating u his own heart.
AMI with frightened eyes the wumen
looked FROM face 10 face. At length n
strong. clear. familiar voice rang cut.
"In the name ~ Great Jehovah we will
stand and iight!'
All eyes turned In the direction Of the
sound. but not to ascertain the speaker.
Into the full light of the forge, which n
strong arm kept blowing. walked Father
Peters with the battle light In his eye.
ami rifle Ia. his hand. 4 moment OF
awci silence. then the blacksmith
shouted.
"For Father Peters. boys' Cheer. d-n
you. cheerv"
And they iid cheer and swung their
hats. and their eyes blazei till it seeinesi
m IL there were no further need of the
tallow diIs or the blue flames OF the
forge.
my friends" said Father Peters.
God Il watching and not listening now.
and ~ q prayer must be an act. Tonight.
perhaps. witain the hour, we shall la
called on io strike blow for the Union
under the lead of Brother Bradley. Are
you all ready 10 do itI'
I'VE uns Are!' was the response, given
- one man.
".And are You ready to swear to thiss
"Yes.- with thrilling emphasis.
The old clergyman drew from hi.
breast n small United States fag that be-
had carried of among the precious
thing. from his house. He always hung
II over the meeting house door on Wash
ington's birthday and Fourth Of July.
~ that the people knew II. Indeed, it
was the only fiag Of the Union major
ity of them had ever seen. but it, rarity
seemed to Intensity their devotion To ".
Standing Ia their midst Father Peters
called on every man who was willing to
swear allegiance to the Union TO I'M
cover his head and take hold of margin
Of the flag with his right hand. This
was promptly done by every man In the
sinithy.
..Now. my friends, I want each man
20 repeat his name aloud when ! repeat
mine aud to say my words after me. Are
you readyy'
A hoarse. solemn Yes" was the re-
sxsonsa