Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1892-08-30


were In considerable force. and that they
were not friends was manifest from their
actions.
The cabin might afford some shelter
from . storm. but II was worse than
ussless ~ place of defense. On q spur
Of the hill 90 the north and about .
quarter of mile from the cabin. Brad.
ley had either discovered that morning
% knew In advance Of . place that of.
ferei advantages for defense. Without
any excitement. he told the men In and
about the cabin that there were
strangers In sight. and that Q fight
might 10 looked Tor before they could
resume their journey.
The men seixed their rifies, the horses
werc rc-addled and. ~ Mrs. Peters and
her daughter preferred ~ walk. the AMI.
mails were led TO the point Indicated.
This was hare projection of the hill.
where . mass of irregular rocks AZ.
for,iesi q place u concealment for q
larger force than required Il now. but
- u was some distance from wood and
water Il was not q desirable plsce In
which a. stand . protrHcted siege.
The fusitivss were not kept long In
doubt ~ to the character OF the people
VIM had aroused their suspicion. Brad.
ley was disposiiH his men at the points
where their rifes could best check an
approach. when Ella Peters. who was
,Stine do~u tho slops. called out,
There Is man approaching with q
white fagr'
Tho white fag proved 90 b~ q hand.
kervhief fastened to the end 81 q sword.
This was responded 10 by fastening
Ella'r handkerchief to the end u rife,
which Dick Bradley carried A. he and
Father Peters walked down 20 meet the
two men in gray who were approaching.
The fear that thee people belonged 10
ilct MagoOho's gang was soOn set at
ret. They w.r. dressed In gray uni.
forms, and IN. network 81 gold lace ON
the collar AMI sleeves " one ~ th. men
indica,~i that be- was an officer. As
Father Peters AMI Bradley went down
10 meet the truce. 10 was decided that
the former should do the talking. ~
when the Confederate announced him.
sclf ~ belonging a. General Zolliooffer's
command. And Iermptorily demanded
10 know who the p.ople ny the hill were,
be was answered..
wv. ar. Union men making our way
To the north. lut We do not want fight
Inl.s. II l. forced on Us.
"why are you going northr was the
next question.
We deny your rgh, TO AK" replied
Father Peters.
II aha here Ia prevent recruits going
through Ia th. enemy, and II you do not
surrender yUu must take the oonse-
qu.nc.-." said the Confederate.
1--WE are quite really fUr that" saii
the old clergyman.
"And " nothing Int q fight will suit
you uns." broke In Strung Dick Bradley.
come Un, jcst ~ quick "a you uns dog.
gone please. Now go back aud tell yo'r
r,bil. that"
The Confederate l-came grniler after
this, but l-youd learning the purposo Il
each other the truce r.sultei Ia no gooi.
A. soon a. Father Peters AMI Bradley
rrjoin.l the party. two young men. who
declared that they could reach Camp
Dick RoiiusOn without fOsl Or sle-l.
were detailed to make their way a. the
north AMI Ia inform the trst Union
truop- they reached % the condition Of
the fugitiyes whom they hal left b.
hind This prrcautiou. A. will presently
l- seen. proved the salvation of the
mountainecr.
The Confelerates numl-r-i about a
hundred men. cavalry or mounted rifies.
a. coull L. s..n when the clouds roll..l
away and the sun came ont. The enemy
were green anil undrilled. ~ w.r. most
% the truoJ- on both sides at that time.
but the officer In command evidently
und.rtooi his business. Leaving q
guari with the horses grazing In the
valley. he advanced his men In oI-n
orler. and evidently with orders % pro-
t.ct themselves ~ b.st they could till
tlltN came NlNhlu rlllt rtaau.
Il recall" ssii Mis- Peters, that I
saw all this without any increase u fear.
nor was at all shocked at seeing my
father on his knees with his rife pro-
,ruding through anOI-ning In the rocks.
Indeed Il APPEARED 30 me like an act u
halitual devotion. WANTED to DO some
thing. and II there had been an unused
rife within reach am sure should
have ohry.d the impulse 30 use IL.
II never admired Strong Dick Brad.
ley - much before. IeIpccted that he
would rave AMI swear. but instead he
went softly from man 90 man. uncaring
for the exposure, and whispering. Low
and s,iddy. boys: low and stiddy, and
not to- .'osvo-. h'ohr"
II was not till dozen men had fallen
that the Confe,leraie- began Ia get
true e-timat. u the enemy. This was
the fir.t conflict In which any % them
hail ever participated. and 10 the cour.
az. II the brayest began Ia cool NJ the
sight of blood. They threw themselves
ON the ground AMI opened mild fusil.
lale at the rocks ON the hill.
zone % our men got q shot through
the fieshy part Of hi. left arm" aid Miss
Peter. "The sight u the blood made
me shudder when I came 10 tie the
wound up In = handkerchief that hal
been used a. q flag of truce; but con.
fdence anil hope returned when the
young fellow said. with laugh. ~ II be
rather enjoyed It. Lor bless you. Ella.
that Amt no,hin to what did fo' one Of
them sinners "a was ~ climbin up this
hill
"The young man had Just returned TO
his place. and was about 10 rejoin
mother. when I was startled by . low
cry. Then ! saw father reeling back.
with an awful look In his eyes. ran 20
him and reached out my arms to help
him, but be fell-fell ut my feet-slead.
"tiol forgive me. but at that instant
I did not fully feel our terrible lo~s. The
impulse came to me to take the rife that
had fallen from his hands and 30 hll his
place, and am sure that i should have
done - had not mother fainted.
81 recall that Dick Bradley quickly
and tenderly lifted the holy back to
where the men could not see II, aud he
Whispered, 'Don't take on loud. don't let
the boys know our lo-s till we've licked
them hounds down the hill"
And during that morning and well on
into the afternoon the mountaineers
tonight without knowing that Father
Peters was dead. Il was evident to brad.
ley that the enemy had been re-cnforced.
and he began 10 fear for the coming
night, when. 10 his great Joy AMI sur.
prise, he saw the Confederutes hurrying