The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1893-02-16
VERY PAIR GUARANTEED.
ADDRESS: SAN FRANCISCO. CAL.

cred up each u change Of clothes and
the few little things that are precious
because of association rather than fnr
their intrinsic value. The blacksmith
prepared great load of meal aid bacon
for himself to carry; then the stock
were turned out Of the Enclosure, so that
they might be able to find water, if need
( be, for themselves; the doors were closed
but not locked and then, with the great
fires burning on the hills about them,
the little party started down to the
i Crossing.
! BY ten o'clock that night thirty-one
men and half as many women, the latter
wives or sweethea-ts, had assembled in
the blacksmith's shop. Those from the
farthest points south had seen the Con.
federates, and there could be no doubt
as to their purpose or their destination.
Bradley sent out pickets--"spies" he
called them-to give warning of the mp
| proach of the enemy: then he started o
fire in the forge. fastened few tallow
dips to the black walls, and, having
commanded attention, he stood up on
| the anvil block and shouted:
Boys. what shall we uns do-retreat
TO- the moth or stand and fight?'
This was followed by few seconds
Of q silence SO intense that every man
could hear the beating of his own heart,
and with frightened eyes the women
looked from face to face. At length
strong, clear, familiar voice rang out.
In the name of Great Jehovah we will
stand and fightr'
| ax,ao t,,v,.aJ a., .J,~zc@,o,~ - A..
sound, but not to ascertain the speaker
Into the full light of the forge, which a
strong arm kept blowing, walked Father
Peters with the battle light in his eyes
and rifle in his hand. A moment Of
awed silence, then the blacksmith
shouted:
For Father Peters, boys! Cheer, d--n
| you, cheerr'
And they did cheer and swung their
hats, and their eyes blazed till it seemed
as if there were no further need of the
tallow dips or the blue flames of the
forge.
MY friends" said Father Peters,
"God is watching and not listening now,
| and SO a prayer must be an act. Tonight,
perhaps, within the hour, we shall be
called on to strike blow for the Union
under the lead of Brother Bradley. Are
you all ready to do it?'
I'VE uns arer' was the response, given
as one man.
"And are you ready to swear to thisT'
"Yesw with thrilling emphasis.
The old clergyman drew from his
breast small United States flag that he
had carried off among the precious
things from his house. He always hung
1t over the meeting house door on Wash
ington's birthday and Fourth of July,
so that the people knew it. Indeed. 1t
was the only flag of the Union major
ity of them had ever seen. but its rarity
seemed TO intensity their devotion to it.
Standing in 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
smithy.
Now, my friends, want each man
to repeat his name aloud when repeat
mine and to say my words after me. Are
you ready?'
A hoarse. solemn "Yes" was the re-
| spouse.
II. Robert Peters," every man shout
! ed his name and raised his face to the
black rafters of the smithy, lin the
presence Of Almighty God. do invoke
his aid and pray that he may set against
my name in the eternal records this. tie
solemn oath which herein take of my
own free will and accord: That from
this time on devote my best efforts and
strength, and if need be my life, to the
maintenance of the Union of my fathers.
That by night and by day. early and
late, in summers sun and winters snow,
will work for the restoration of the
seeded states to the Union. and con-
slider suffering and privation pleasure
in this effort. Goods and lands, hands
and life soleinnly devote to this holy
purpose; and if called ON to battle /
will battle as did the children of God Of
old, till the flag of our fathers, of our.
selves and of our children floats again
in glory over every foot of our land. So
help me, God, and give me strength to
keep this, my most solemn oath and OBJ
legation"
A few words and signs, to enable
Union men TO tell each other at night as
well as in the daytime, were agreed on.
Then the old clergyman asked If thes
would unite with him in prayer. Every
man, including strong Dick Bradley,
knelt down in the cinders and ashes, and
even the man working the bellows
knelt, though he did not cease hia
efforts.
And as Father Peters prayed s.ots
were heard up the hill. This was fol
lowed by cries of alarm, and with white
faces the pickets came running in. shout
ing as they ran:
"Het Magoonei Het Magoone and the
gang!"
The men extinguished the lights in
the smithy, seized their rifles and rushed
out The beacon fires had died out along
the hills. but to the south there could be
seen a newer fire. 1t came from the di.
rection of the clergyman's house. A
few minutes of watching and all doubts
were at rest, for the flames broke
through the roof. and the humble home
where Father Peters hoped to end his
DAYS was III flames.
ITO BE CONTINUED