The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1893-11-17
EBENSBURG PA. FRIDAY. NOVEMBER II. 1893

Indicating the approach of such a
perior force, that we halted to decide,
by council of war, whether officer or
privates ought to occupy the front
rank The privates were sure that the
officer should. The officer was equally
positive that he should not
As each party at once set about put
ting his theory on this point into prac-
tice, the company was soon back at the
persimmon tree which stood on the
crest of the hill. Here we had an open
space at our front, and, what seemed
just then still more important, an open
one in our rear, with line OF retreat
downhill.
The rustling of leaves and swapping
of twigs swept nearer and nearer. The
edge of the wood was reached. The
outmost fringe of bushes was now
a-quiver
| have a confused recollection of a
roar, rush of wildly flying earth and
leaves, and still more wildly flying he'll
NETS and cutaway coats Then found
myself astride persimmon limb a safe
distance from the ground, which was
held by a raving bull. The animal was
dividing his attention between my tree
and the three others that held the re-
mainder of the battalion.
Aim! FireI' | shouted as soon as |
took in the situation.
No response came. / repeated the
command still louder and more per
emptorily, and continued todo so until,
having at some risk wriggled myself
around on the limb so as to face the
battalion, l found that the reason why
my soldiers did not fire was that they
had nothing to fire
The armament of the battalion was in
the hands, or rather under the feet, of
the bull / reached for my sword only
10 find il also missing.
The bull took his stand under the
tree. The afternoon stretched out into
an interminab!e expanse Of time. My
persimmoD branch became intensely
uncomfortable; but still the bull kept
watch for US. BY and by thunder
storm arose and made matters much
worse.
Accompanied by binding flashes of
lightning that seemed to play around
our very heads, and deafening thunder
peals, the rain fell in such torrents that
we could scarcely breathe. AS the
horsehair helmets had been abandoned
with our arms, the rain poured into our
gaping collars till we We're soaked
through and through
Twilight arose from the woods like a
black mist and began to envelop us
The rain slackened, but the bull. in
stead of departing, lay down among the
trees, springing 10 his feet believing
fearfully If any one of US made an at
tempt TO get down.
i was becoming so chilled and stiff,
and nv hands We're so benumbed with
clutching the tree, that several times
was on the point of losing my hold and
falling 10 the ground From the some
what unsoldierly sounds of distress
that came from the other trees. ] in
fcrred that the rest of the battalion
were in no better plight than l.
just aS night was swallowing mp the
world, made out a dim. decrepit fig
ure hobbling along on the other side of
the fence
'.Whut dat up dem trees?'' demanded
n voice.
Its mer'' sang out with one accord
four hoarse and whining voices
MY goodness alibe, chillun, whut
yer mean turnin' tree-frawg dis time o.
night?" came the response.
80, Uncle Nat,'' called out. Drive
away that bull! He won't let US come
down. | chattered
Good old Nat Dibby, a free negro
whom we all knew very well, had hap
pcned to come past. lie made a rush
at the bull, and drove him away. and
one by one we half-slid, half-feu out of
the trees, helped down by Uncle Nat
Wondered greatly how he happened
to be here-so far away, and when he
told us that his cabin was only a mile
away, could not believe it.
But it was to his cabin that he took
us, and after we had been rcgaled on
ash-cake and buttermill1 the battalion,
captain and all, We're tucked away in
the only bed in the house, while the old
man and his wife, Aunt Patsy, slept on
the floor.
Betimes the next morning the bat
talon began their retrograde move
ment. At the head marched Uncle Nat.
bearing our weapons in his arms. Aunt
Patsy had spent most of the night in
drying our regimentalS, but they were
so rumpled and bedraggled by the cam
paign of the day before that all the
pomp aTfd circumstance of war was
gone, leaving us to cut pitiful figures
indeed.
Ne mind, honeys," argued the old
man, as we trudged at his heels, Il
thinks you's done mons'ous smart fer
h'r scrops o. chillun lax you, / does.
You's done toted desc hyere guns all
day 'dout shootin' anybody or yerse'fs.
elder, you's clomb trees lax squir'ls an
FREE to de limbs LAX tree frawgs. Go
home an eat a few mo- ash cakes an
you'll lay you'll be gin'nls, ev'y one un
yer, by en- by"
When we came within sight of home
we found the widest comInotion. Peo-
pie thronged the place. Searching
parties We're being formed. Mounted
messen gers were dashing off along every
road and byway.
We trembled with fear at the thought
of meeting our mothers We had ex-
pected to march back to the sound of
martial music and crowned with glory
that should compel forgiveness. How
could we go back in this guise?
But even here the goodness and tact
of Uncle Nat stood us in good stead.
Hating at safe distance, he hid US in
the bushes, went forward alone and
made peace at the house. Then he
came back and led the forlorn battalion
up the hill and turned them over To the
authorities Dodge, in Youths
Companion