Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1894-03-24

geo dc signal tOmOrrCr might"
no new developme nts on the part of the
Contederates; heavy clouds were fast
covering the sky, and evidently the
night would be dark and favorable to
the success of the expedition. Mrs.
Hathaway and Hilda noted these cir
cumstances, and their alarm of the
evening before subsidized.
With bright faces they gathered
around the table for an early supper
future plans, to follow necessarily if
the expedition was a success, We're ca
gerly discussed, and no one thought Of
the dark cloud already overshadowing
them, for suddenly, and inter1upting
their conversation, the dining room
door burst open. and small black
urchin came dashing in, exclaiming:
"Golly, missus, wha s dat a-comin up
de road"
For answer squad Cf cavalry
wheeled rapidly up the grass grown
road that led to the house and dlsmount-
ed. Driving all the servants from their
quarters into the mansion, the officer in
charge said to the last retreating negro:
"Here, give our respects to your mis-
tress and say that we beg permission to
larry a few hours beneath her roof. No
member of the household shall be dis
turbed, but all must remain indoors.
BY this time company of soldiers
had appeared, and pickets were at once
placed about the grounds and house,
while the officers lounged upon the We
randas and conversed in knots of two or
- 10
way to the kitchen to set things in mo-
ton for a supper for the officers. The
colored cook was highly indignant that
her domains should be thus invaded,
and her Indignation was increased when
she was told to prepare a meal for those
whom she styled low 'Federate ossi
fers.'
There was no help for it, however,
and preparations We're Immediately be-
gun, amid many scolding remarks from
Aunt Hannah.
When the ladies of the mansion saw
that the enemy had taken possession of
their home, a sudden terror seized them.
Their coming at this particular time
showed plainly that the plans of Lieu
tenant GasQue had in some way been
they now reasoned, Jake would surely
know of it, and before the men could
land would give the prearranged signal.
This reasoning gave them even feeling
of relief. for If their friends did not
land the life of Lieutenant Gasque
would not be risked.
About an hour after tho arrival of
the troops supper was served IN the
dining room, and in few minutes tho
table was surrounded by laughing,
hungry company.
Aunt Hannah, the cook, in spite of
her ebony face. was unusually keen and
intelligent. and she knew that any in
formation she could gather of the enc
my's plans might prove serviceable to
ner mistress. As her duties called her
into the dining room, therefore, she lis
tened intently to the conversation of the
officers, and when she could no longer
linger about the table she thought of
the huge pantry, separated from the
dining room only by board partition,
and in this she secreted herself.
1t was not long before she overheard
one of the officers telling another how,
ON the arrival of the second cutter in
the offing, the Confederates had at once
suspected that an attack was about to
be made upon the fort by the Federals.
This led them to put the Hathaway
mansion under strict surveillance and
to strengthen the fol ces at the garrison.
The night before the pickets had sur
prised and captured Uncle Toby as he
was attempting to communicate with
the cutters, but nothing could be learned
from him, even under the severest
threats, respecting the plans of the enc
my. When Jake was secured a few
hours before, however, he made a COM
plete revelation of Lieutenant Gasque's
intentions and the part he was expect
ed to play in giving the warning signal.
On this disclosure the squad of men had
been sent down to the mansion to pre-
vent any communication with the
steamers, and an ambuscade was to be
arranged on the sandy point, by which
it was hoped to capture Lieutenant
Gasque and all his men.
Aunt Hannah waited to hear no more,
but as noiselessly as her 600 pounds of
avoirdupois would allow left the closet
and FASTENED up stairs in search of her
young mistress. She met Hilda in the
upper hall, and with suppressed excite
ment began her story.