The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-04-23

''Yo' lie, yo' old black faced devil!"
said the leader as he got off his horse
and seized Uncle Ben by the collar.
Now, then, tell us where they are hid
ing! Don't pretend to us that yo' have
not seen 'em, for we know betterl Out
with 1t now, or yo' won't live two min
utes!'
What yo' moan?" asked the old
man, who was badly upset over the sud-
den attack,
We mean just this: We've been fol-
lowing two Yankee spies along the
mountain nearly all day. One of them
was wounded about an hour ago. They
were headed this way, and yo' must
have met them and know where they
now are. Did they send yo' for doc
tori"
"Nebber, sab, nebber! tule yo' de
troof. | nebber did meet up wild nobody
sence l started from de house!'
From what house.'
dat house back dar which b'longs
TO Missus Percy. Mebhe yo' knowed dc
Percys of Winchester"
THE Percys, ch? Are you Percy
niggerf'
Yes, sab, an do only one dat's left"
And where were you goingt''
. Down to Harrisonburg, sab, to git
news bout dat battle dey fout dar de
oddcr day. | hain't seed single pus-
son on de road an If yo' was to kill me
/ dun couldn't tell yo muffin bout no
Yankees!'
They had looked upon it as just a
chance that Uncle Ben had encountered
the men they were after, and their Wig
orous measures were intended to fright
en- the information out of him. While
he was trembling and afraid, his tones
satisfied the crowd that he was telling
the truth. 1t wouldn't do to let him
down too easily, however. The negroes
of the country were breaking over all
rules and regulations and travelling
about at night TO confer with each other
and plan escapes to tho Federal camps
Now, them" said the leader of the
band, "yo' have had powerful close
call, and yo want to remember it, Mig
gers have no business away from home
after dark. Go' were probably going
to Harrisonhurg to give yo'self up TO
the Yankees, but Wen spoil that little
game! This will do yo' a heap of goodH'
And thereupon, holding Uncle Ben
with his left hand by "a firm grip on his
collar, he used rawhide over the old
mans back and legs with his right and
administered the first whipping of his
life. When his arm had grown weary,
he stopped and said:
Now, yo' make beelino for homo
and don't stop TO rest ON the way! II any
other prowling niggers ask yo' about
that battle at Harrisonbnrg, yo' tell
him 20 was i'll 1t and got licked. Geo
up,
As the old man headed for Rest Ha-
ven the gang OF men rode in the other
direction. He stepped out at lively
pace until hidden by the darkness and
then stopped and turned to shake his
fist and whisper:
White man, 'ze only pore ole Mig
ger, but somebody has got to bleed fur
dis! Nobody cbher put whip on Uncle
Ben befo' sence he was pickalinny, an
I'll kill yo' fur dat as shore as / ebber
g4t de chunce.'
He mt first thought of resuming his
journey toward Hari.onburg, but mo-
ment S rejection convinced him that il
he fell INTO the hands of the same party
again his life would be in peril He re-
alized how much disappointed Marian
would be, but he wGuld return and re-
port and perhaps make new start. He
had covered two miles of tho back track
when at a turn in the road man step
ped out f1em the roaks at his left and
trdered him to halt and added:
''Nho are yo'?'
-" "lnele Ben Percy
.'What, is that yo, Uncle Ben2'
F" Fur shore, but | hahn t dun met up
wild no Yankee spies, jess as | told yo'
bcfo'.
'.Encle Ben, don't yo' un know me2"
asked the man as he came nearer. Il We
talked with yo many time in Win
chester befo' the war. I'm Steve Bray
ton.
" I1o' de Lawd! Yes, member yo'r
voice. dun 1eekoned yo' was some mo
OF dat crowd what was gwino ter kill
mel
Iley yo' met up with anyhodyt"
DE Lawd furgiNe me, but | has!
Back dur bout two miles a gang O.
white men stopped me an war gwine to
shute mo dead an cut my freatl Dey
said | had sawn some Yankee spies, an
bekase | dun hadn't seen nobody tall
dey civ me &c nous powerful lickin on
airthl
.sfaEare spies? ?" queried Steve. All,
! understand! And are yo' with tho
Percy fam 'ly. Uncle Benz
9 Fur shore. v
..Do they uns live nigh yeres"
q Bout mile away, sab. y
'tAnd whar war yo' goin when yo'
met up with that crowd2"
I'D dun started fur Harrisonburg TO
Eit news bout dat big battle. Dat
Gap'an Wyle he wns long yere today an
told Miss Sunshine dat Mars Kenton
was killed oher dar!"
''He did,"
Yes, sab, an den Miss Sunshine cum
out to me wild her face as whlto as snow
an tears in her eyes an big lump in
her ffoat, an when seed how powerful
she felt | dun said | would 90 an find
out dat Mars Kenton wns all right y
'tSee ycre, Uncle Ben, I've got sun
thin to tell yo'!' said Brayton as he
drew him out of the read Mars Ken
ton is up yere among the rocks and
bresh!"
.'Fo' de Lawdl"
THAT gang was after the two of us,
though we are not Yankee spies. Mars
kenton WIS badly wounded jest befo
dark. and had TO carry he un on my
back fur a couple of miles. Uncle Ben,
yo' must 10 TO the house and git blan-
kets and bandages and sunthin fur us
to eat. Yo' must also blipg that gal