The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-09-11


were driven up'the slope OF the little
hill which had hitherto SHELTERED Sam
from the actual presence OF the fight,
and though they fought well to hold
their ground, were gradually forced
to move farther and farther back.
When thew passed the brow Of the
hill and started retrograding down
its southern slope. panic spread
among them, retreat became rout
Sam was already far IN advance OF
the most fieet-foOted among them,
his years forgotten. devouring time
and space with a gait that would,
by comparison, have made a scared
rabbit seem slow.
Dusk had fallen A group of tired,
disheartened, bedraRRIed, tattered,
powder begrimed meu, some in gray
uniforms. others in ordinary dress
or its mnants-gathered about a
small Ore in a nook or the hills
They were a few Of the scattered
ConfedeIates whom accident and COM
mon sympathy had brought together
After eating a meager supper. one OF
the mum Der was selected to do sentry
duty for the night and while the
others lay down to sleep the bright
handsome young fellow, hardly more
than a boy who was to be sentry,
went on duty. A long time he sat
near the little fire which they had
lighted to keep him warm. when a
voice called out just loud enough for
him to hear, ''Mar's Frank Mars
Frank" The next instant an old
negro crept cautiously into the light,
exclaiming:
"MaT's Frank rs glad it am you"
''Why, Uncle Sam, how on earth
do you me to be here?"
'.Ise gwine tell Y'u, Mars Frank.
OATS what rs hyuh to-. Befo' Miss
Silvia died"-
aunt Silvia deadI 1 did not know
she had died"
mo. sab; but know'd it, Gaze 1
was dar. biggest funI you ebber
saw, Mars Frank. She mighty good
woman"
Poor Aunt SilviaI She was in
deed a good woman, deserving and
winning the love of all who knew
her. She was a second mother to my
sister Eunice and me"
''Me too, Mars Frank Well, be-
TO- she die she say when she gone
be to take Missy Eunice to Jedge
w adleigh's, up by the Lunenburg
cot house. She write him an he
writ back he mighty glad Ter to hab
he's dear little niece wild him. Well
dat was a while befo' she SO Dire e
sick Alter de fun'l 1 stat wild Miss
Eunice fer Jedge WadIeigh's We
was ridin' boss an' a sOjer come err
long an he con hstercated dat boss.
I'd a thought he jest tux him, but he
said he cOndstercated him, SO
couldn't say muffin. Den we walked,
'ceptin' when der chile was so tired 1
cay huh. We git to Jedge Wad-
leiRh's an da want no J~dge Wad-
Ieigh's. De place was all bun; de
b g house an de ouahtahs an dc
bahns. Want nobody fer to tell us
nofHn'- 1 git mighty scat myself.
deed did, an Missy Eunlce she cry
fer brudder Frank, says he haint
got nobody lef' in de void but 'brud-
der Frank an begged me to take
her to 'brudder Frank Anil pin
donated myself that couldn't do no
bettah'n fin' y'u, sab: fer you tell me
what I Rwine do wild Missy Eunice.
So we sot out / know'd you was in
de ahmy, sab, an folks tole me wha'
de ahmy wuz, so we gwine erlong all
right, but mos dead beat out. till dis
maWnin'. Den de debbil broke, lO'
shuah. De fustest ting we knOw'd
de shOotin' was Rwine on all round
US De solid yerth was heaven an
a trem blin.' an de clouds was shak-
in lax a flag in de win, an de rot
ten balls was a tumblin' fm de sky
an a smashin' de trees an Dustin
de rocks. Oh! Mars Frank it was
mos owdaciOus time. Len nided
Missy Eunice in a right safe place
bertwixt de rocks. an sOrter
strolIed away myself to look TO- you,
Gaze know d I'd I'm Mars Frank
Wha' lie 6ghtin' was Rwinc on. May
be l was a little might scaa't, fob de
fust ting I know'd 1 couldn't ketch
my BRET, an L guess I mus bin run
rim Den 1 crope back to I'm Missy
Eunice. 1t was a mighty long ways,
but crope an CrOpe till see dis yer
fab an seed you, Mars Frank; den L
knOW'd I was all right"
"And you have left Eunice some
where alone all this terrible day?"
MARS Frank, l couldn't a help IL
An no ha'am come to Missy Eun.ce-
She lie quiet lax little mouse in
de nes' an nobody I'm her."
owe must see about this at once,
If you can ind where you left her."
s-Shy'ly, Mars Frank, go dar
straight as de crow fly. Amt mon a
q ahtah-mile, sab"
s.She must at best be almost /
starved and frightened to death"
In a few moments Frank had a
comrade waved to take hi place as
watcher, but a second also had to be |
called, as the first upon being made
acquainted with the circumstances !
roundIF swore he would sit by no
ram M re while "A friend went aWay