San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-01-08
CHAPTER III.
ON NEUTRAL GROUND.

YIN NEOlhAL uhOONb.
Matters were getting critical for
Squire Fambrough. He had vowed and
declared that he would never be refu-
gee, but he had a responsibility on his
hands that he had not counted on.
That responsibility was his daughter
Julia, 90 years old, and as obstinate as
her father. The squire had sent off his
sons wife and her children, together
with as many negroes as had refused to
go into the Union lines. he had ex-
pected his daughter to go at the same
time, but when the time arrived the
fair Julia showed that she had mind
Of her own. She made no scene, she did
not go into Mysteries, but when every
thing was ready she asked her father If
he was going. He said he would follow
along after awhile. She called to ne
gro, and made him take her trunks and
bandboxes from the wagon and carry
them into the house, while Squire Fam
brough stood scratching his head.
"Why don't you make her Gomez"
his daughter-in-law asked, somewhat
sharply.
"Well, Susannah," the squire re-
marked, 81 amt been jestice of the
peace an married man off an on for
40 year without findin out when to fool
wi the wimen SEX an when not to fool
wi 'em.'
"I'd make her come, " said the daugh-
ter-in-law.
ST give you lief, Susannah, freely an
fully. Lay your baby some'rs where 1t
won't git run over, an take off your sur
plus harness, an go an fetch her ont of
the house an put her in the buggy.
But the daughterin-law treated the
courteous invitation with proper scorn,
and the small caravan moved off, leav-
ing the fair Julia and her father in pos
session of the premises. According to
human understanding the refugees got off
Just in the nick of time. A day or two
afterward the Union army, figuratively
speaking, marched up. looked over
Squire Fambrough's front palings, and
then fell back to reflect over the situa-
tion. Shortly afterward the Confederate
army marched up, looked over the
squirrels back palings, and also fell back
to reflect Evidently the situation was
one to justify reflection, for presently
both armies fell back still farther, These
movements were so courteous and dis
creet-were such a colossal display Of
etiquette-that war seemed to be out OF
the question. OF course there were the
conservative pickets, the thoughtful We
dettes and the careful sharpshooters,
ready to occasion little bloodshed, ac-
cidentally or Intentionally. But by far
the most boisterously ferocious append
ages of the two armies were the two
brass bands. They were continually
challenging each other, beginning early
in the morning and ending late in the
afternoon, one firing off Dixie" and
the other Yankee Doodle" 1t was
yankee Doodle, howdy do?" and "Doo-
dle-doodle, Dixie, too" like two chan
ticleers challenging each other afar off.
This was the situation as it appeared
TO Squire Fambrough and his daughter,
On this particular morning the sun was
shining brightly, and the birds were
futtering joyously in the budding trees.
Miss Julia had brought her book out
into the grove of venerable oaks which
was the chief beauty of the place and
had seated herself ON a rustic bench that
was built around one of the trees. just
as she had become interested she heard
rife shot. She moved uneasily, but
fell to reading again and was apparent
" absorbed in the book when she heard
another shot. Then she threw the book
down and rose to her feet, making a
very pretty centerpiece in the woodland
set .iu".