The Newtown bee., 1896-11-27

gathered a-basket of the sliced potatoes which had been sprinkled with salt and meal, and clambering out through the ceIlarwaY, disappeared into the darkness. They returned and went again with another load. Again and again they re- peated the process, each time the old lady straining her ears for any sound that might break the stiffness of the night.
 And sounds she heard coming from down the creek in the direction of the river bottom. Yet these did not seem to be all she was listening for. But when she turned her ear in the other di- rection, no sound broke the silence along the ridge, which the raiders were to cross at that point, except the hoot of the night owl or the crash of some dead branch as it broke loose from 8 tree and fell to the ground.
 But that only caused her to redouble her excrtions. Load after load of the potatoes were carried out, until a row of the troughs had been set entirely across the roadway, and another lining it on either side for some distance. Nro,,o +Cr coo,, ,r,oe I,o;v to elv oo,,,,,1o+ ed Nearer and nearer came the sounds until presently the lowing of cattle and the shouts of the drivers could be dis tinctly heard. The tramping feet indi cated that there was large drove
 Down in the cellar sat Ben and his grandmother, the latter eyeing with ser. ious looks the sadly depleted potato pile. Small though they had been, they were their chief winter store, and now they were all sacrified.
 But suddenly believing among the cattle without, and louder shouting ot the drivers, mingled with curses, tolC that the salt had been scented and the hungry animals had stopped to devoul the food set in their way. We'll did the shrewd Esek know that all the cattle3 ot that section of the country were accus toned to being fed upon cut potatoes and we'll did he know that no drivers lashes could force herd past that tempt i ing array without at least considerable delay; and it was for the delay he had thus planned.
 After climbing to the ridge back of the house he had made his way along it af rapidly as he could through the dark ness, half running, praying as he went stumbling over stones and logs, yet pur suing his way steadily to a point some miles distant where he knew 8 band ot minute men were encamped. If he could only gain time to reach them and bring them to the spot before the raiders cross ed the ridge, the cattle of the river bottom might be saved.
 Brave Esekl It was a daring plot and involving as it did the sacrifice of al his crop of small potatoes, it was wei deserving the name of heroism. But would it succeed?
 Ravenously the beasts, whose appetites had been sharpened by their long forced drive, devoured the feast set before them and stubbornly did they hold their own in spite of the shouts and goads of theiI oaptors urging them on.
 "Curse the internal Yankees r' burst out the leader of the crowd, when some had dismounted and discovered the cause of their delay. ''It is some Cf their smartness, but we will escape them and return another time to pay off the score 7
 Just then 8 shot rang out on the air in their rear. 'sLet them .ire," he cried oontemptuoualy, ''they dare not come near enough to hit any one. There Is not enough pluck in all the COW herders of the valley to attack Johnson's band.
 Wen take our time, boys, and get ofI with every beast. So much the better If they are well led on the way; 1t V