Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1897-05-06

Long before they reached the public
square the firing had ceased. Overtak-
ing his little command, which the SER
geant had wisely halted for orders"
as soon as the shots were heard. Lam
bert led them n double time.
Put a stop to anything they're at.
I'll be after you with the whole COM
panv," Close had shouted after him.
The deputy marshal had disappeared
"Mr. Parmelee somewhere ahead?
painted the lieutenant to the sergeant
trotting by his side.
Somewhere behind, sir. He'll come
eallopin' in after we get there-per-
haps."
The road led into town rrom the
northeast. Lambert could see the rail
way embankment and the old wooden
bridge before they rounded the turn
from which they came in sight of the
belfry and the roofs. Somebody had
begun to ring the bell, and there came
the sound of shouting with IN occasion
al shrill yell. Then mora shots, II
short suffering fusillade, and more
shouts, suggestively derisive and farther
away.
whats going on, do you suppose?"
asked Lambert of his bulky second in
commando; and Mcbride, with one hand
steadying the absurd long sword then
worn by our sergeants, and the other
clamping his rifle at the right shoulder,
pufiingly answered:
"Havin' some fun with the sheriff.
He had nigger posse guardin' the jail.
Folks wouldn't stand it"
Another minute of running brought
them to the outskirts of the struggling
town. Women and children could be
seen peering excitedly towards the
square. Two very small boys, hearing
the heavy tramp, tramp of the infantry,
turned and scuttled away for the shell
ter of an open door. Three hundred
yards ahead a man in his shirt sleeves
popped around a corner, looked keenly
at the coming squad and popped back
again. When Lambert, leading his men
by q dozen PAGES, came dancing around
that same corner and found himself at
the northeast angle of the plaza, this
same citizen was seated on the nearest
porch, placidly smoking ccIn-cob pipe
and reading Il newspaper, his boots
braced against Il wooden pillar and his
chair tilted back against the wall.
In similar attitudes of exaggerated
calm, farther along in the direction OF
the post Office, were one or two other
gentlemen of Tugaloo. Only around
Cohen's mercantile emporium was there
faintest sign of excitement. There one
OF two trembling, pallid clerks were
bustling about and putting up the
shutters. The gang of negroes ordina-
rily loafng around the plaza had totally
vanished. Lambert, expecting to fin'l
himself in the presence of a surging
mob, came to sudden halt in sheer
surprise. The squad Slowed down" at
a sign from their sergeant, and then,
closing up their rank, marched silently
ahead in quick time.
where's the jail?' asked Lambert of
his subordinate.
Round there behind the next corner,
SIR, where the bell is"
Three or four prominent citizens
came strolling out of the saloon near
the post office, their hands in their
pockets and guilds of exaggerated size
in their cheeks. The bell, under the
impulse of unseen hands, was still vio-
lently ringing; otherwise an almost
Sabbath stiffness pervadcd the town of
Tugaloo. At the corner lay gaunt
uuadruped, blood tricl1ling from its nos
trils and from shot-hole in the side
sole indication of recent battle. The
7ail door stood obliquely open to the de-
clining sun. The barred windows were
tightly closed.
"'Put a stop to anything they're at "
repeated Lambert to himself. But
what are they at? How on earth can [
find out?"
Like those of the Jail behind it the
windows of the little meeting house
were closed, and apparently boarded up
from within. The double doors in
front were tightly shut and decorated
in one or two places with bullet holes.
The bell kept up its furious din. Ham
mer the door with the butt of your
rifle" said the lieutenant. annoyed to
see that such of the populace as began
to appear were looking on in unmistal1-
able amusement.
Guess they're all down in the cellar,
lieutenant" said tall civilian. Want
any of 'em? Reckon they'll come up +
you'll tell Squire Parmelee to shout.
Don't seem to see him, though" And
the grinning countryman was present
ly joined by one or two of his friends.
Lambert simply did not know what to
make of the situation. Sergt. Nc
Bride was going around hammering at
ont shutter after another and mutter-
ing about "darned fools inside" a cor
poral with two men had explored the
two rooms of the primitive building
used as Jail, and now came out to say
there was nobody there, which seemed
to tickle the fancy of the rallying pop
ulace. Still the bell kept up its deafen-
ing clamor and Lambert was waxing
both nervous and indignant. The abb
sence of the civil officers of the law
the deputy marshal or sheri1f-ren-
dered him practically powerless to act.
He could not pitch into the people for
standing around with InelT nduuS III
their pockets and looking amused.
There was nothing hostile or threaten
ing in their manner. They were even
disposed to be friendly-as when they
saw Lambert take a rifle with evident
intention of battering in the door, they
shouted TO him in genuine concern:
Don't do that, lieutenant. Those fell
lows will be shootin' up through the
floor next. The squirell be alo-ig pres
emily. Let him do it,"
Presently the squire did come, still
white about the gills," as a sergeant
nuttered; and him Lambert angrily ac-
costed:
''What do you want us to do, Mr..
Parmelee? We've been here several
minutes with nobody to report to-"
Il s'pose my poor fellows are muir
dered to man" cried Par melee, sliding
off his mule and handing the reins to a
soldier, VIII coolly transferred them
TO the nearest post. Cant you make
'em hear, McBride?"
Not if they're all dead" answered
the sergeant, disgustedly. (Which
corpse IS pullin' the bell rope?" At
this unfeeling remark the populace