The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1897-10-08

by de house on hors 'back!''
''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 better! Out
with it now, or yo' won't live two min.
utes!''
"What yo' mean?" asked the old
man, who was badly upset over the sud
den attack.
I'VE 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
tor?''
"Nebber, sab, nebber! tole yo' de
troof. nebber did meet up wild nobody
sence started from de house!'
''From what house?"
''Dat house back dar which b'longs
to Missus Percy. Mebbe yo' knowed de
Percys of Winchester?''
1.-The Percys, eh? Are you Percy
nigger?'''
''Yes, sab, an de only one dat's left. -
''And where were you going?"
''Down to Harrisonburg, sab, to git
news bout dat battle dey fout dar de
odder day. I hain't seed single pus-
son on de road, an if yo' was to kill me
dun couldn't tell yo' muffin bout no
Yankeesl''
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. Tt 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 the Federal camps.
Now, then," 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
i, after dark. Yo' were probably going
to Harrisonburg to give yo'self up to
the Yankees, but we'll spoil that little
camel This will do yo' a heap of goodr'
And thereupon, holding Uncle Ben
with his left hand by firm grip on his
collar, he used rawhide over the old
administered the first whipping of his
life. When his arm had grown weary,
he stopped and said:
Now, yo' make beeline for home
and don't stop to rest on the way! IT any
other prowling niggers ask yo' about
that battle at Harrisonburg, yo' tell
him yo' was in it and got licked! Gee
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, I'ze only pore ole mig
ger, but somebody has got to bleed fur
disl Nobody ebber put whip on Uncle
Ben befo' sence he was pickaninny, an
I'll kill yo' fur dat as shore as ebber
git de chance!''
He at first thought of resuming his
journey toward Harrisonburg, but a mo-
ment's reflection convinced him that if
he fell into the hands of the same party
again his life would be in peril. He re-
allied how much disappointed Marian
would be. but he would return and re-
port and perhaps make new start. He
had covered two miles of the back track
when at turn in the road man step
ped out from the rocks at his left and
ordered him to halt and added:
''Who are yo'?',>-
'Uncle Ben Percy
:'What. is that yo. Uncle Ben?''
Fur shore, but 1 hahn t dun met up
wild no Yankee spies, jess as told yo'
befo'."
"Uncle Ben, don't yo' un know me?"
asked the man as he came nearer. 1--we
talked with yo' many time in Win
chester befo' the war. I'm Steve Bray
ton.''
"Fo' de Lawd! Yes, 1 member yor
voice! I dun reckoned yo' was some mo-
of dat crowd what was gwine ter kill
me!''
''Hev yo' met up with anybody"
'.De Lawd furgive me, but I has!
Back dar bout two miles gang O.
white men stopped me an war gwine to
shute me dead an cut my froat! Dey
said had sawn some Yankee spies, an
bekase I dun hadn't seen nobody tall
dey Civ me-de moas' powerful lickin on
airthl''
Yankee spies ?" queried Steve. "Ah,
I understand! And are yo' with the
Percy family, Uncle Ben?''
Fur shore"
''Do they uns live nigh yere?''
g Bout a mile away, sah.'
And whar war yo' goin when yo'
met up with that crowd?"
''I'd dun started fur Harrisonburg to
git news bout dat big battle. Dat
Cap'an Wyle he was long yere today an
told Miss Sunshine dat Mars Kenton
was killed ober dar!''
t.'He did?"
<" Yes, sab, an den Miss Sunshine cum
out to me wild her face as white as snow
an tears in her eyes an big lump in
her fYoat, an when seed how powerful
she felt dun said would go an find
out dat Mars Kenton was all right
.'See yere, Uncle Ben, I've got SUM-
thin to tell yo'r' said Brayton as he
drew him out of the road. Mars Ken
ton is up yere among the rocks and
bresh!"
''Fo' de Lawdv'
THAT gang was after the two of us,
though we are not Yankee spies. Mars
Kenton was badly wounded jest befo'
dark, and had to carry he un on my
back fur couple of miles. Uncle Ben,
yo' must go to the house and git blan- |
kets and bandages and sunthin fur us
to eat Yo' must also bring that gal |