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

edge of afTi.irs IN the south was derived
from the accounts published in the
northern Journals a1l inspired almost
without exception 80 "carrct-Eag" poll
ticiaus. and who fully expected to find
himself pitted against q determined ar
ray Of ox-ccufsaerates engaged in the
slaughter of federal officials. white and
black. the young New Englander be-
gan TO look upon the whole 2 Tair as
another practical joke devised by his
new associates simply ito test his grit
o. gull;bility." This, at least, was his
first impression. until the sight of the
main body Of the company swinging
into the square under command of the
first sergeant, and another look at
Closes burning brown eyes ard Parme-
lees hangdog face convinced him that
50 far as they were concerned there
was no joke.
But how about the chuckling natives
now augmenting their number every
moment? Certainly there could be no
doubt as to the contempt they felt for
''the squire" as they facetiously termed
Parmelee. or the ridicule which Closes
appearance lad excited until he had
well-nigh finished his denunciation of
the civil officer. Then for an instant
there was almost ripple of applause.
They watched him as. in his uncouth,
ill-fitting. unsoldierly garb, the COM
mander strode anprily back and be-
gan searching the wall and window
shutters of the Jail for signs of bullet
marks.
Meantime. gradually recovering con-
fdence or hope, the besieged in the cell
lar of the Westinghouse began to par
ley. The bell ceased ringing, and hum
BILE voices were heard asking who were
outside. A brusque order in Closes
gruffest tones to Come up out of that
hole and account for your prisoners"
seemed to cause unlimited JOY. There
was sound of unbarring doors and
scrambling on wooden stairs, and pres
emily the portals opened an inch or
two and cautious peeps were taken.
The sight of the blue uniforms was
enough. The defenders, white and col
ored, to the number of six, dusty but
uninjured, came gladly forth into the
afternoon sunshine. by CAD, fellows,
we had hard work standin' off that
crowd till you come" began the fore
most, another of the Parmelee type.
There must ha' been half Chittomhgo
county in here. and the bullets few
like"
But here a guffaw Of derisive laughter
from across the street, the crestfallen
face of Parmelee, and the quizzical grin
on the sun-tanned features Of the sol
diers, put sudden check to his Eow OF
words. There stood Close. glowering at
him.
"Flew like what, you gibberin' idiot?
The only builet-hole in the hull square
that hasn't been here for six weeks is the
one in that wuthlesS mule there. You
dam towards ran for shelter an let
your pris'ners loose; that's plain as
the nose on your face. ! don't care
for the pris' ners-thats your business;
but what | wants our mule. Lieut..
Lambert" he continued, addressing his
silent '1nior, TN as ready as any man
10 fi@i for the flag, but for six months
now I've been sittin' here furnishin'
posses to back up these fellers maxim
arrests all over the country, because
them was my orders. | haven't seen
a nigger abused. | haven't seen the
uniform insulted. l haven't seen n sign
of llukluX; nothin' but some contra
band stills. I've obeyed orders an
helped 'em to make arrests of people
don't personally know nothin' about,
an you see for yourself they dasn't lift
hand to hold EN-. I'm tired O. hackin'
up such a gang of towards. an don't
care who knows it. March the men
back to camp, sir. I'm goin' after that
mule"