Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1897-06-03
In the DduS Of Old.
BY EVERETT T. TOMLiNSoN.
Copyright. Ts97.J
BY EVERETT T. r,
Copyright. Is97.l

w Tom. Hes o as Obstinate 5ns nla 'f as
mule"
Il didn't think you could get him.
lie isn't that kind"
SO much the worse for him. We've
been up to his place twice to-day. We
offered him good position and prom
ised him protection, but he never an
swered a word. I'm sorry for the old
man, but tomorrow he'll have to take
the oath or swing for it,"
Hell swing, then, for he'll never take
1t. 1 know Judge WiIIiams-he's got
his mind made up, and that's the end
of it,"
We'll, it's his own choice; he has no.
body to blame but himself"
The speaker turned and left the two
boys with whom he had been talking.
He WAS a sergeant serving under Tarle-
ton, who mad dispatched a band of n
hundred men to scour that portion Of
South Carolina in the summer of 1880
and drive out the wings or compel them
to take the oath of allegiance to the
British king. They had encamped for
the night under the shelter of hin,
vi bIC Vi WHICH "tlS LIE HOIbt
of Judge Williams, a stalwart WING,
and their two visits to him that after
noon had not awaited to shake the Old
mans resolution.
The two boys to whom the young SER
geant had been relating the story of
the fruitless attempts were Tom
CrowelI and John Blake. Toms moth
er was a widow, and when detachment
of Tarleton's men had stopped at her
home on the preceding day and offered
him his choice between leaving the
country or joining their band, one look
at the children and one thought of the
suffering which his mother might be
compelled to undergo had decided him.
Forgetting loyalty to country for the
sake of his mother and the children, he
had yielded. \ similar offer to his
friend and neighbor, John Blake, had
made him yield also; and much against
their will the two boys found them
selves serving under the British flag.
They were not given much liberty,
however, and soon saw that they were
regarded with suspicion in spite of the
oath they had taken.
IL say, john" said Tom, soon after
the interview with the sergeant, when
both boys lay wrapped in their bLan-
kets on the ground, Il wish we'd done
as Judge Williams has. That's what
my sister Nancy wanted me to do all
the time"
I'VE couldn't help it," replied John.
''What could two boys only Is years old
do, I'd like to know?'
"Oh, we had to do it, reckon. Still,
somehow, wish we hadn't. wonder
what the Judge will do now?'
SSH" whispered john. Here comes
the guard" And both became silent
and were soon asleep.
Meanwhile Judge Williams was do
Ing his utmost to answer Toms ques-
ton. He fully realized that the NOR
row would see the matter decided, and
he knew too much about the sufferings
of his whig neighbors to be long in
doubt as to what would happen. The
energetic old man promptly decided
that it would be better for him To act
than TO leave it all with Tarleton's men,
and accordingly, soon after sunset, he
sent his faithful servants in every direc
tiun to summon those of his neig hbors !
upon whom he knew he could rely. |
Slowly the men began to gather at his |
home. They came singly, or by twos or
threes, and every man had his flint |
lock. \ whispered word from the Judge |
explained the purpose of the call, and |
decided nod was the reply of each /.
as he took his seat and waited in |
silence.
BY midnight 25 men were there. An |
hour later five more had arrived. They |
waited another hour; then, as only |
three more had come, the judge de-
cided that il was time for action Thir- |
ty-three men against hundred! What
could they hope to do?
No time was allowed for thinking |
out such problems, however, and the de- |
termined band passed silently out int"
the darkness. Not word was spoken |
except BY the leader, and like moving |
shadows they advanced slowly down
the hill towards the camp OF Capt. |
Eddy. There were faint streaks Of
light in the eastern sky when they