The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1898-04-10
A MIDNIGHT RAID.

What makes you so late, Uncle
Dudley? Supper is long over and it is
bed time now :"
81 Jest done hauled in de las load Of
things from town, TUX out de mules,
an leP de Vaughn to be unlOaded in de
morIlu.' OATS how | cur not ter
know sooner de bosses was out. Ei you
is any ways uneasy, or you an de
chillun is skeCred ter be lef dout me,
Ill go and fetch up my ole oman or one
OF de boys ter sleep in dc outside room,
right here
Never mind disturbing Aunt
Oracle, | know she Is tired and needs
rest. But get back soon As you can and
lock the gates and the stable
Jpn shOure hurry back as soon as |
fin de bosses. De moon Is shinnin'
bright oZ day. De soldiers is shoOtin'
round ue kentry at SIGH Il rate desc
times, HOSES amt safe no whar. Not
chen in dey own hide, nigh bout"
This conversation took place under
the window Of Mrs. Walcotts' bedroom
between herself and the g~ray-haired,
trusty old carriage driver and general
Fac Totum." When Uncle Dudley
trudged on down the path, Mrs. Wal
colt c. Osed the blinds, locked the door,
turned out the light, and with her two
children, after Inc evening prayer was
said, retired, with the full assurance
that Uncle Dudley would look after his
beloved horses and sec them safe for
the night.
She was a lovely and accomplished
lady and had ever been an ornament
to tn society of the town in which
she lived. But now when Maj. Wal.
colt was at the head Of his battalion
jn the field, she dreamed the planta-
ton the safest retreat. This was her
first night on the plantation, and her
waiting maid and the Children's colored
nanny" mt nurse had not come
out from the town residence. closed
until after the var should be over.
The Pines, as her country place. was
called, was embOwcred in forest trees
and approached by q broad road, lead.
ing through a grove of large pine
trees. Its shadows were deep, and the
murmur OF the winds, through the
heavy crowns Of evergreens, were SAD
or inepiritiug, according to the mood
Of the listener. This night the owls
and whip-poOr-wllls were sounding
their diemal notes, and after the
childIen we're in bed. they began to
ask mamma, What made the owls
boot go LOUD p and What made the
whip poor wills stay so near the
house ?" and Mamie said she did wish
"Mammy would come soon in the
morning, and bring her kitten and
canary Bird Ana Robbie said he
wanted morning to come" and he
wanted to ride his pony back to town
and why didn't his Papa come home
from the old war;" and and-wen-thc
children we're frightened.
Their little mother sOothod their
fears and qnietud them to a gentle
slumber. With a whispered prayer
she soon Topped asleep herself.
She knew not the time of the night
darkness enshrouded the room. a
most unearthly, hollow, resounding
noise aroused her from her sleep
Every sense was startled into wakefu
fear
FIRST, as Of clumsy feet coming "
the steps then Il pause, and then clop
clop-clop, over the floor OF the opeI
passage that separated the TIVE
wings of the house. The helpless wo
man listened with awesome dread auC
strained attention, AS the heavy thud,
reverberated in hollow sounds as o
some monster stamping over tn,
boards, stumbling, shambling, now ad
yancing, now rt treating.
The children awoKe and ouiverips
with fear cluDg to their mother: ant
Mamie whispered hat it was - horri(
old descrtGr from the army" come tt
kill them every one. Robbie said III,
believed 1T WAS a drunk soldier OF
horseback; thai he could hear tn,
hoofs Of his horse on the hOor.n Mrs
Waicott was filed with apprehen
siODs for the worst. Soldiers wer,
constantly passing to and fro over tht
country, many Of them deserters. The,
were known to raid houses in drunken
&bandop. Help there was none; court
were all closed, and the Southern mel
were under arms, far from home
and families. Women and children
were helpless. What could sheen,
weak woman and two helpless child
rem almost babies-do for defence a
the mercy OF q reckless freebooter
AS resolutions vague and wild, wer,
swaying through her brain, Of escape
or defence, she was further hooritie(
when the numbering footsteps ap
preached her bedroom and came to
standstill.
On the death like silence there arose
q sound that no words can describe
Piercing the air, echoing and re-echo
Ing down the pine avenue, q brazcr
~trumpeting, all-resounding, prolonged
\ hoarse nolce, human or demon, wrung
from the mother and both children
shrieks of terror. Mrs. Walcott sprane
from bed with both children clingine
to her. With a half formed idc2 o
Swinging through the window and
seekhog refuge behind and under the
shrub>ery in the front yard, she ap.
~proacied the window and was para.
\ iyzed d see the figure OF q man coming
o6rVr the path. Turning to the win.
dow on tie opposite side she sank on
her knees in an agony Of prayer to God
for protection.
On the still night air, intensifying
her fears, there again arose that hor.
rible, unearthly dissonance, reverbe.
rating through the house, and dying
away with the murmur Of the night
wind among the pines.
AS the echo began to die away Mrs.
Walcott thought she heard the blind
gently rattle. Raising her head to
listen, there fell upon her ear, music
as sweet as hat of heaven itself. The
~qul?ering, kind old face of Uncle Dud-
ley made itself heard: Don't be
skeered Mistus, dat onyearthly tromp-
In and brayin' in an'round an through
dat passage amt nothin' but dat mule
O mine. She got loose whar | hitched
her When | got oown to put do brides
Non de bosses when | fOun' EN- eatln'
grass on de creek bank. Day was
tryin' ter git back ter town. TUX, Jim
long berhind me on de mule ter ride
one an lead de udder one back, an
when | seed Jim he done let de mule
git way.
81 Nod IN faLo tir,o +r ,,t 1T -