The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1898-05-04
SAVED THE BABY.

run, honey rum Heah como de
Yankees
Such was the cry which reused Nell
Tarleton from her bed that summer
evening when General Butler, at tho
head Of the Federal troops. swooped
down upon City Point Va, and block
ed the road to Petersburg
Nell Tarleton dwelt with her mother
and baby brother i'll their old fashioned
homo ON the James river. Tho father of
tho family was away ON the Potomac,
fighting the battles of tho Confederacy,
and only few faithful negroes remain
ed To guard Mrs. Tarlotn and her chill
dren.
AS Nell sprang from her bed she
heard tho ratio of musketry up tho
river. y she'll tore, screaming, over the
house followed by another and another
Then There burst forth from the stables
II lurid glare, and she heard her moth
er's distracted voice shrieking that tho
negro quarters were afre.
Nell's fingers trembled violently, bat
sho managed To don her froelI and shoes
before old Aunt Drusilla eamo lumber
ing up the stairs aud drove the child
shoes III hand, from the room.
Doan' min ya' shoes till yn' gifts
out o fab, exclaimed Aunt Drusilla
resolutely, and so barcfootud and half
clad, Nell hurried through tho confu-
sion Of the hall and into the lawn be.
fore tho house.
There she found her mother hystcric-
al and helpless, and there, too. was tho
baby, snugly wrapped up and carried
by his nurse, tho mulatto PhWbe
Some yaluahles hastily put together lay
i'll bundles on the grass-plainly reveal
ed in the ruddy light from the blazing
nuts. Nobody seemed To know what to
do till Aunt Drusila swept upon the
scene. Then movement toels the place
Of inaction.
Ileah, yo' fool niggahsl" cried tho
old celored woman. What for yo' star-
in On doin muffin? Want do Yankees to
eotoh yo', huh? Grab dem bundles an
run for dc woods. I'm yo', too, Miss
-, an yo', honey. Run. tell yo'.
| PhTbe, min dat ar chile, or | warm
| yo' Ever body's got to run.
And everybody ran--ovcn fat Aunt
Drusilla herself Down tho dowy lawn,
with tho Federal bullets whistlng
among the tree tops hard by, ana tho
flames spreading to the barns and sta
bles, they fled. For in tho night attack
no ono was safe Neither north nor
south warred against women and chill
dren but under cover of darkness tho
grayest danger threatened all within
the area of attack.
At last they reached tho dense woods,
and the sound Of firing came bat faint
ly to their cars. though the glow Of tho
distant fire still showed it's grim rcflec-
ton upon the sky line
Dis far nough Prunted Aunt Dru-
silla, who, despite her age and corpu-
lence, had kept we'll in front of tho
race. We can rest now. Put dem bun
dies down, yo' boys, an, O my Lawd
Whar's phUbc!'
Poor Mrs. carleton turned at the old
woman frightened cry-turned to SEQ
that the young muIattu was indeed
missing, together with her precious
charge, the baby Tho unfortunate
woman s brain reeled at this last terri
bic calamity, and sho foil faintng upon
the path.
kneeling by her side and chatting her
hands, Aunt Drusilla cried frantically
to the negro boys, who stood around, to
search the woods
eco back do way we come" she
shouted. "ph0bo mus 10 captured or
shot. Go back an fetch young marso
fore do Yankees git him. -
But the negroes hung their heads
sheepshly.
We'so 'fraid, Aunt Druslla Decd
we'se drefrul 'fraid, " they moaned.
Wrathfully tho old woman roso to
her feet
IAN yo' call yo selves men /" she OK
claimed. - o's muffin but pack o
cowardly possums. Ill go back NAH
self. Yassur Olo Aunt Drusilla amt
scared q Yankee guns when young
Marse Hal Is lGf' behin' "
True to her word the stout hearted
Drusilla TUNED in the direction of tho
burning outbuildings and shufIled down
the pathway az fast as she could 90
bhb aiptutt par Dl ICeJ were llBntcT
than hers a little girl in flimsy frock
with her shoes Glutched in her hands
sped past the old negress. 1t was Nell
Tartleton, trembling no longer, but wild
with eagerness to save her baby brother
Come back, honey Fo' de Lawd's
sake, come back - gasped Aunt Drusil-
la. as she snatched unavailingly at tho
small figure which rushed so swiftly
by. But Nell only shook her head and
ran the faster. Farther and farther be-
hind dropped poor Drusilla, until at
least she lost sight Of Nell all together.
Then she threw up her hands and sank
despairingly upon log.
Dat ends it all, F." she sobbed eEoy
IN gal bofe gone now. What'll Marse
Tahleton say when he comes back? An
poor miss Boun to kill her daid when
fhe hear dat Nell's gone too -
On ttrough the woods ran Nell-her