The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-03-24
"Cer,aipIv ~ sa;d 9;

Certainly" said ST.
The Deacon slowed himself in the wagons
with the rest the next morning. and rode out
with them through the bright sunshine, that
gave promise of the soon on-eoming of Spring.
For miles they joted over the execrable
roads and through the shiftIess. rundown
country before they found anything worth
while putting in the wagons
Great country, Pap" said 81 suggest
lively.
Yes, it'd be great country said his
father disdainfully, IF you could put a
wagonload o. manure on every foot and
import some Injianny men to take care of it,
The water and the sunshine down here seem
all right, but the land and the people and the
pigs and stock seem TO be cullins throwed out
when they made Injianny"
At length the train halted by double
log house of much more pretentious character
than any they had so far seen. There were
q couple of well-filled eorn-cribs a large
stack of fodder, and other evidences of plenty.
The Deacon's practiced eye noticed that there
was no stock in the fields, but 81 explained
this by saying that everything on hoofs bad
been driven Oft to supply the rebel army.
They're now trying to git q corn-erib and
a iodder-stack with four legs, but hain't sue
ceeded so far"
The Captain ordered the fence thrown
down and the wagons driven in to be filled.
The surrounding horizon was scanned for
signs Of rebels, but none appeared anywhere.
The landscape was rs tranquil, "a peace breath
ing as Spring morning on the Wabash aud
the Deacon'5 mipd reverted to the condition
of things on his farm. 1t was too wet to
plow, but he would like to take walk over
the fields and see how his wheat had come
out, and look over the peach buds and ascer-
tain how they had stood the Winter He
noticed how some service trees had already
unfolded their white petals, like flags of truce
breaking the long array of green cedars and
ruStv-brown oaks.
The company stacked arms in the road, the
Captain went to direct the filing of the
wagons, and 81 and Shorty started on pri-
vate reconnaissance for something for their
larder.
The Deacon strolled around the ward for
awhile, inspecting the buildings and farm i'm
plements with an eye of professional curl
osity, and arrived at very unETvorable opin-
ions He then walked up on the porch of
the house, where a woman OF about his own
age sat in Spiit-bottomed rocking chair
knitting and viewing the proceedings with
fTownng eyes.
Good day, ma'am," said he. swarm
day, ma'am-"
'Taint as warm as it orter be for sch fell
lers as yoa'ns," she snapped You'd be in
the birthstone pit if you had your desserts"
The Deacon always tried to be good
humored with an angry woman, and he
thought he would try the effect of little
pleasantly. Pm a Baptist, na'am, and
they say us Baptists are tryin' to put out that
fire with cold water"
. You a Babtist ?" she answered seornfully
g The hot place is full o. jest sich Babtists as
you'ns air, and they're making room for more.
We'uns air Babtists ourselves, but, thank the
Lord, not O. your kind. Babtists air honest
people Babtists don't go about the country
robbin' and murderin' and stealin' folkses'
corn. Don't tell me you air Babtist, for L
know you air a-lyin', and that's the next
thing to KILN and stealin'"
But l am Baptist, persisted the Dea-
con, land have bin for 80 year-regular,
free will, close communion, total immersion
Baptist. We have some Complexities. few
Six Principle Baptists, and some Hard Shells,
but the heft of Us air jest plain, straight-out
Baptists. But, speakin' o. cold water, kin
you give ME drink? Pm powerful dry"
'Thar's water down in the crick, thar"
she said, with motion of her knitting in
that direction. Its as fur for me as it is
for you. Go down thar and drink all you
like. Lucky you can't carry the crick away
with you'ns You'ns ID steal it if you'ns
could"
. You don't seem to be in good humor,
ma'am," said the Deacon, maintaining his
pleasant demeanor and tone
-" Well, if you think that passed. O. nasty
Yankees is kaikerlated to put a lady in good
humor you're even bigger fool than you
look But l haint no time to waste jawin'
you. If YOU want a drink thar's the crick.
Go and drink your fill of it. | only wish it
was a's'nic, to pizen you and your whole
army"
She suddenly stopped knitting. and bent
her eyes eagerly on an opening in the woods
on q hilltop whence the road wound down
to the house. The Deacons eyes followed
hers, and he saw unmistakabe signs of men
in butternut clothes The woman saw that
he noticed them, and her manner changed.
Come inside the house" she said, pleas
antly, and I'll git you gourdlul of water,
fresh from the spring"
''Thankee, ma am, don't feel bit dry"
answered the Deacon, with his eyes fastened
on the hilltop. Isl, Shorty, Capt. McGilli-
cuddy," he yelled.
''Shet your head, and come into the house
this minute, you nasty YANKEE, or III SLASH
your fool head off, ordered the woman, pick
ing up a corn-cutter which lay on the porch,
and starting for him.
The Deacon was inside the railing around
the porch, and he had not jumped fence
for 20 years. But he cleared the railing as
neatly as ST could have done it, and ran bare
headed down the road, yelling at the top of
his voice.
He was not minute too soon--nOt soon
enough. A full company of rebel cavalry
came dashing down out OF the woods, yelling
like demons.
Without waiting to form, the men of Co. Q
ran to their guns and began firing from
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