The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-04-10
NELL AND THE BABY.

Kun, honey, run! Reah comes de
Yankees
Such WAS the cry which reused Nell
Tarleton from her bed that Summer
evening when Gen. Butler. at the head
Of the Fedtral troops, swooped down
upon City Point, Va, and blocked the
road TO Petersburg.
Nell Tarleton dwelt with her mother
and baby brother in their old-fashion-
ed home on the James River The
father Of the family WAS away on the
Potomac, fighting the battles OF the
Confederacy and only a few faithful
negroes remained TO guard Mrs. Tarle-
ton and her children
As Nell sprang from her bed she
heard the rattle of musketry UP the
river. A shell tore, screaming, oyer
the house followed by another and an
other Then there burst forth from the
stables a lurid glare, and she heard her
mothers distracted voice shlieking
that the negro quarters were on fire.
Nelrs fingers tTembled violently. but
she managed to don her fIeck and
shoes before old Aunt DrusilIa came
numbering up the stairs and drove the
child, shoes in hand. from the room.
aDoan min yo' shoes till yo' gifts out
o nahi' exclaimed Aunt Drusilla, res
olutely; and SO, barefooted and half
clad, Nell hurried through the confus-
ion of the hall and into the Town before
the house.
There she found her mother hysteric-
al and helpless. and, there, too, was the
baby. snugly wrapped up, and carried
by his nurse. the mulatto, Phoebe.
Some valuables hastily put together
lay in bundles on the grass-plainly
revealed in the ruddy light from the
blazing huts. Nobody seemed to know
what TO do till Aunt Drusilla swept
upon the scene. Then movement took
the place of inaction.
''Heah, yo' fool niggahs." cried the
old colored waman; what for yo' star
in en- dom muffin? Want dem Yank-
ees to cotch yo', hugh? Grab dem
bundles an run for de woods, l tell
yo'. Phoebe. min dat chile, or L warm
yo'. Ever body's got to rum"
And everybody ran-even fat Aunt
Drusilla herself Down the dewy lawn
the Federal bullets whistling among
the treetops hard by, and the flames
spreading to. the barns and stables,
they fed. For in the night attack no
| one was safe. Neither North nor South
| WaTTed against women and children,
| but under the cover of darkness the
| graYest danger threatened all within
! the area of attack.
At last they reached the dense woods.
and the sound of firing came but faint
/ ly to their ears. though the glow of the
! distant fire still showed its grim re-
Election upon the sky line
Dis far enough" gTunted Aunt Dru-
I silla, who. despite her age and corpul-
/ ance, had kept we'll in front Of the race;
we can rest now. Put dem bundles
/ down, yo' boys, an, my Lawd! Wharf
/ Phoebe?'
Poor Mrs Tarleton turned at the old
wOman's frantic cry-turned TO see that
the young mulatto was indeed missing,
together with her precious charge, the
BABY The unfortunate wOman's brain
reeled at this last terrible calamity,
and she fell fainting 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.
Go back the way we come" she
shouted: phoebe mus be captured or
shot. Go back an fetch young marse,
fore Yankee gifts him"
But the negroes hung their heads
sheepishly.
"We'se afraid. Aunt Drusilla Deed
we'se drefful 'fraid." they moaned.
Wrathfully the old woman rose to her
feet.
An NO call NO serves men. she eX-
4 claimed. ''Yo'se muffin but a pack o.
cowardIy 'posums I'll go back
+ mahself. Yassur, or Aunt Drusilla
amt scared o Yankee guns when
young Marse Halls lef benin"
True to her word. the stout-hearted
/ Drusilla turned In the direction of the
/ burning outbuildings and shufied down
! the pathway as fast as she could go.
But another pair Of feet were lighter
]