The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-05-25

hands, sped past the old negress. 1t
was Nell Tartletop, trembling no long
err, but wild with eagerness to save her
baby brother.
"Come back, honeyl Fo' de Lawd's
sake, come backl" gasped Aunt Dru-
sila, as she snatched unavailingly at
the small figure which rushed 80 swift
ly by. But Nell only shook her head
and ran the faster. Farther and far
ther behind dropped poor Drusilla, un-
til at last she lost sight of Nell alto
gether. Then she threw up her hands
and sank despairingly npon log.
"Dat ends it ALL" she sobbed. "Boy
an gal bofe gone now. What'll Marse
Tahleton say when he comes back? An
poor missl Boun' to kill her daid when
she hear dat Nell's gone too"
On through the woods ran Neither
mothers agonized face ever before her
and the determination to save little
Hal strong within her. A jagged stone
cut her bare foot, but could not stay
her even for an instant. Now she saw
the roof of her fathers house illumi-
mated by the spreading fire, and now
again the shells went whistling over
her head. Rabbits and squirrels skur-
ried madly past her, escaping from the
advancing troops. She heard the
sound of many footsteps and the sharp
banging of the Federal rifles. On the
rising ground before the house black
figures hurried to and fro-the van of
Buffers army. But she did not stop.
What were the enemy to her when Hal
was missing-wounded by a chance
bullet perhaps and dying in the fields?
With roar the house caught fire,
and a shower of sparks scared into the
air and fell among the trees. A bullet
pinged not foot away from Nell, but
she heard it not.
"Hal! Brother Hall" was the song
her heart sang, and she needed no
other sound.
A branch, shorn off from it's parent
tree, crashed down upon the heroic
child and bore her to earth. She crawl
ed from beneath it, her shoulder bruis-
ed and torn and with sharp pains in
her ankle that told of serious strain.
She could run no longer, but limping
was still possible; 30 onward she limp
ed.
At last the lawn was reached, and
Nell felt heavy hand descend upon
her aching shoulder.
"Hold hard therel' cried q voice.
"What in heavens name are you doing
here?"
"The babyl" she whispered hoarse-
ly. "I've come back for Baby Hal"
The bearded man let the sword which
he carried fall back into its sheath.
sob, you've come back for the babyp
Come back through the shells and bull
let's, eh? Ny girl, you're regular
Joan of Arc"
mo, sir, Pm Confederate. And
please, won't you help me to find baby?"
The big soldier caught Nell up in his
arms.
"Why, your poor little foot's cut" he
cried, land your shoulders bleeding
too. This is awful"
"Don't mind my shoulder, Mr.. Yam.
kee. Let me find baby"
The Federal officer put his spare
hand to his mouth by way Of speak
ing trumpet and shouted in stentorian
tones. Observation-Disclosures
baby?"
hail, and soldier came running out of
the darkness.
"We found colored girl and baby
over there, sir" he said. "The girl
had been knocked down by some burn
ing timbers from the barn."
Two minutes later Baby Hal was
cooling, just as if nothing had happen
ed, upon Nell's lacerated shoulder.
Poor Phoebe, badly though not danger
ously hurt, told how in flying blindly
from the Federals she had been struck
and disabled by falling beam.
AS the story spread among the Fed.
eral soldiers they gathered around Nell
cheering her so loudly that Aunt Dru'
silla, sitting disconsolately upon her
stump in the woods, heard the uproal
and wondered what it meant.
Not long had the honest old negres,
10 wonder, for presently there marched
through the woods a guard of homo
surrounding the Federal officer whC
carried both Nell and the baby in hi
strong arms.
son, chile, chilel" cried Aunt Dru
silla as she gave Nell her very hearties
hug. "You' done give me pow'fu
scare. But it's all right now, Dress d
Lawd, an dem dar Yankees amt 81
bad after all."--Chicago Inter Ocean