Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1898-12-24
=cHRlSTMAS TALE.

bands had been left to fight their battle
alone was no induccment to him to draw
away from the conflicts rather il increased
his desire to triumph, for the field was now
wholly his own. Evans whispered to him
that they must rush the rebels, and Flem-
ing, noddin2 his head, gave quick COM
mand to the men, who lcap9d over the
haSty fortification that they no longer de
sired and rushed upon their enemies, the
ieutenants, as always, at their head.
Fleming knew that it was bold plan
allied to raShncss, but he trusted that sue
cess would come from its SuddenncSS and
that he would be upon his antagonists be-
fore they could recover from their surprise
and shoot down his men. A few swift
steps took him across the room. He was
filled with /. fierce eXutation, for he be
lieved that he was about to triumph, but
even in the wild rush of the moment and
with mind concentrated upon the i'm
pending struggle, he observed the room
again, the rows of wooden benches, the
aisles, the pulpit ut the far end, the stair
way that lod to the second floor, and the
light through the window tiaring redly
over everything Then the wild rush car
ried his little band upon the enemy, and,
as he had hoped the surprise of the sud
uGIl lllSttic llS SlCCtSS
A few scattering shots that went wild
were fired at them, and then they were over
the benches and i'll the midst of the trium-
phant combat. Fleming was burning with
the battle fever, and again he began to
shout to his men and utter oaths of which
he was unconscious, striking with his
sword and calling at times upon his an
tagonists to yield.
He found that he was opposed by SOL
dicrS as valiant as his own. Beaten by
numbers, those who were not wounded or
taken by force refused to surrender and
wheeling about as If by a sign from their
leader rushed up the stairway, which be-
gan almost at their feet, and sought refuge
and second defense on the next floor.
Disappointment now mingled with
Fleming's anger, but neither emotion
caused him to forget for the moment his
military prudence. Hastily dispatchng
few of his men to keep watch at the win
dows outside and prevent escape there, he
sprang up tho stairway with the others in
quick pursuit of the fugitives. Rage and
excitement blinded him to the danger of
shots from above, and Evans, as eager as
himself, pressed on by his side while the
men crowded close after, the wooden stair
way giving dull echo under their foot
steps.
The light from the flames of the burn
ing village did not reach the second floor,
and Fleming stood for moment or two
trying to accustom his eyes to the dusk.
AS the pupils distonded he saw the last of
the fugitives disappearing in a small room,
and then he heard the slamming of tie
door and noises which indicated prepara-
tions for defense. A little gray haired
man in civilians attire and with face of
fright sprang from dark corner where he
had been crouching and darted to a win
dow, at which he pulled vainly with trem-
bling fingers as if he would open it and
spring out.
Fleming looked quickly about that he
might seize the salient points of this last
battlefield. He paid no attention to the
civilian, supposing him to be the sexton
or some one else in charge of the building
who had hidden there in fright while the
fight was going ON below. AS his men
paused with him to await his orders he
felt for "a sudden moment the solemn still
ness of the place and its character, but tho
silence was quickly interrupted by a beat
ing on the door of the room in which the
fugitives had taken refuge, and he knew
that they were breaking loopholes for their
rifles, At the sound his passion, which
mad died for an INSTANT uamed up again,
and he hastily drew his men to a far cor
ner where the rifle barrels, even when
thrust through the holes in the door, could
not secure their range. Then while he
whispered with Evans and the two tried
to decide what would be best to do in the
doubtful situation the curious silence
which had in it so much that was solemn
and impressive fell again over the place.
The defenders had broken the holes in
the door and We're motionless and silent,
awaiting the advance of their assailants,
| who still stood in their corner hesitating
| Only faint CLEANS of light came through
! the panes, but the eyes of the soldiers be-
/ came accustomed to the dusk The gray
, haired little man had ceased his efforts to
/ open the window and stood with his back
to it, his face expressing his fright and
horror at what had happened and what
was about TO happen.
Fleming heard the ticking of clock
somewhere over his head, but he did not
/ look up to see. In his indecision his eyes
wandered to the civilian, and he was
amused at the old mans fright. But