Arizona republican., 1898-04-18
A BABY IN A BATTLE.


 Yankees!"
 Such was the cry which reused Nell TarletOn from her bed that summer evening when Gen Butler, at the head of the federal 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 fash toned 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. Tar Teton and her children
 As Nell sprang from her bed she heard the rattle of musketry up the river. A shell tore, screaming, over the house, followed by another and another. Then there burst forth from the stables lurid glare; and she heard her mothers distracted voice shriek- ing that the negro quarters were afire. Nells fingers trembled violently, but she managed to don her frock and shoes before old Aunt Drusilla came numbering up the stairs and drove the child, shoes in hand, from the room.
 "Doan min yo' shoes, till yo' gifts out o' f1ah!" exclaimed Aunt DrusilIa. resolutely; and so, barefooted and half clad Nell hurried through the con- fusion of the hall and into the lawn before the house
 There she found her mother hysteri- cal and helpless, and there, too. was the baby, snugly wrapped up, and car ried 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 until Aunt Drusilla swept upon the scene. Then movement took the place of inaction.
 Heah, yo' fool niggahs,'' cried the old colored woman, what for yo' star in en doin' noffin? Want de Yankees to cotch yo,' huh? Grab dem bundles an run for de wcodsi An yo'. too Mis-, an yo', honey; run, tell yo, Phoebe, min dat ar chile, or I warm Ev'body's got to run!''
 And everybody ran-even fat Aunt Drusilla herself. Down the dewy lawn with the federal bullets whistline among the tree-tops hard by, and the flames spreading to the barns and sta bles, they fled. For in the night at tack no one was safe Neither north nor south warred against women and children, but under cover of darkness the gravest danger threatened all with. in the area of attack.
 At last they reached the dan.e woods, and the sound of firing came put 1alntly to their ears, though the giow or the distant fire still showed us grim reflection upon the sky line
 Das Tar 'nough," grunted Aunt Drusllla herself. Down the dewy lawn sne nad Kept well in front of the race we can rest now. Put dem bundles aoWn you boys, an, oh; my Lawd! Whar's Phoebe?"
 Poor Mrs: Tarleton turned at the ole Woman's frightened cry-turned to see tnat the young mulatto was indeed mlsslng' together with her precious charge. the baby! The unfortunatc lady's brain reeled at this last terrihl. calamity, and she fell fainting mo, the path.
 Kneeling by her side and chadng he hands, Aunt Drusilla cried franticall, to the negro boys who stood aroun to search the woods.
 'Go back de way we come" sh shouted. Phoebe mus be captured o shot. Go back an fetch young marse fore de Yankees git him.
 But the negroes hung their head sheepishly.
 Yves 'fraid, Aunt Drusilla. Dee we's drefful 'fraid," they moaned.
 Wrathfully the old woman rose t her feet.
 An yo' call yo'selves men!" sh exclaimed. "Yo' muffin but a pack cowardly 'possums. I'll go bac mahself. Yassur! OF Aunt Drusil] ain't scared O Yankee guns whe young Marse Halls lef' behin'."
 True to her word, the stout hearte Drusilla turned in the direction of tn burning buildings and shuffled dow the pathway as fast as she could g But another pair of feet were light than hers. A little girl in a films