The Brinkley argus. (Brinkley, Ark.) 1883-current, 1898-11-24

THE LIMP FORM.
them con,ing, for they were sitting on
/ in horses, still as statues, when the
Eoa woodbnlsis ~ came creeping round
d rS~se. her links and chains rafting
like dray on cjbblestones.
sHaltiv cried the leader, and the en-
gireer hooked her over.
what do you want?'' demanded the
conductor.
..What have you got?" asked the
bushman.
The negro fireman must have seen
! the humor of the mans reply, for Ire
/ poked his head round the corner OF the
! cab and laughed aslaagh that seemed
to come from the very bottom OF his
bare feet.
.sFo' de Lawd, dat am funny" said
the negro, wiping his eyes.
"Nothing that you can have said
/ the conductor back at the bushman.
Immediately the negro opeied his
mouth and began to ripple again, but
this time the flow of his mirthSwas
broken by the sound of muskets. Bang!
1 bang! went the guns of the maraueers,
and the negro, changing his laugh TO
cry of pain, fell upon the deck am
begged the brakeman to shoot him.
as done killed Fo' de Lawd, Is
! shot plumb frew de hat
Then die, you crazy niger shout
ed the brakeman; think I'm going tc
waste load on you?"
When the conductor and the brake
IN an had emptied their guns at the
gang, the cngii is.eeE opened /, hh'e-throifie
and backed away with the bullets rat
Ting on his front end and smashing
the glass in, the cab windows.
Upon arriving at Shady Rill they
found that only the tip OF one OF 3 Z
negro's fingers had besnSnot. away, !
and when the engiaer had bathed the
| finger in hv.s oil, bound II up with /
u. .rg, and kicked the negro three or
four Shines, the fellow was able to take
his place at the furnace door.
The conductor instructed the oper- !
itor TO report what had taken place to !
the army officer in charge of the rail-
way, and then went over to the Shady |
Rill plantation to warn the women |
there of the coming OF the bushwback-
FRS. He had been over once or twice |
Tor supplies, which were given, if not |
reluctantly, for how were
these poor women, whose fathers and
husbands and brothers were down
there where the steady. monotonous
OF cannon spoke Of danger and
death. to smile upon the people Of the
north? These men were come into the
the women were able to per-
suade themselves. to take the property
OF the people and lay country waste; SO
now, when the conductor lifted his hat
in the presence Of the venerable dame
and her proud daughter, the women
drew themselves up and looked down
upon him from the veranda.
IF they ali no'the'n soldiers, rAsss4x
they can't more'n kill MS, and II they ah
aouthe'n soldiers they ali southern gen
tlemen, so we might bcttah take ouah
chances with them than with you all,
who an not soldiers at ALL"
Neither are these soldiers; they are
bushwhackers and murdcrers. Come,
beg Of yon, let me help you to escape"
At that moment the sound Of musket-
~ was heard from down behind theor-
chard and moment later an old
whita-hoired wench came falling round
the house, rolled up the veranda steps
and threw hesself at the feet Of her
young mistress.
go de LAwd. honey" she howled.
"de wood fatty full o Yankees. ]
fought dey dun been our folks, case dee
dun hab on blue clos. but mint dat
fool Jim poke his head obeh de fence
an shout: Git out dis yeah o'chad,
dee oil bang loose at him. an, TO- the
Lawd, dey dun TAX he heat out an eat
it right TO- my ole eyes"
4 negro can always be depended upon