The Brinkley argus., 1898-10-06

THE LIMP FORM.
 them coming, for they were sitting on their horses, still as statues, when the old woodburner came creeping round curve, her links and chains rattling like dray on cobblestones.
 "IIalt!" cried the leader, and the en- gineer 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 he poked his head round the corner of the cab and laughed q laugh that seemed to come from the very bottom of his bare feet.
 "Fo' 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 opened his mouth and began 10 ripple again, but this time the flow of bis ,airtin was ..,,ro1Aeil iD- Dy the sound of muskets. Bang! bang! went the guns of the marauders, and the negro, changing Lis laugh to a cry of pain. fell upon the deck and begged the brakeman to shoot him.
 .I's done killed. Fo' de Lawd, Is shot plumb frew de hat"
 Then die, you crazy nigger,' shout ed the brakeman; think I'm going to waste load on YOU ?'
 When the conductor and the brake man had cmptied their guns at the gang, the engineer opened the throttle and backed away with the bullets rat ting on his front end and smashing the glass in the cab windows. Upon arriving at Shady Kill they found that only the tip of one of the negro's fingers had been shot away. and when the engineer had hathed the finger in black oil, bound it up with T rag, ard kicked the negro three or four times, the fellow was able to take his place at the furnace Goor.
 The conductor instructed the oper- ator .o report what had taken place to the army officer ill charge Of the rail way. ard then went over to I he Shady | Kill plantation to warn tlie women there of inc coming of the h,is,,whack- CTS. He had been over once or twice for supplies, which were given, if not grudgingly. reluctantly, fer how were these poor women, whose fathers and husbands and brothers were down there where he steady, inonotonous booming of cannon spoke cf danger and death. to smile upon the people of the north? These men were come into the country. the women were able to per suade themselves. to take the property of the people and kay counar " 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 ah no'tho'n soldiers, l g..4aA { they can't morc'n kill us. and if they ali southe'n soldiers they ah southe'n gen. tlemen. so we might bcttah take ouah chances with them than with you all who ah not soldiers at all"
 'Neither are these soldiers; they are bushwhackers and mur,lerers. Come, l beg of you. let me help you to escape
 At that moment the sound of musket. ry was heard from down behind theor chartl and n moment later an old white-haircd wench came falling rount the house. rolled up the vcranda steps and threw herself at the feet of hel young mistress.
 .'To' de Lawd, honey" she howled de wood fai'ly full 0 Yankees, fought dey dun been our folks, case de, dun hab on blue clos. but mint da fool Jim poke his head obei. tlc fenc' 1 an shout: Git out dis yeah o'chad, dee all bang loose nj him. an. fo' tn I.awd. dey dun talk he heat out an ca It right fo' my ole eyes"
 I A negro can always be depended upoI