The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-12-30

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found himself in the lofty belfry alone.
1t was the colonePs plan to march his
regiment out Of the town, as if to go
| back to the camp they lad left the
night before, but really to secrete his
soldiers in the woods near by and fall
suddenly upon the enemy as soon as
the stroke of the bell should announce
that they were coming, for he felt sure
from Information he had received that
they would return in force.
Poncho, being the signal officer upon
whom so much depended, was, uncon-
sciousy, a very important parsonage.
He put his woolly head out Of the
! belfry and listened. The neighing IF
horses the shouting of officers, the clat-
/ tering of swords and carbines gradual
ly iiea away in the distance, and all
was still.
The people kept in their houses, and
i nothing was heard save now and then
| the barking of dog or the voice of
some crying child
/ The hot air grew cool and Poncho
! felt very comfortable as he lay gazing
! in the direction Of he turnpike, over
which the confederate troopers would
4 probably come
He was filled with joy at the thought
| that NJ was doing something for the
man whom he revered so much, and he
wondered if, in case he did his duty
we'll, he should see him.
Nine o'clock, and still no signs of SOL
diers on the turnpike.
Ten o'clock, the quiet continued I'M
broken.
Eleven o'clock came, and all was
calm.
Twelve o'clock, and now Poncho's
keen ears catch the distant sound of
horses feet.
He listened. A large company of sol
diers was certainly coming. He
clutched his hammer tighter in his
hand. He strained his eyes far down
the moonlit road and made sure it
was no corporal guard approaching
A few rapid scouts rode ahead, but in
the distance. Then in little while
Poncho saw glistening arms and long
column of men. The turnpike was
alive with troopers swarming into the
town
1t was time to strike!
His heart beat wildly as he crept UNI
der the great bell and gatherer himself
for the first blow.
Ding The loud and sudden signal
doomed from the high belfry filed the
air and echoed far away. 1t was Pom
cho's first stroke for "Massa Linkum,"
and now he was fairly enlisted for the
Union cause.
Half TUNED, the boy waited till the
bell ceased vibrating. and listened for
II i
blew
Another stroke, louder than before!
The soldiers in the street were star
tied. They knew that these two horri-
Bile clangs meant something
Still there was no bugle call, and
Poncho struck a third time. All at
once came a sound of tumult in the
streets below. Shouts shots, the rat
tie of sabers and rapid galloping Of
horses!
It guess dey're come COW, sure" said
Poncho to himself, but | amt heered
no trumpet. Use swine to pound dis !
yere bell till I does" And he opened |
his mouth wide, as the colonel had told
him to, and beat upon the bell with all I
his force. It's clang was deafening. /
Unable to bear the noise, he crawled |
from under the bell and stood on the +
outside of it.
He was now in sight from the street, I
The moonlight Illuminated the belfry, I
and the boys head and dark figure |
stood out in plain relief. Pausing lit |
tie to peep down on the uproar of bat
tie below, he exposed himself for a
at the tower window and zip! .
something struck the wooden casing
near him and splintered it and hit the
bell behind him with a sharp ping"
Guess dey're ashootin' at me down
dere" quoth Poncho, drawing back.
'But dey can't hit one of Massa Lin
kum's soldiers. Dey's foolish ter tempt
it." And he went on pounding the bell.
The bullets now w1stled about him
like hail Suddenly his hands received
a shock which benumbed them. A
ball had struck the handle Of the ham
mer and cut it in two
Poncho stopped down and selling the
ron head in his lame fingers went on
Work away. little hero, Your last
blow for Massa Linkum will soon be
struck.
A sharp shock in his right shoulder IA
disabled him, and his arm dropped by 1
lis side. Then his sight grew dim,
md the sounds of the street came
ainter and fainter to his ears. He lay
wooning on the tower floor, while in /
he town beneath the fight went furi-
usly on.
Half an hour later the victorious sol t
liers burst into the church and ascend S
d to the belfry Colonet B was the I
rst to climb through the trap door. {
Bending over poor Poncho he raised t
i'm and rested his head upon his arm {
'oncho opened his eyes and recognized
i'm. +
did you beat 'em, massa? Did yer a
ear de bell?' Il
Eyes, yes, Poncho; but did you not t
ear the bugle?" v
mo, massa." \
1.-THE trumpeter was killed in the d
rst fire, and | did not know it. You u
re hurt, Poncho" c
"Y- yes, massa. Dere amt no pain i,
ere, but 1 guess it amt much use ter a
tan up O
''You are brave, Poncho. I must take W
ou from here" ii
mo massa, wants to sleep" fl
There was a pause. il
Perhaps you'll see Massa Linkum II