The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1899-09-13
MORGAN'S MEN.
An Ohio Town Stampeded by a
False Alarm.
A TALE OF THE CIVIL WAR.
Two Parties Of Home Guards
Frighten Each Other. After
Ali Morgan Failed to Put in
an Appearance.

ecs invading Ohio that We had come to
look upon every new rumor with suspi.
cion. in fact. as huge joke, invented
for the express purpose Of frightening
timid women aud children. Hence,
the scare lines in the sensational dailies
announcing Morgans movements after
be had actually invaded the State were
regarded with considerable scep;icism,
people doubling the statements Of his
Whereabouts.
was teaching in HookstoTn, little
Pennsy lvania town some three miles
back from the Ohio river, at that time.
boarded With my aunt, and on that
never-to, be-forgotten Sunday accompa-
MED the family to church as usual.
The day was warm and sultry, but
in spite Of the heat and the uneasiness
fairly well filled at the opening of the
morning service. The devotional ex-
ercises were over, aud Parson Darwin
had just reached his secondly" when
Hardy" Davis, the village blacksmith,
appeared at the open door without hat or
coat, and, rushing up the long aisle.
beckoned to the minister to lean down
over the front of the high pulpit. The
parson obcyed in a dignided way, turn
ing his ear to catch the excited whisper.
He nodded confusedly, as the smith
still tarried, and then, at the big man S
impatient gesture, said:
Il am Informed that the raider Nor
gan and his men are at Smith Ferry
prisoners, l presume.
Shades of stupidity shouted the
irate blacksmith. Il tell you he is
there with his army, and all who don't
want to become prisoners in his hands
had better make ready to defend their
homes. Let every man who can fud a
gun, pitchfork or axe report at the
blacksmith shop Immediately. In
hitch the horses from buggies, carriages
and wagons, without minutes delay.
The panic stricken congregation
rushed to the door, like crowd of un-
disciplined school children trying to
escape fro,o a burning building, not
halting even when the pastor raised his
voice above the din, in most pathetic
prayer for their safety and the preser-
vation Of their homes,
The work Of dismantling the houses
began at once. Best things were Sc
creted in unheard-of places, treasures
we're buried, and horses, cattle. and
even poultry were driven down 10 raw
ines that promised them protection
while the town was being pillaged.
Johnny was sent post-haste to the
hollow with 'Brindle, many charges
concerning her safety ringing in his
ears, while across his shoulders swung
brace Of quacking Muscovies, the
boy own valued possession.
Under Aunt Hates direction, Lydia
and l packed the family heirlooms,
hiding boxes and bundles in queer, out
of-the-way corners, while TIE best sill
yer and valuable trinkets were buried
under the unionbed, our digging being
done in tunnel-fashion by aid Of the
new-fangled post-digger.
"Oh, mother, don't let US begin to
take carpets up" Lydia pleaded, as,
coming in from one of our hasty trips
to the saw mill, we encountered her
mother down on her knees.
''Do you think I'm going to have
those cut-throats tramping the roses
out Of my good parlor Brussels" !" asked
Aunt Kate, as she gave the refractory
carpet vicious jerk. NO, indeed; |
wove many a web of flannel to pay for
It, and | consider it real work of ne
cessity to lift it, Sunday and all as
ii is.
Just then Joe returned from his long
tramp, whistling Yankee Doodle at
the top Of his voice.
Joseph Addison Blake, you wicked,
wicked boy his mother exclaimed
sternly. grasping his arm and shaking
him vigorously. 'Whistling on the
Sabbath day, and Yankee Doodle at
that What will become Of you?"
Il forgot, mother; indeed did, see
ing people rushing about worse than l
ever saw them on week days, Joe an
swered, scarcely knowing whether to
laugh or cry.
Pretty time to make such mis-
take, and an army of cut-throats march
ing on the town ready to burn your
home, and maybe shoot you down in
your tracks, she added, looking at me
as if suspicious Of my loyalty. I'll
give Won 9 chance to work of YOUR ey-
ira spirits. Get right down there and
pull those tacks ont, and be careful not
to break them Of, and do not tear the
carpet, either.
Il can't see the difference" began
Joe rebelliously, still smarting under
what he considered MS mothers injus-
tice; but she would not allow him to
talk back.
Suddenly the loud changing Of the
church bell brought US to realization
Of our utter helplessnes in the hands Of
an upprincipled mob, such as Morgans S
band had been pictured. Women and
children focked into the streets, ring
ing their hands and crying and begging
their neighbors to flee with them to the
hills or valleys or rayincs-anywhere
to hide until the lawless raiders, having
satisfied their greed by ransacking the
village, should have taken their de-
pa1ture.
Three horsemen, lads from the neigh
borhood, rode past at brcakncck speed,
shouting, They are coming up Cam
eron' lane at full tilt. Get in and bolt
| your doors quickly"
How do you know where the troop
ers are when the lane is out of sight"
asked some one on the sidewalk. 1t
is guesswork, III wager.
Not a bit of it, was the reply.
The dust rising above them like a
cloud settles the point Of their where
abouts.
Nearer and nearer came the tramp Of
horses feet, until. through the cloud Of