Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1899-03-08
THE SCOUTS RESCUE.


ana confederate armies; so near
Brandy Station that the roar of the
cannon echoed through the house.
and the smoke of battle was plainly
to be seen.
Her father and brothers were in
the Southern Army. But she and
her mother remained in the old home
stead. A few of their old slaves
still clung to them, notably Polly's
NANNY" and her husband. who.
trusted and confidential house ser.
wants, had never felt the yoke of
slavery as CALLING. What they could
have done without NANNY Polly
never dared to think.
She came into the dining room.
where Polly was washing the dishes,
after tn" frugal dinner, n meal which
hsr mother, suffering from AN acute
attack of neuralgia. WAS too i'll 70
share.
"Well, honey" she said, '.yo' ma
pears to be easy now. | give her "A
hot foot bath, an mustard plars.
'er, an she went to sleep, so put
the bell whar she could tech it AN
crep' out. ] reckon mout as we'll
take my ole man his dinner" Nam
my went to the window and looked
out, craning her neck TO catch a
glimpse of the drive leading to the
front of the house. Great Marster?"
said she. Heres Yankee officer
ridin' up to the do. Yo' keep still,
while | go see what he wants
In a moment she was back. smil-
ing, followed by Young man in the
uniform of United States lieuten-
ant. whose "Hello. Polly." startled
her SO that she dropped to the floor
she cup she was wiring. She looked
at it ruefully; then her face lit up.
"Why, Frank" she exclaimed, +,
"where did you come FROM"
"Stuart's headquarters, of course:
want TO find out what Sheridan is
doing. I've letter for your mother
from the Major. Can you get me n
mouthful to eat?"
at won't be much MORE" said
Polly, AS she set out the remains of
the dinner as quickly AS possible.
Mamma has one of her bad attacks
of neuralgia. Oh, Frank, how are
papa and brother Ned and jack"
"All we'll and fourlshng, two days
ago; why this does famously. Polly,
aud he went to work at bread and
butter, beef and potatoes with the
hearty relish of hungry traveller.
Nanny had taken the letter up
stairs, sure that no other medicine
would do Mrs. Cunningham ss much
good. Now she rushed back, ashy
with fright. ''For de Lawd's sake,
Mars Frank, run out de back do.
Here comes whole troop of Yam
KEGS"
"No, Frank" said Polly, who had
flown to the back window, AS he
started up, and, seizing hat and ov-
ercoat, made for the door. ''They
are coming that way, too. Quick
here. upstairs! can hide you!'
The rear of the house was one and
half stories high, with sloping roof
and where the newer two storied
front Joined it, on either side, were
closets in the wall. They had beer
wainscoted, instead of plastered. and
one of them had been given to Polly
in her baby hood AS a dollhouse. AT
ter reaching Woodstock" Polly hsC
begged her father for sliding pane
in this closet, opening into the cudd,
under the caves of the old house.
Mrs. Cunningham had protested
saying it would only be rathole anc
do Polly no good, but her husband
had lau ghed and yielded. alt wa
as good as any other toy" he said
and under Polly's supervision coun
try carpenter had done the job 81
cleverly that no one not in the secre
would have suspected the existenc
of the panel or found the spot look
ing like knot in the wood, whicl
concealed the spring.
Frank, visiting the house as boy
had often teased little Polly abou
her secret chamber, and, like he
brothers, had begged vainly to b
shown the spring; but it had passe'