The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-05-29

,,,a;r spdden wealth old Nat had char
tered n trading boat. a nfSefaoie
scov-like affair. which was toWeu
nm ar down stream as occasion serNtu.
0stensibIy it was Il snrier ooal- III
reality il engaged in all manner ot
contrahand trading. y cotton cargo,
once safe under matches meant nlotc
nrofit thar many weeks ia camp. oih
Nat had planned 10 snuggie such :,
cargo aboard. before the Lucy tieu
M at Wake Forest lanoihE. ne ii"'
.Iinned outside the lines spying where
hest 70 seize il. leaving ms VIE AM"
Swan in charge Of the boat.
Soldier Villages gossip even more
than ordinary villages. Everything
~ b~eadouarters * 500 the common
~nrouertv of the camp. lhuS swan
came 10 know very soon all the par
ticulars Of yellow Ned's arrival. She
Wondered what she had heard Il DAY.
her inst al sunset. startled hfF
mother bv saying, I'm going over 70
the outpost. Funny | never ihoo%h'
Of il he f0re-hut there Is my chahct
10 see the inside o Wake Forest.
There was no protest. Mrs. nm
ton never wasted breath in trying 70
turn Swan from her purposes. hu'
something. She knew not what, mace
her kiss her daughter-once shFfN.
fearfnlly. once. as she felt SWIM
tremble n her touch, ont of the fuii-
ness Of her mother heart.
=" wish could take oh. too. hnt
that would spoil everything. Swan
said. patting her check. and almost
running away. She had run1aged out
her old fiddle. and put on Il short
frock. much frilled and spangled.
which she had worn in the days OF
the band. II was black, and IN
low in the neck. so She threw over her
shoulders 4 blue art~illerNlnfn'S cape
d~isposin@ one end so the scarlet lin
mo would show. At the very last
She turned back and thrust something
deep into her BOSOM. saying. with Il
lazy smile. You don't never know
what may come in handy Whcn YOU
90 on a possum hunt this time Q, the
year.
As she picked her way through the
streets there were hills
from every hand-cries of admiration,
invitations TO supper. banter Tor q
tune. Just one-but she stayed for
none Of them. Words she flung ba"!:
in plenty: her tongue had gained III
license. in p%iquancy. and 70 Mt. \
very young officer, riotouSiy full Of
beer. ran out and tried to kiss her IN
the face of all. but was raped
smartlv over the nose with the fiddle
bow. and ran back bowling With
pain.
As she came to the outpost the
pickets made q feint Of hating her.
She stuck the fiddle under her chin,
played three discordant bars, and
ca;l. 81 ~ I.~,l .-~,,1l
hear worse than that" All the camp
knew her-she had indeed the free
dom of more than one army corps.
She was kind in sickness or trouble,
a good comrade in health. square
every man Of them would have staked
his life on that and straight. for all
her freedom. both of speech and ac-
ton. SO she won easily to Col. Flow
tow's door. She would have passed
the sentry there, as she had passed
the others. but that Flowtow himself
was just coming out. with yellow Ned.
as usual. at his heels.
"Yon. What do YOU do here?" he
said roughly, catching her arm in a
hard grip.
Me! O! | just came to find out if
you-all We're dead" Swan said %iaunti-
~. Il didn't know but Mister For
rest ; cIIttef naU SliDDed III
and made crOWs-meat of the lot"
What is that to YOU? Women are
not for f~ighting!" Flowtow said, still |
roughly. Swan laughed. an airy. hap
Ply laugh.
NO! Women are for kissing" she |
said. III kiss YOU, Col. Flowtow-I
and play YOU a tune into the bar
gain-if you'll do Just one little thing
| want"
"Oh. Ho! | am to be bribed-in
face Of the articles Of war FIowtow
rOared. We'll, bride me. S~wanchen. ,
| will hear what it is about - after
ward
You shall take the tune first"
swan said. throwing off her cloak
and setting the fiddle beneath her
him. Before Flowtow could protest
she had struck mp "Rnn. Niger.
Rum: looking as she played straight
at F1OWtOW's new servant. Without
q break she gIided into another strain.
almost an improvisation. fulI of swell
ing chords and soft wailinc minors.
She had played it first upon her we'd
ding night Morris had snatched the
bow from her hands. and had dragged
tow said, clntching her bare should