The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1900-01-05
NOW BREAK THAT DOOR If YOU
DARE"


DARE"
listened In fear and anxiety. They
knew that the judge was fearless
man. but there were so many we'll
armed men against him. the odds
were fearful. and when he refused TO
give up the key they said they would
arrest him and break down the door.
Then he pleaded with them in a
trembling voice and said TO the cap
tain: Here is my daughter and her
little, helpless children, and here are
two others whose mother is dead and
their father is in the army. / have
but four sons, and they are in the
army. My two sons-in-law are there.
Here on this place are 80 or go negroes
who are too old or too young to work,
and it is q struggle for us all to live.
] am alone and getting old. have
done my share for the confederacy
and cannot do more. Now | know
that you can overpower me or XIII
me. and take away the little meat
have saved for these helpless ones, but
let me tell YOU, captain, the first man
who goes to that door to break it
down will be a dead man before he
can do IT,"
His black eyes flashed as if lit up
by sparks Of fire and his voice no
longer tremblcd. He was desperate
Lightly he ascended the stairs. where
he had two double -barrelcd guns we'll
loaded, and. planting himself at the
window that overlooked the smoke
house. he said: "Now break that
door if y0u dare TO-" and the percus-
sion lock went click. click! The cap
tain looked at the door and then at
the Judge There was an awful ST.
lence for few rroments. Ny wife
and children had heard it all and
trembled. Some of the negroes had
gathered at the cabin doors, and old
Sam dared to eXclaim in low, husky
voice: Better not-better not-old
massa kin you-kill you, shore"
The captain suddenly reconsdered.
"Come. boys" said he, Its getting
late. and there amt no use i'm fight
ing about little meat. We can report
the case to headquarters, and IL we
are ordered back we can try it again,
! reckon" Without saying good-by
or farewell they left
That night, about midnight. the
judge called mp old Jack and Virgil,
whom he knew he could trust, and
had the joints Of the meat and part
Of the sides carried quietly down to
the old blacksmith's shop on the
bank Of the river. With pick and
shovel the cindcrs and earth in the old
hearth were soon excavated and
chamber fashioned that would hold
and hide a thousand pounds. II was
buried there and the hearth was COW
cred Just like IL had been. Some scat /
tering charcoal filed in the spaces
and some was left on top and the
black old basket placed where il long |
had been. With shovel and wbeelbar- /
row the surplus earth was taken |
down the river bank and tumbled in,
md then all was quiet on the Chat
tahochee The burial of Sir John
Moore was not more silent.
In January, 1865. ! joined my fam
ly al the plantation. and not long /
after the Judge furnished us a good
mule team and wagon and we re-
turned TO our home I'm Rome. The
lay before we left his hospitabe man
sion he opened the cache and found
he meat all sweet and sound. and we
brought q good portion Of it with us,
md it was as precious as gold. My
wife says the charcoal purified it and
,ept it from tasting old or rancid
f1,rfo Eorcfftuffou