The National tribune., 1901-06-06

It'll save those mems lives to have some
delicate food that'u nOurish them and
we're going to have it. Let's 90 out back,
boys, and look around"
You scalawags," she shouted; 'if you
don't go right away I'll blow the horn for
my ole man, and he'll ride over to the
camps, an git the provo guard, an they'll
buck k-an' gag youns all. Go, now"
Paying no attention to her furious re-
monstrances, 81 and the rest began ran
| sacking the premises. They found evi-
denccs that there had been chickens and
turkeys on the place-there were bones
and feathers to tell of former sayory pot
pies and roasts; but no biddies clucked
around the barn-yard, no cock led his
fcathered harem through the tangle Of
| dead weeds in the garden, no matronly hen
was disturbed on her nest by the careful
| search OF the hay-mow and the fodder
pen.
While this was going on the woman
| snatched horn down from the wall on
| the porch, and blew a signal to recall her
! husband.
In spite of the wOman's complaints OF
| the way the rebel impressment agents had
| levied upon them, 81 found plenty of corn
| i'll the crib, which was carefully locked
| He smashed the large paddock on the
smoke house with the butt of his gun, and
| found inside good store of meat, from
which ne IOOh II OI lieu
| bark strings by which they were suspend
! ed together, threw them over his shoul-
| der, and proceeded to another Clubhouse,
| where the lock-smashing was repeated.
| There he found some sacks of meal and
| -four, semi-circles of dried pumpkins on
poles, strings of red pepper, punches Of
sage, barrels of dried cow-peas, and a
hickory basket of dried peaches. He
turned over the food possibilities for the
| sick men of all these, and finally decided
| chat their proper preparation was beyond
| the limited culinary skill of any of his
command, and contented himself with TAX
| ing u partially filled sack of flour, which
| he handed to Bill GrimShaw, to throw
across his saddle.
Bill Grimshaw, though, was fascinated
| by the sight of the dried pumpkins, which
reminded him of the delicious pies his
| mother used to make.
I'm going to take one pole of them
along" he said, unfastening it from its
bark hangings. Il don't remember just
! how mother used to cook pumpkins, but
1 | guess you can boil them most anyway,
and they'll be good. Pumpkins are always
| good, no matter how you cook EN-"
He WIS at loss how to carry them,
| but finally decided that for the short dis
tance back to camp he could just carry
them as they were, with the pole laid
across his shoulder.
women can rage, while this was going on,
| but it produced about as much effect rs
| the cawing of the crows in the next field.
! Then her husband, answering the horn
signal, came back. He was a fierce old
man, who was probably a terror to his
poor white neighbOrs and the negroes.
| He brandished his shotgun, and swore
terribly for minute or two Then he Or
! dcred them to throw down those things
and get out in the road, when he would
march them back to camp and turn them
| over for punishment.
81 merely looked at him and then at his
| own gun, and went ahead with his prep
| arations. Then the old man rushed back
into the yard, seized a horse, bridled and
sadded him, and galloped off toward the
| StOckade to bring the provost guard.
81 marshaled his squad in the road, and
waited for the return of Uncle Ephraim.
| Presently he came around the bushes. lie
wore such wide grin of triumph that it
seemed as if it came into view little bit
before Uncle Ephraim himself did. He
had IA turkey in each hand, and behind
| him came Alf and Gid, each carrying us
many chickens as his hands could grasp
the legs of.
Il tell yo', dat ole grizzly bar he monty
cunnin'," explained Uncle Ephraim, as he
tied the legs of the turkeys with pawpaw
bark and flung them over his horse, while
All and Gid did the same with their
chickens. He done built a rail-pen out
dar in the thick breSh, an covered hit wild
rails, an done hit SO slick dat he didn't
break de bresh out round hit, nor leah
no tracks He d geddered all his chick.
ems an turkeys dar, an toted corn out t
feed dem, while de soljers wuz round
hyah. He didn't see us slippin up on him,
an we wuz jes' a-gwine t jump him when
de horn blowed for him to hurry back t
de house, an den we went froo de pen
Widdout no molestation."
did you leave any?' asked 81.
Not habbin' four hands apiece we had
t." answered Uncle Ephraim, regretfully.
"A passel OBJ chickens, an two turkies-
one OBJ de male and de udder of de fe-