The National tribune., 1901-04-25

mistake him. Unless you want your
house burned down over your heads. Be
women, now, and gentle and pitfful TO
| men who are almost dying"
| Take 'em round to the nigger-quarters.
II you must leave them" shouted the wOm-
an Don't bring them into where white
people live
'They are not going into the negro
quarters, madam" ssid Shad. They are
white men and gentlemen-just as true
| gentlemen as you ever met, and they're
going to be taken care of as such. Come,
show us some of that famous Southern
hospitality, or at least be plain, Christian
women"
In the meanwhile 81 had gone around
behind the house, and there found, as he
| expected, the wash house.
/ He called to the boys to bring the pris-
| oners in there, and set some OF them to
| filling up the kettles with water, and build
| ing fires under them. He saw a pair of
sheep shears sticking In the timbers of the
| shed, and with these he cut the boys long,
unkempt, matted hair close to their heads,
| and threw the hair in the fire. They were
| undressed, and their clothes followed their
hair, thus freeing them from hordes Of
insect prosecutors which gave them no
warmed 81, Shorty and Alf carefully
washed the poor bodies with soft soap
| taken from gourds about the shed, of the
| thick, varnish-like CRIME Of resin, SCOT,
| and dirt accumulated by months Of hang
| ing over the pitch-pine fires, and lying
| afterward in the sand. Shad pres
emily came up with socks, undercloth-
| ing, shoes, pantaloons and blouses which
| he had gathered up from the spare ones
| in his detachment. Once more clean, YER
minless. and comfortably clad, the boys
were carried up to the JEFF Davis room,
the Vice-President Aleck Stephens room,
the Secretary Cobb room, and laid In the
soft beds once occupied by those worthless.
The women saw this desecration with
speechless anger, but Shad reminded them
that they were getting off very luckily,
and the better grace with which they took
it. tho better it would be for them In the
end.
Then, under Alf's directions, Pete and
Shad killed some chickens, the negress
cook was discovered, and set to work pre-
pairing some broth. Good wheat bread.
found in the cupboards, fresh butter and
sweet milk brought from the spring house,
and ALI guardedly fed the boys what he
thought their stomachs would stand. They
soon fell into the first sweet, refreshing
sleep they had known for many months Of
misery and starvation.
Shad went on with his train to the
Ogeechee River, while 81, after feeding
his horses from the plantation-cribs, and
having his boys cook supper for them
selves, had them spread their blankets on
the porch and prepare to spend the night.
AFTER gong WIN All TO see Jne lnValluS,
giving them another portion of Cruel and
food, and doing whatever else was neces-
sary to make them comfortable, 81 and
Shorty lighted their pipes, and sat down
on the front steps to talk over the situa- |
ton. Out to them came Miss Sophronia |
Sutton, the elder of the two daughters. |
She had accumulated much vitriol under |
Shad's suppression, and now that he was
gone thought she could work it of advan- !
tageously on the two partners, who seemed |
much easier propositions than the self-pos- |
sessed, authoritative Acting Lieutenant OF
Engineers.
Now, since that high and mighty officer
is gone, want you to at once take those
nasty fellows out of my beds, and carry
them off. | don't want them nor you
around here any longer, polluting South |
elm homo with the presence of an enemy"
moved" expostulated 81. "ltH endanger
their lives"
"Well, it don't matter much; they're |
only Yankees" she snapped Anyway, |
you must take EN- out OF those beds thatve |
been honored by the greatest men in the |
country. Take 'em out to the nigger-quar- |
ters. That's plenty good enough for |
them"
Madam" said 81, removing his pipe |
from his mouth and speaking slowly and /
deliberately, them men'u stay right where |
they are until they are able to be moved, |
and it'll be money in your pocket to-
He was interrupted by 4 young cavalry |
Lieutenant dashing up considerably in ad- |
vance of his men. He called out to his |
command:
Here, men, come up here and burn
this house. Get the people and things out,
and treat the people well, but burn the
house"
Miss Sophronia's lips, which were
pursed for another TRADE, grew ashen, and
her knees trembled.
81 stepped out from behind the lilac
bush which had concealed him from the
sight of the Lieutenant, saluted, and said:
Good afternoon, Lieutenant. What is
the trouble?'
1--WE were fred into by some bushwhack-
ers back there, and who ran over in this
direction, and I'm going to burn this
house as lesson"
Were any of your men killedT
"No; luckily none was more than
scratched. But that does not alter the
principle of the thing. This bushwhack-
ing emu must .E stop lS Who Lny are your q ooo.,
Injianny Volunteer Infantry. I'm out
looking for prisoners escaping from Mil
len. I've found six, who are nearly dead,
and they're here in the house of these kind
ladies, who have given up their best beds
to them, and they're receiving every care
in order to save their lives. Win you come
in and see them"
mo, l haven't time" answered the
Lieutenant, with look at the blue-coated
squad which had risen to arms behind 81,
and corroborated his story. Rebel women
taking care of escaped Yanks! Most as
tonishing thing. But It'll save their house
for them. 'Tention. Fours abOut-march.
Look out for those
bushwhackers, Sergeant"
IF you come across Surgeon, Lieu
tenant, please send him here" said 81 as
he walked back to where Miss Sophronia
was standing.
You needn't be in hurry about NOV
ing those men," she said. He may come
back"
Night was falling, and 81 posted
guard.
ST. Shorty and ALI were making another
turn with the inyalids. whom they found
sleeping soundly, when the dogs began a
noisy alarm In the rear of the house. 81
stepped to the back window and looked
out. 1t was too dark TO see anything, but
a raucous voice called out:
Hello, the house! Hello, Miss S'ph-
ronyr'
rs that you, Zeke BackhouseT Miss
voice instantly answered.
What do you want? What'rs you doing
away from your regiment?'
"Rijimints gone to thunder, long with
the rest O. the Southern Confedrisy. We
uns air plum done with hit, an the whole
shootin' match. Call of yer dogs ter