The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-03-09

"wha shall we dc. Tom? II We shoot we
may kill Annie"
Shoot. men! Ny God. shoot, There are
things worse than DEATH"
They needed no urging. Lik six young
tigers they sprang across the orchard to-
ward the woods whence came the sound Of
the laughter of the negroes.
Stop de screechin'!" cried the leader.
She nebber get dat gag out now"
TOO smart fur de po' white trash dis
time. sho'!' laughed one.
Six pistol shots rang out like a single re-
port. Six more! and six more! There was
a wild scramble. Taken completely by sur
prise. the negroes fed in confusion. Four
lay on the ground. Two were dead. two
MORALLY wounded and three more had
crawled away with bullets in their bodies.
There In the midst of the heap lay the I'M
conscious girl. gagged.
rs she hurt?" cried a mountain boy.
Cant tell: take her to the house quick"
They laid her across the bed in the room
that had been made sweet and tidy for the
bride and groom. The mother bent over
her quickly with n light. Just where the
blue veins crossed in her delicate temple
there was a round hole from which a scar
let thread was running down her white
throat.
Without a word the mother brought Tom.
showed it TO him, and then fell into his
arms and burst into a flood of tears.
Don't cry 50. Annie, 1t might have
been worse. Let us thank God she was
saved from them brutes."
Hoses friends crowded round Tom now
with tear-stained faces.
Tom. you don't know how broke I'D We
all are over this. Poor child, We did the
best We could. We thought she was lyin'
on the ground when We fired. The bullet
must a grazed a Niger and turned down
to hit her."
IT'S all right. boys. You've been my
friends tonight You've saved my little
gal. ! want to shake hands with you and
thank YOU. II YOU hadn't been here-my
God. 1 can't think of what would a hap
pened! Now it's all right. She's safe in
Gods hands,"
The next morning when Tom Camp called
at the parsonage to tell the preacher of his
sorrow and arrange for the funeral of his
daughter. he found him In bed.
Doctor Durham is quite sick. Mr.. Camp.
but he'll see you" said Mrs. Durham.
Thank you. mann"
She took the old soldier by tine hand and
her voice choked as she said:
You have my hearts deepest sympathy
In your awful SORROW"
It'll be all for the best. mann. The Lord
gave and the Lord has taken away. I will
still say: Blessed is the name of the
Lord"
Il wish I had such faith" She led Tom
into the room where the preacher lay
why. what's this. preacher? A bandage
over your eye: looks like somebody knocked |
you in the head?"
Yes. Tom. but it's nothing. I'll be all
right by tomorrow. You needn't tell me
anything that happened at your house. I've !
heard the black hell-Iit news. It will be all
over this county by night and the town
will be full of grim-visaged men before
many hours. Your child has not died in
vain. A few things like this will be the
trumpet OF the God of our fathers that
will call the sleeping manhood OF the An
glo-Saxon race to life again. ! must be up
and about this afternoon 10 keep down the
storm. 1t Is not time for 1t to break"
But. preacher. what happened to your"
"Oh! nothing much, Tom"
I'll tell You what happened" cried Mrs.
Durham. standing erect with her great
dark eyes flashing with anger.
las he came nome last night from a
visit to the sick. he was amhushed by a
gang of negroes. led by a white scOundrel.
knocked down. bound and gagged and
placed on a pile OF dry fierce rails. He was
tied across the heaps OF dry wood to two
They set fire to the pile and left
him to burn to death. They poured oil on
the rails and II made such a blaze 1t at
tracted the attention of old Doctor Graham.
who was passing. He got to him In time J
to save him.
"You don't say so!'
Tn sorry. Tom. I'm so weak this morn
ng I couldn't come to see you. 1 know
your poor wife is heartbroken."
Yes. sir, she r.. and It cuts me to the
quick when I think that I gave the orders
20 the boys to shoot. But. Preacher. I'd q
killed her with my own hand II l couldn't
l saved her no other way! I'd DO II over
gain a thousand times II I had TO-
II don't blame you. I'd have lone the
thing. I ant come to see you to-
lay. Tom. I'll be down to your house to-
a few minutes before We start for
he cemetery. 1 must get up for dinner and
prevent the men from attacking the troops.
They'll not dare to try to sell your place To-
lay. The public square IL full Of men now.