Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1902-11-27

AAeNA o1OSOAA1Os
Mary Slocumb was the young wife
of Ezekiel Slocumb, of Wayne
county. He afterwards became &
prominent member of the House O.
: Commons, serving in the sessions O
1912, 1913, 1914, 1915, 1916, 1917 and
1918. Wheeler makes a very curl.
Gus errorin regard to Mrs. Slocumb's
, age at the time of the battle Of
Moore's creek. He says that she was
born in 1869: that she was Is years
OF age when she married Slocumb,
but that she was his wife at the time
of the battle, which was fought in
1775. Whether she was born in 1850,
or whether she vas Is at the time OF
her marriage, at least she was but
yet a girl when her husband rode
away from home to join Caswell in
crushing Macdonald and the enemies
of liberty. The men of that section,
more than eighty strong, rode away
one calm Sunday morning, under
the lead of Slocumb. Beforethe long.
ride was begun, his young wife went
out with the colonel to inspect the
men. She says that she looked at
them well, and could see that every
man meant mischief. No doubt it
was a sturdy, stern and determined
band that rode away that day to bat
tie for their rights; to take part in
teaching an imbecile King that the
liberties of mankind cannot with
lmpunity be made the plaything of
his Whims and fanCies. These men
rode away in high spirits, some to a
glorious death, some to a still more
glorious victory; none to defeat or
diShOnOr.
1t is easy to imagine what a long.
lonely day the young wife had at
home that quiet Sabbath day; it is
easy to imagine where her thoughts
were; it is easy to imagine how she
concealed the anxiety of her heart
under the assumed cheerfulness of
her face. 81 slept soundIy and quiet
Iy that night" she says, and worked
hard all the next day; but [ kept
thinking where they had got to, how
far, where and how many of the
regulars and Tories would they meet:
and [ could not keep from that
study"
Going to bed in this anxious state
of mind it was but natural that her
sleep should be disturbed by fear
some dreams. She had tossed and
tumbled from one side of the bed to
the other till far into the night. And
then came a terrible dream. She
seemed to see lying on the ground,
a body, motionless, bloody, ghostly,
wrapped in her husbands cloak.
With a cry of alarm, she sprang to
her feet in the middle of the room.
SO vivid was the impression that it
remained with her even after she
awakened from sleep and in rushing
forward to the place where the vision
appeared, she a into the side of
the house. The light was dim; all
around was quiet and peaceful, but
in her heart kept up a great comlno-
ton. eff ever 1 felt fear" she says,
Esit was at that moment.n The more
she reflected on the vision the more
vivid and the more fearful it be-
came, until at last she could bear the
suspense nc longer and starting up.
she said aloud
81 must go to him."
In the stable was her favorite and
own particular horse, Gas fleet and
easy a nag as ever travelled" In
an instant, leaving her baby and the
AD LII So1O vi In hOlSC, SlIC
rushed out to the barn, saddled her
mare, and in less time than it takes
tell it, was flying down the road
at full speed
The night air was cool; the spirit
the race was in the nag; and mile
after mile was quickly left behind,
the sound of her rapidly falling
hoofs fell clear and distinct on the
quiet night air. ALI alone, urged on
ward by love and fear, this brave lit
Tie woman swept on through the
dark night, dashing over bridges, s
Whirling through dark woods, fash ,
ing past farm houses, until when the |
sun began to appear in the east
miles lay between her and
her quiet home. Shortly after sun {
Use she passed a group of women
and children anxiously awaiting
news from the troops. From these ]
learned the exact route taken by /
CasWell, and with only a few min
ties stop, she was again skimming i
over the ground. There was no flag g
cling IN her spirits, nor those of the
mare. On the contrary the exite- {
nent became more and more in E
the nearer they got to the end I
If their journey. It seemed as if the j,
woman had infused her spirits into
he horse.
The sun was well up when a new t
excitement was added to the race-if
heard a sound like thunder roll s
ng and rumbling in the distance. 9
She pulled her mare up suddenly.
What was it? Though she had never I
heard the sound before, she knew it c
must be the roar of the cannon; andy
is she thought of what it meant, the
blood coursed more rapidly than /
,ver through her veins; she was r
than ever impatient to be on
he scene, and away she dashed '