The bee. (Earlington, Ky.) 1889-19??, 1902-05-22
AYOUNG COURIER
ATALE OF THE CIVIL WAR
BY
BLUE G, BARD.
CHAPTER j..

| ana ScatterS the darkleS all
arOund?'
Sang a manly, fifteen-year-old
boy, as he frightened the girth of his
saddle, before the farm yard gate.
II knows what Use gwine to do"
said Jack, colcred man, as he stop
ped with his axe poised in the air.
He was chopping wood for the huge
farm house fire place.
"What, Jack?" asked the boy.
Use gwine to stay right here wild
mistess and the childurn till Marse
John comes home, and take kere of
DEM"
Good for you, Jack, that is what
1 call good common sense. You do
that very thing, old boy, and you
will get well paid, whether your
master lives to get home from the
war or not"
"Oh, Use not looking for pay.
Marse John done took kere of me
and nanny and all of us, ever since
can remember, and Use gwine to
stick to his wife and childurn as
long as dey needs me. De last words
Marse John say to me wuz: Jack,
take kere of everything till 1 gets
back, If ever does,"' and 1 say:
81 will, Marse john" land meant
jest what 1 said. De udders may
stay or go, but Use gwine to stay"
and. Jack resumed his chopping
with ringing strokes on the hickory
log.
Just here lady appeared at the
hall door and called:
Paul !"
Yes, ma'am," said the boy, look
ing up mischievously, for he ex-
pected what was coming.
you are not going to try to find
Clark company to-day, are you?"
Yes, Sis Kate; why not to-day"
"Why, think you arelrunning in
to danger. You know the Yankees
are raiding down this way every
few days"
tOh, there is no danger. 1 saw
John Thompson late yesterday af-
ternoon, and he was just from the
company. He says there is not a
blue coat within fifty miles"
"There might have been yester-
day, but there may be to-day, and L
would so much rather you wouldn't
go to-day. 1t is going to be damp,
unpleasant day, too"
II must go, Sis Kate, for 1 prom
ised to take Jackson's six-shooters
to-day, sure, and I must keep my
word; he may need them.
paul, don't carry those pistols;
what could you do with them if you
should meet the Yankees2'f ga
Tin not going to meet any. I
will inquire all along, and keep q
sharp lookout ahead, and If / see a
blue coat, Larry and Will retreat in
double quick time. lam as anxious
to keep out of danger as you are for
me to keep out, but duty calls and
I must go, so good bye, and don't
be uneasy about me; will be back
In a week, II nothing happens"
The merry lad not fearing danger,
Wanted into the saddle and was of
in a gallop, With Jackson's revolvers
buckled around his waist, and pa
pers of Importance in his pocket,
which he did not even give a:hint of
to Sis Kate, as he called the lady
with whom he. was making his
home.
This boy, young as he was, was
acting as courier for an independent
company, whose field of operation
was not far from the dividing line
between Tennessee and Mississippi.
The lady whom he had left,
was not related to him in anyway.
She was giving him home through
kindness and sympathy. He was
cut off from his own home by the
fortunes of war, and had seen
neither father, sister brother for
many months. Neither had he
heard from them, nor. they from
him.
He often.grieved chat his dear ones
did not know whether he was living
or dead.
His home was in a distant state,
and he had left it at midnight in
flight with his father, whose views
of secession did not accord with
those of his neighbors, and he had
been warned by true friend that
his safety lay in leaving home as
soon as possible. Being the owner
of horses, he started at midnight,
taking his son Paul along to drive
the horses back home, after he had
gotten a safe distance.
After driving till near daylight, he
began to fear to send the child back,
fearing some harm might come of it.
So hoping to find sale for horses and
carriage, he pushed on toward the
Southern army.
Koox,;,,o. x.yhara tho naaraat troOna