The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1904-04-15

letts. the bowlders. Parker, Ross Scho-
Geld and n dozen others did. In fact.
break away and set n sharp pace up
the slope.
Watts tried to call them back.
-what's the use your gettin' killed."
he shouted.
why notT' answered Lige. and. like
the others. was increasing his speed
when old "wimby" rose up suddenly
from the roadside ahead OF them and
motioned them frantically TO 90 back
They're laid out along the fence wait
In fer ye." he warned them. 'Git out
the road Come by the fields. Fer the
Lords sake. spreadw Then as sudden.
ly as be had appeared he dropped down
into the weeds again. Lige and those
with him paused. and the whole body
came to q halt while the leaders con-
suited. There was a sound of metallic
clicking and q thin rattle OF steel. From
far to the rear came the voice OF old
Wilkerson:
John Browns body lies a-moldering in
the Kround
John Browns body lies a-mOldering in
the ground"
ing began to take up the burden OF the
song singing IL In slow time like a
dirge- Then those farther away took
II up. II spread. reached the leaders
They. too, began to sing. taking of
their hats as they Joined in. and soon
the whole concourse. solemn. earnest.
uncovered, was singing-a thunderous
requiem for John Harkless.
The sun was swinging lower. and
the edges Of the world were embroider-
Cd with gold. while that deep volume
Of sound shook the air. the song Of a
stern, savage. just cnuse-sung perhaps
~ some Of the ancestors Of these men
sang with Hampden before the bris-
Ting walls Of n hostile city. 1t had
iron and steel In It. The men lying on
their guns In the ambuscade along the
fence heard the dirge rise and grow
to its mighty fullness. and they shiver-
Cd One Of them. posted nearest the
advance. had his rifle carefully leveled
at Lse wIlletts. fair target in the
road When he heard the singing he
turned to the man next behind him
and laughed harshly. Il reckon well
see q big Jamboree other side Jordan
tonight. 4uhY'
The huge murmur OF the chorus ex-
panded and gathered in rhythmic
strength and, swelled to power and
rolled and thundered across the plain.
-John Browns body lies a-moldsring In
the ground.
John Browns body lies a-moldering In
the ground.
John Browns body lies a-moldering In
the ground,
His soul goes marching on!
Glory. glory. halleluiahl
Glory. glory. halleluiahi
Glory. glory. halleluiahi
His soul goes marching ont"
4 gun spat fire from the higher
ground. and Willetts dropped where
he stood. but was up again in u second,
with q red line across his forehead
where the ball had grazed his temple.
The mob spread out like a fan, the
| men climbing the fence and beginning
the advance through the fields. thus
closing ON the ambuscade from both
sides. Mr.. Watts. wading through the
high grass In the field north OF the
| road, perceived the barrel of a gun
aiming from the fence some distance
In front OF: him and the same second,
although no weapon was seen In his
hand. discharged q revolver at the
clump Of grass and weeds behind the
gun Instantly ten or twelve men
leaped from their hiding places along
the fences of both fields and. firing
hurriedly and harmlessly into the scat
tered ranks OF the oncoming mob,
broke for the shelter OF the houses,
where their fellows were posted. TAX
en- on the Hanks and from the rear,
there was but one thing for them to
do to keep from being hemmed in and
shot or captured. CThey excessively pre-
ferred being shot) With a wild. high,
Joyous yell. sounding like the bay Of
young hounds breaking into view Of
their quarry. the Plattville men fol-
lowed.
The most eastward Of the debilitated
edihees Of Six Crossroads was the sa-
loon II bore the painted legends. on
the west wall, Last Chance" on the
east wall. First Chance" Next to
this and separated by two or three
acres Of weedy vacancy from the cor
ners. where the population centered
thickest, stood-if one may so predi-
rate OF a building which leaned in sew
en- directions-the house of Mr.. Rob-
ert Skiiiett. the proprietor of the sa-
loon. Both buildings were shut up as
tight as their state OF repair permit.
ted As they were farthest to the east
they formed the nearest shelter. and to
them the Crossroaders bent their flight
though they stopped not here. but dis.
appeared behind Skillett's shanty. put
ting II between them and their pur
suers. whose guns were beginning ia
speak. The fugitives had a good start
and. being the picked runners Of the
Crossroads. they crossed the open
weedy acres In safety and made fol
their homes. Every house had become
fort. and the defenders would have
to be fought aud torn out one by one
As the guns sounded. a woman In 9
shanty near the forge began to scream
and kept on screaming.
IL On came the farmers aud the men o.
, / Plattvilie. They took the saloon at ,
| run, battered down the crazy door
with q fence rail and swarmed insid
| like busy insects. making the plac
n hum ike q hive. but with the hottie
, Industries OF destruction. IL was enpt.
Of life as q tomb. but they beat an'
|, tore and battered and broke and ham
|. mered and shattered like madmen; the.
!. reduced the tawdry interior to n mer
Z chaos and came pouring forth ladel
, with trophies OF ruin. and then ther
|. was q charry smell In the air, and
slender feather OF smoke foated N
= from q second story window.