The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1907-06-22


in the yard and driven to desperation.
Jake laid his hands on the edge OF a
Baltimore hogshead and dextrously
dropped into its capacious interior.
The next moment the strong lung
ed leader OF the rebel detachment
ordered the occupants of the house to
come forth. There was no reply at
first and it was not until the Vir-
ginian had threatened to apply the
torch, which he had no thought OF
doing in reality, that the door opened
and the Crumbines showed them
selves.
The marauders were hungry. They
hadn't time to put their feet under
the Crumbine table, but they would
be satisfied with some smoked hams,
few jars of preserves, in fact with
any old thing that would tempt a
soldiers palate.
Eve prefer hams" remarked the
rebel captain. "My old mother used
to say that Maryland ham is fit for
the gods. She was mother and she
knew. So trot out your hams or
give us the key to the smoke house
By George! the boys have found it
already"
The rebel officer turned away as a
shout announced that his men had
found entrance to Jake's retreat. -
They were jolly but boisterous set
of soldiers and when good mother
Crumbine heard the pillaging she
clasped her hands and invoked pro-
lection upon her soap and feathers.
And such a lot of feathers as she had !
Numerous pickings had been heaped
together for future sale or downy
feather beds, and now if those ragged
rebels should discover her treasure.
Just then a stentorian voice ema-
mated from the frame building.
"Here's hogshead O. fine hams,
Cap'n p it said.
"Never seed so many in ali my
days. The yanks hev buried 'em in
feathers -
"Bring them OUT" broke in the
eager captain.
"We'll pick the hams and have
feast. Roll the hogshead out, boys"
The following moment through the
wide doorway of the old-fashioned
out house, propelled by a dozen eager
hands, came the big Baltimore hogs
head, and as the land in front sloped
a little it gathered momentum, nor
stopped till it reached the family
porch.
"It's my feathers" cried mother
Crumbine at sight of the hogshead.
"You can't eat feathers, men. There,
don't upset the hogshead.'
Cup end her boys we won't be
deceived by Yankee trick"
The rebels with shout caught hold
of the hogshcad, tipped it suddenly,
lifted it as quickly and sent it rolling
and humping toward the spring
house. This act left head of feath-
ers OH the ground, and as the ham
hunters sprang forward to investi-
gate, there arose from the feathery
mass the oldest looking person hn.
man eye had ever seen.
It resembled some great grotesque
bird covered completely with feathers
of nearly every hue, and but for the
wild yell that came from the top Of
the mass the astonished rebels would
have investigated further and not cut
dirt as they did. They stood not on
the order of their going, but fed pell
NELL down the road as if a legion of
fends was at their heels.
Suddenly the strange thing bound
ed toward the house, its feathery
arms outstretched and there came
from unseen lips the eager cry of
"Polly Polly don't you know me?"
The young girl stood for moment
on the porch and then started for
ward.
Reuben, however, was ahead of
her. He reached the grotesque thing
in one bound and the next moment
he shouted back
''I'll be hamswitched if it isn't
Jake, Polly Jake's come back, but
he needs picking.
And so he did, and while the still
frightened rebels hurried down the
road Jake was relieved of his feath-
cry garments and had told Polly that
he guessed he wouldn't be a non-com-
batant any longer Valley Register, !,
II,ddZetozeu 1/d