The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1909-05-29
AN ADvREruREsoME DECORATION DAY
BY s. HUFF.

~@~@~~S~->~~ ~>~~~@s~~~~~~' -
BY 8. HUFF.
There squatted in one corner of Col.
Wallets plantation little hut, occu-
pied by old Granny Brown, who had
lived by herself nearly twenty years.
For the past few years her only work
had been to knit such articles as
"Ma'a am Wallet" had direct d.
Granny's house was built of logs. At
one end a rough stone chimney rose
two or three feet above the moscow
cred roof at the other a wooden door
swung on great hinges and small
window, covered with creased paper,
admitted few rays of light into the
single room. A stone threshold,
scrubbed to a pearly whiteness, leaned
to one side, threatening to lose its
place, and near by single moss rose
bush nodded and waved.
Inside old granny sat in great
armchair, her needles Gathering bust
ly. Her gray, wavy hair was parted
in the middle and drawn back over
her large forehead. Her eyes were
little and deeply set, but they spar
kled and blinked as they supervised
the work of her large, hardened hands.
Unconsciously her large red lips
moved about as she worked, display
ing a white row Of teeth, which occa-
siona1ly parted, showing thick
tongue. She was clothed in red
checkered gingham wrapper, of which
she was evidently very proud, for now
and then her knitting would cease
while she carefully smoothed some
wrinkled place in her dress. On a
table near by few pieces of china
ware were arranged with precision on
a small blue and red mat. In one
corner of the room was an old. fash
ioned bed, whose coverlets were spot
lessly white. The earthen floor had
been swept, but was uncovered.
1t was dusk when granny carefully
put away her work and settled back
in her chair for a nap. She was
nearly asleep when she heard noise.
Thud thud it went, then was still
for an instant, when it was repeated.
Visions of ghosts, hobgoblins and
other unearthly things came into her
mind. She walked to the door. No
body was outside. She looked around
the room, but saw nothing unusual.
"Wat yo'se 'fraid of, nohow ?
Ar'n't nauthin' roun' hyah," she
mumbled to herself as she sat down
again. Some time passed. The old
woman was doing again, when sud-
denly the floor near her began to
crack. She stared in terror. A dirk,
grasped by human hand, appeared.
The hole grew in size, as the knife
hacked at the ground, until a white
mans face and shoulders appeared in
the gap.
ooh, God ! hab mahey !" granny
cried, gathering up her skirts and
preparing to run.
"Be quiet, my good woman," came
from the stranger. II am nothing
but a wounded soldier. Be quiet
now, I'll reward you. Close your
door,"
Keeping her eyes upon the unwel'
come visitor, she reluctantly did as
she was bid. The soldier stretched
out his hand, saying "Now, help
me out, aunty." Granny took his
hand in hers and pulled him to his
feet.
His face was thin and pale and be-
smeared with mud. His eyes were
surrounded by dark circles and blood
came from cut in his forehead. One
arm dangled uselessly at his side and
his clothes were torn and bloody.
"How'd yer get hyah, chile ?"
asked granny, eyeing the poor man
from head to foot. "I'll tell you all
after WHILE" he feebly answered /;
'the Rebs will be after me again.
No place to hide here, is there?" He
looked despairingly around the room.
Granny brought out pot of tea that
she had hidden somewhere and offered
a cup to the man, who gripped the
chair as he drank. whats that
noise 2" he asked, setting the cup on
the table.
"Git back in thet thah hole, quick, -
granny said, pointing to the place
from which the stranger had come.
"Its tn whole ahmy."
Further direction was unnecessary.
Into the gap jumped the frightened
man. Granny pulled the table near,
placed her chair over the hole in the
floor, sat down and spread her dress
out around her. Selling her needles
she began to knit rapidly, singing
loudly:
'Tis summah an d. darkies are ga"
Don't make so much noise, mig
gah," spoke young officer, poking
his head in the door. "Show us that
clevah rascal you've got in hyah or
we'll whip you soundly."
'Sakes alive, man, wha don yo'
all scah a pooah woman?" granny
said ,feigning great surprise. "Whar's S
that man now 20 insisted the soldier.
"Wat yo' talkin' bout, sab! Yo'
oughten know I amt got no man
hyah," granny answered, looking
angrily at the man who had spoken.
While this conversation was going
on several privates had entered the
room, looking behind the table,
around the chair and tearing the bed
! clothes from their place. The old
negress was bewildered. "Nothin'
in this shack" "Niggahs haven t
enough wit to hide cur" "We'll
get him soon, though" and similar
remarks came from the men as they
left the house.