The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1915-10-26
The DARKEST HOUR
By eARRARD HARRIS.
(Copyright.)

(Copyright)
AS the boy turned the decrepit mule
at the furrow end he saw man on
horseback gallop over the crest of the
hill and head down the road, coming
toward him.
News from the front was scarce at
the Cove.
The boy calculated that If he did not
plow too deep old Betsey could make
1t to the roadside end of the furrow
about the time the horseman arrived.
The boy looked admiringly at the
man. who refined in his horse and eyed
the sturdy youngster standing on next
the bottom rail of the fence In order
to see over the top. The stranger
wore a weather-beaten Confederate
uniform, and on his sleeve was the
insignia of captain
"Howdy, sonny?" he said, guiding
his mount to the shade of a Towering
locust tree in the fence corner.
Pretty fair, thank'ee cap'n."
The boy was proud of his ability to
QAclAAA6 Qlbn lDC lain Va S&AO OAAANRAs
Where's your folks?"
Mas up yander at the house. Rest
of ems in the army"
"How many?"
"Pa an Tom-they went the first
year of the war; then VIII next year,
an Joe last year. Joe warn't but sew
enteen when he went" The youngster
spoke proudly. But we amt never
hearn tell of one of 'em since they
left" he added with catch In his
voice. TITS most KILN ma-she wor-
ries So"
"Oh, reckon they're all right. Folks
don't have time to do much letter
writin' in the army. How old are you,
and what's your manner"
Pm fifteen, goin' on sixteen, an
my names Henry Wilson"
"Come on and go up to the house
with me. want to talk to your ma
and get a drink Of water"
Henry loosened the traces from the
pillow, and left old Bet to browse. He
proudly led the way up the weed
choked lane to the log house nesting
in the shade Of giant white oak.
From within came the whine and buzz
of spinning wheel.
Against the light of the open door
in the rear was silhouetted the face
of the boys mother, as she wound the
yarn back and forth. She did not hear
them enter until the captain and Henry
stood before her. A glance at the uni
form Of the soldier caused her TO drop
the skein Of yarn and clutch her throat
in terror
1t was moment or two before she
could break the silence.
"Any-any word of pa an the boys?"
she faltered. dreading the answer,
whatever 1t might be.
mo, mam-no news of 'em. Maybe
the old sayin' of no news is good
news will do your"
That's the turrible thing about this
here war. Folks goes to the front.
The army just keeps on a-swallerin'
EN- up, an you don't know II they're
in Virginny, or sufferin' torment in
some hospital or in prison."
There was an awkward silence, and
the soldier cleared his throat nerv-
ously.
what have you all been livin' onf'
he asked.
well, durin' the winter we been
mighty near In the fix the mule was
in, but since spring has come there's
poke salad an dandelion salad Only
we have to eat 1t cooked with salt an
water; we amt had no meat for two
months. Then the huckleberries an
wild Strawberries Henry found
bee tree. an we had some honey. He
traps few rabbits an squirrels, an
partridge or two once in a while. We
eked along on the dab of meal we
had, but it's about out"
Again brooding, nervous silence
came over the group The woman
gazed far across the hills with un-
seeing eyes. The boy dug with his
toe at button which had lodged in
one of the cracks in the floor.
"As was sayin', ma'am. the Yam
KEGS has been givin' us fits"
The woman looked inquiringly at
him.
"An'--an' President Jefferson Davis
has issued call for all boys over If
teen an all men not over sixty-five"
An awful silence fell upon them, and
horror opened her eyes until they
stared mutely. A dry, choking sob,
half groan, escaped her lips.
"You-you amt a-goin' to take my
boy-are you. mister?" she almost
whispered. "Why-why, he amt moth
In but baby-my baby child"
She buried her face in her hands
and sobbed shiveringly. The soldier
gazed out across the foothills. radiant
in their April greenery. Here and
there cleaned an ivory speck where
dogwood tree blossomed, and the
redbud bushes made faint blotches Of
purple color on the hillsides.
IL amt got no discretion, nam.
The time has come when we got to
rob the cradle an the grave, too. as
the sayin' is, If We expect to keep on
fightin'."
"Why should we keep on fightin' ~
she cried raucously. What air we
fightin' for? Why don't them rich
folks what owns niggers do the fight-
in? We amt got any niggers, an
| don't want none. What air my hus-
band an my boys up there KILN folks.
an maybe gittin' killed fer? States
rights they say! Amt we women
folks an we pore folks got some
rights? They don't never think of
u.s."
We'll, mum, that there States rights
question is politics, an l amt so pow
erful clear on it myself. But one thing
we do know, them Yankee armies Is
comm down here an burn our houses.
an take what little we got left, an
mistreat our womenfolk, If we don't
stop EN-. An we got to have men to
shoot guns to stop EN- with"
The captain spoke earnestly.
Let 'em come! We amt got nothin'
for EN- to take The Confedrit gov
eminent has beat EN- to our corn
cribs an stock pens. Let EN- comet"
Ma, I'm goin'l" the voice cut In.
clear and decisive.
The woman dropped her head in her
hands, and tears crept between her
fingers and FLASHED silently on the
floor. The captain shuffied his feet
awkwardly.