Old Uncle Hampshire [pp. 430-440]

OLD UNCLE HAMPSHIRE.
black rascal, or I'll cut your heart out that in the hall. Helpless, prostrate,
in a minute!" pale, and tranquil lay the pure being,
Quick as a flash Uncle Hampshire who, in the beautiful consecration of
drew his hand from behind him, where motherhood, was ready to yield up her
he had held a pistol at half-cock for own precious life for the sake of the life
some minutes, and, taking deliberate out of her own created. Helpless, prosaim, he fired. The villain fell-and, the trate, pale, and dying lay the polluted
next instant, there was a spattering of creature, who, in the awful retribution
flashes and a whizzing of bullets and justly provoked by his crimes, was yieldbuckshot through the dimly-lighted hall. ing up his wretched life to the pitying
At the fall of their leader, the three re- Father of all. With bitter pain and a
treating renegades, now slumberous and cry, life wafts itself into being here;
stupid, managed to stagger back into with bitter pain and a sigh it wafts itthe passage - way, with barely strength self into being beyond.
enough to discharge their muskets with Mom Phillis had just finished dresswild, uncertain aim at the brave old ing the new-born babe, and presented it
man who had just leveled their champion to old Hampshire for a baptismal kiss,
to the floor. This done, they staggered declaring that "de mite of a boy owes
forward, with feeble menaces and inco- his life tu de ole man," when a sudden
herent mutterings. Uncle Hampshire's faintness came over him and he fell to
shrill cry of "Come on, Jake, wid de the floor, as one dead. It soon transboys!" brought three lusty allies to his pired that he had been shot just above
aid, besides Mitch and Sandy, who, of the knee, and his boot-leg was filled
themselves, were now more than a match with blood. Though no bones were
for the besotted fiends, whose guns could broken, the wound was a very ugly one,
be wrested from their hands in their and threatened serious consequences to
maudlin weakness. his limb.
"Ketch de debbils -strip'em stark Daylight came, and with it the glad
naked- chunk'em inter der smoke- news of the near approach of the vanhouse -lock de doah-an' den, Sandy, guard of Sherman's army. Indeed, it
yu an' Mitch stan' dere wid de guns, an' was rumored that a small detachment of
shoot'em de berry fus' move dey makes scouts had camped in the cotton-patch,
tu git out!" not two miles from the house. Jake was
With this sententious order, Uncle dispatched to ascertain the truth of the
Hampshire turned his attention to the matter, and speedily returned with a
prostrate form at his feet, still gasping, squad of soldiers that had been sent
but insensible. Pulling the mask from ahead to forage for supplies. The conhis face, the grim, contorted features of tents of the smoke-house-both dressed
Bill Halstead presented themselves - and undressed- were exultantly turned
malicious and revengeful, even in death. over to the welcome defenders, who, in
The old man started back. return for ample commissary stores, sent
"Oh! it's drefful, drefful! but de the best medical and surgical aid to the
wenomus snake'bleeged tu be scotch- suffering, heroic Carrie and brave old
ed!" was all he said. Uncle Hampshire. Amputation was
A feeble wail from the nursery caught found to be imperative in the latter's
Uncle Hampshire's ear, and, tapping case, but no fear of further disaster.
softly, he called to Aunt Chloe, who cau- * **
tiously opened the door. The scene in Nearly eight years have passed since
that room was in strange contrast with then; many changes have come over Jas
439