236 ELBERT COUNTY. 



This bold story did not much please the Tory party, but 

 they could not wreak their revenge upon the woman who thus 

 unscrupulously avowed her daring aid to a rebel, and the cheat 

 she had put upon his pursuers, otherwise than by ordering her 

 to aid and comfort them by giving them something to eat. 

 She replied, " I never feed king's men if I can help it ; the 

 villains have put it out of my power to feed even my own 

 family and friends, by stealing and killing all my poultry and 

 pigs, except that one old gobbler you see in the yard." 



" Well, and that you shall cook for us," said one, who ap- 

 peared the head of the party ; and raising his musket, he shot 

 down the turkey, which another of the men brought into the 

 house, and handed to Mrs. Hart, to clean and cook without 

 delay. She stormed and swore a while — for Nancy occasion- 

 ally swore — but seeming, at last, resolved to make a merit of 

 necessity, began with alacrity the arrangements for cooking, 

 assisted by her daughter, a little girl some ten or twelve years 

 old, and sometimes by one of the soldiers, with whom she 

 seemed in a tolerably good humor, exchanging rude jests with 

 him. The Tories, pleased with her freedom, invited her to 

 partake of the liquor they had brought with them, an invitation 

 which was accepted with witty thanks. 



The spring, of which every settlement has one near at 

 hand, was just at the edge of the swamp, and a short distance 

 within the swamp was a high snag-topped stump, on which 

 was placed a conch-shell. This rude trumpet was used by 

 the family ib give information, by means of a variation of 

 notes, to Mr. Hart, or his neighbors who might be at work in 

 a field or clearing just beyond the swamp, that the " British- 

 ers" or Tories were about ; that the master was wanted at 

 the cabin, or that he was to " keep close," or " make 

 tracks" for another swamp. Pending the operations of cook- 

 ing, Mrs. Hart had sent her daughter Sukey to the spring for 

 water, with directions to blow the conch in such a way as 

 would inform him there were Tories in the cabin, and that he 

 " keep close" with his three neighbors who were with him, till 

 he should hear the conch again. 



The party had become merry over their jug, and sat down 

 to feast upon the slaughtered gobbler. They had cautiously 



