Family History by Robert Monroe Fleming (Sr.)

“The Story” by Grandma Causey, Part 2

Transcribed by Robert M. Fleming Jr.

Joe Carpenter, they lived about a mile from town on a farm. he was a good sized boy 14 years. about as old as Betty. he took his gun and bridle and started to hung the horses. he didnt return. his folks got uneasy. his Father went to town and gave the alarm. and they hunted all night & for several days. They found camp fires in several places where some one had had fires. but couldnt tell if he was the one, or not. they didnt find him & supposed the Indians had careyed him off. when he found out he was lost he knew he was a good piece from home. & didd-know which way to turn. and it had got dark. & he was afraid of the wild animals. so he hunted around until he found a good big log close enough to a tree to keep the good fire. after getting warm he straped the gun on his back & took the bridle & rope he had on the halter. then he climbed the tree. and sat down on a good big limb. with his back to the tree. & tyed him self up there with the rope. so if he went to sleep he wouldnt fall out. and he did go to sleep. didnt know how long he had been asleep. he was awakened by some one talking. he looke down & saw men sitting around the fire. the first thing he thought of was it was some one hunting for him. untill he heard them talking. they wondered who had built that fire. said they believed it was some one built it to trick them. then he thought of Bandits. he thought he would keep quiet & maybe they would go away and not see him. but it was so near day it soon began to get light. and they went to looking around and soon found him up there. and one of the men Black Bill they called him told him to come down. He said you will have to wait. I am tied up here he said. who tied you he said. he tied himself to keep from falling out when he went to sleep. he said well hurry & untie your self & come down & let us see what you look like. He came down half frightened to death. didnt know what they would do with him. when they saw him they just laughed & said, oh you are only a boy. they gave him his breakfast. and told him they would take him where he could find his way home. but he didnt believe it. for he saw them wink at each other. when they got out to the river & got in a boat then ke knew they were taking him with them. & he began to cry. Black Bill said if he didnt shut up he would pitch him out in the river. said you wont be the first one I have killed. He was such a great big ugly fellow Joe was afraid of him & didnt cry any more.

they traveled untill noon before they reached the cave in the side of the mountain they called home. there was three men with Joe. & they found three more at the cave. and there were two more still out. Joe had played Indian and Bandits with the other boys about town. now he was to see what it was to be a real bandit. one of the men they found there was a very nice looking young man. looked to be about 25. didnt look rough like the rest of them. he said well what have you brought this time. they told him & he said well why didnt you take him home. Black Bill said he had been sitting right over them & had heard to much. the young man was the boss. he patted Joe on the back & told himthey wouldnt hurt him. and they never mistreated him. only he was a prisoner. the Boss told the cook he might take him in charge and teach him to cook. Joe heard them talking about it being so hard to find any thing to eat. said the pickings up here are getting pretty slim. they thought they had better move farther south when the last two men came in. they brought a sheep. had stolen it. some of them were out hunting for some thing to kill all the time. they were only there a short time. and they moved to another cave. several miles from there. there was more game. and they brought home a calf or a sheep. once & a while. some of them would go off & be gone two or three weeks. and when they came back would bring grocerys & papers. & Joe would hear them talking about some robbery. would have the paper and read about it. and he knew they were the robbers. Joe was never allowed to leave the place. they would all leave some times but they always took his boots. so there was no chancefor him to go. there was no way to get out by land. so he just waited. and learned to cook. he was more concerned about his education. so he told the Boss one time he wouldnt mind it so much if it wasnt that he wanted to get that education. and he said well the next time I go out I will bring some books. and he did. and helped him with his lessons.

Joe asked him why he came to be in this business. and he said idleness & to much money. I had to much money & was never taught to work. and the Devil soon things for my idle hands to do. and I got in with the toghest crowd could be found in any city. I was only a kid and got in with men. I was of a fine southern family but dont lets talk any more aboutit. I feel mean in not taking you back to your parents. I expect they think you are dead. I believe they will think the Indians stole me. I have thought about leting them know some that you was alive & will and would go home sometime. Joe didnt feel so bad after that. the second year after he was lost there was agreat excitement in town. there was a lot of men after some bandits. they had caught twoand was aftera third one & he ran in a corn crib and my Father after him. he caughthim by the foot as he went to jump out of the window. and his boot came off. and he got out and got away. my Father came out carying the boot. years afterward I can remember hearing my uncle tell about how funny he looked when he came out carrying that boot. and that man went back to the cave where Joe was. telling about it he happened to have some mocassines in his jacket. the other two they had caught they sent them to the penitentiary several years. Joe heard them talking again that night about moving again. the Boss & one of the other then left next day to hunt for a place. they said they knew of a place but didnt know if they could get to it. we will leave them to hunt their place and see what Betty has been doing.

Bruce has been gone almost two years and his father is going to send for him to come home thru vacation. Betty has grown to be quite a little woman. is about 16. she had been living with her aunt Polly since her mothers death. and she was a low voiced sweet faced little old gentlewoman. and she had made a liitle lady out of Betty. but Betty was so full of life and fun. she kept her aunt worried for fear she would do some thing she shouldnt do. if there was anymischief at school she was usely at the head of it. Aunt Polly would say I am afraid you will go to far some day. she would say no I wont. I just like to have fun. one day she dressed up in one of aunt Pollys dresses. and powdered her hair. made it white and went around and fooled her friends. they didnt know her. she went up to Judge Harpers office and talked with him and fooled him as long as she wanted to. then she caught him around the neck and began huging & kissing him. and said oh uncle Billy you didnt know me did you. He says why bless my soul Betty is it you. you frightened me. I thought it was a little old crazy woman. her Father had left the Judge as a temporary guardian. over her. aunt Polly was shocked when she heard about it. and went to the Judge and said she thought Betty was getting to wild. she thought he ought to talk to her. he said no. let her have her fun. she don't mean any harm. she will never be young again. I tryed to scold her but she wouldnt let me. she said she was so happy because Bruce was coming. she had to do some thing. he had to come by stage and it took a long time to come.

he came in on them one evening and surprised them. they went looking for him for several days. after kissing his mother he said I wonder if Betty is at home. and she said no. I saw her go off riding with some young people about an hour ago. any young men. yes. he frowned. & his father said, now Brucedont you go getting jealous as soon as you get here. she is my little Daughter, and the sweetest child that ever lived. & I wont have you say any thing to her to make her unhappy. Bruce laughed & said. well I see she has a champion in you.yes she has and she is so happy because you are coming she dont know what to do with herself. and I dont want you to say anything to her and make her unhappy. well I wont. she has a secret to tell you. she made all of us promise to let her tell you. lets sit out on the porch & we can see them when they come. in about a half an hour they saw them coming. Bruce stood up and waved his hand. and she came galloping galiping up. he held up his arms to take her down. but she held back. said she didnt know him. you are a man. you are not a boy any more. he said well I hope not. she said well I want you to stay a boy as long as I am a little girl. he said oh come on Betty. I want to see how tall you are. then she let him take her down. she always had been a beautiful child. her hair was a dark brown almost black black eye brows & eye lashes. dark blue eyes & lovely complection. he said well I am anxious to know that aecret. she said oh I forget. Daddy talking of letting me go back to Va. to school. Wont that be fine. he said well I should say it will. do you know what school. it is not far from Richmond. that will be about a days ride from my school. that wont be far. I can go up there for the Hollydays. they were expecting her father in and didnt know for sure until he came in. but he had writin to them to get her some clothes & have them made. she hadnt ever told any one about the time she ran on to the wolves. now she told Bruce, & he said he thought it was time she was going off to school. or she would be eaten up by the wolves or some thing. he asked if they had ever heard from Joe Carpenter. they told him no. & he said Betty will be the next one to be carryed off. if I dont take her back to school.