Wisconsin herald, and Grant County advertiser. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1844-1845, 1844-12-28

old niger. This last argument appeal
ed to the compassion of the old man,
who told the old fellow he might come
on board, and welcome, wereupon he
gave a great skip, which astonished
Yaup and his master, and lighted
plump into great two-bushel basket
of eggs, without breaking single one
of them. Dunder p thought the old
man, but he said nothing when he
| found no harm was done.
While the old man and Yaup piled
the oars, as was their custom,th black
fellow sat in the stern, so that they
were facing each other, and sometimes
exchanged a few words about matters
and things in general. The old man
inquired where he came from, and he
told him from Snake Hill, where there
was never any one known to reside,
within the memory Of manor account
of the barenness of the place, and the
enormous quantity of musquetoes. But
the black genius, on being further
questioned, said he had lived there ev-
er since he could remember, and that it
would be very pleasant place, if it
were not for the musquetoes. which
were rather troublesome at night, and
in the day, too, for that matter, fort they
had stang his eyes out at last. "Stung
youreyes out!' exclaimed the old man
-"Dunder! then how did you find
your way here, and see to jump into
my basket of eggs By st. Claus! but
you must be as light as a feather, not
to break any of them. But, as l was
saying, how do you find your way
without your eyes ~
so, / follow my nose, and when that
gets frost-bitten ! play the fiddle and
am guided by the echoes"
"Your fiddle Dunder where is
it for don'ts see any," quoth the old
man, while Yaup pricked up his ears
at the mention Of a fiddle, and lost time
in keeping stroke with his oars, which
caused the old man TO pat him on the
head with bis paddle.
i When the black fellow was asked
where his fiddle was, he answered,
80, here it is"-and putting his hand
into little pocket, not big enough to
hold tin tobacco-box, pulled out a
full sized fiddle, with lions's head, to-
gcther with bow in the shape of a
new moon. "Dunder - thouht the
old man but said nothing. The black
fellow then asked him if he would not
like to have tune, assuring him he
was no SLOUGH at the business, as Snake
Hill was the best school in the world
for learning to play the fiddle, no man
being able to keep his elbows still amo-
mcnt, on account of the itching Of the
musquetoe bites. The old man rath-
er declined, but Yaup, who was great
amateur, entrcated his master to let
him play, and at last he consented.
The moment the black fellow began
tuning his fiddle, the ducks commenced
quacking, and the chickens cackled
most vociferously, while the eggs in the
baskets discovered symptoms of great
PERTURBATION, rolling from side to side
and some of them standing on end
The old man did not know what to
make of all this, but when he began
playing tune, he could think Of moth
ing else, for the music far excellcd any
he had ever heard before. Both him
self and Yaup seemed actually tied to
his bow. If he played slow move
ment, their oars kept time exactly, and
when he began to quaver his elbow,
which he done SO rapidly that it be-
came invisible, their oars flew like light
ming, and the boat shot forward so
swiftly, that a school of porPoises, be-
ing attracted by the music, could not
keep up with her. All the fish in the
bay seemed to be following them, and
such was their eagerness to enjoy the
treat, that all the vacant spaces in the
boat, were soon filled with striped bass,
and other fine fish which jumped on
board the better to enjoy the music Of
the old blind fiddler. The old man be-
gan to feel rather dubersome," as he
expressed it, and when just as they
came to the wharf opposite to the mar
ketfeldt, he saw his eggs, as if by one
impulse, Matched into full grown chick
ems, he could not help feeling rcjoiced
at seeing the black fellow jump out
like grashopper and make himself
scarce, as he grinned last farewell,
saying to him at the same time. " You