The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1854-02-27
One chilly night in October, Shadrach and /:


Drive had been out along the corn-felds on
an unsuccessful coon hunt. On their return
the dog dashed off through the orchard, and
in minute or two commenced barking.
and Shadrach of course supposed he had
freed coon on one of the fruit trees. Now
Shadrach had an abiding faith in spiritual
manifestations, and stood in mortal fear OF
" the gentleman in black" and all manner
OF spooks IN general. Upon arriving at the
i" big tree" by the which Drive sat, and look
ing up among the branches, he saw there in
the darkness great black object, with some
thing that seemed like winding sheet in
its hand. Shadrach's hair began to curl as.he
looked, and halloing "Seek him p to Drive,
broke like quarter-nag for the house. He
broke breathlessly into the kitchen, exclaim-
ing" Massa, Massa Drive got de debble
in de big apple tree" What is that, you
woolly-haired rhinoceros ?" replied his mas
ter. " Drive got de debble treed on de big
apple tree" repeated the negro. A torch
was lighted, and upon going into the Or
chard, there sat our thieving neighbor among
the branches, with bag half filled with the
coveted fruit. Our father said not word
to him, but after giving Shadrach certain
directions, returned quietly to the house.
Old Shadrach laid his jacket down by the
roots of the big apple tree, and ordering Drive
to watch it, said to the occupant of the
tree, Look hea, you brack tief, you come
down, and Drive eat your head off sartain.
Ugly dog dat. Eat white tief up like a
coon, sure. Roost up dar like turkey, yah!
yah y Shadrach went to his loft, and laid
himself quietly away. When the day broke,
there was the thiefin the tree, and there was
Drive watching him. When the sun rose,
they were there. The negro gave Drive his
breakfast, and left him his jacket and the
man in the tree to watch. Our father and
the boys" of whom we were one, went to
husking corn in the orchard. Ten o'clock
came, and there was the dog at the roots,
and the man perched among the branches of
the big apple tIee." The horn sounded
for dinner and when we returned the two
were there still. The thief called beseech-
ingly to our father to let him come down.
Well" was the reply, "why don't you
come down?' "This internal dog will eat
me up if do" said the thief every like
ly,' was the calm rejoinder, and we went on
husking the corn. Once or twice the occu-
pant of the apple tree, after coaxing and
flattering the dog. attempted to descend, but
Drives ivory warned him of his peril, and
he went back to his perch. There never was
another human being in such ecstacies all
the day as was that negro. Yah yah he
would break out in an uncomfortable cachi-
nation and then roll and halloo, and yah
yah among the corn-stalks until you could
hear him a mile. The sun went down be-
hind the hills, and there still were the thief
and the dog. We all went to supper, and in
the twilight of evening, in pity to the fam
ished and frightened culprit, the dog was
withdrawn and he was permitted to stink
away home He never stole apples again,
or anything else from our father while Drive
and old Shadrach remained on the farm
TIE PInnge from the Wheeling Rridoe.