The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1855-11-28
The Burnt Leg.

We hSd finished tho regular course Of
dishes, and were waiting for the desert to
/ be brought upon tlte table. Mr.. E.
oar worthy host, east an inquiring glance
to his wife as he saw things had come
! TO a Stand still and tire conversation died
| out. -. .- g. .r', ..
at will be here in moment" observ-
ed the lady in question, who understood
her husbands insuiring look. Es
Mr.. E. took up l,is fork, and began
to roll a stray crumb from side to side
till finally it was showed little too far,
aud it rolled upon the floor. . ..,...
The conversation had been upon the
peculiarties of the negro, and after few
minutes study, Mr. E. concluded that
Ais Interest Of ,Ae subject was not entirely
exbauatetb and casting another look at
his wife, he renewed the salject by ob.
serving that the negro's passion for sleep
was remarkable.
"That is fact" retained Walker. al
have known them TO lie down in the field,
with their faces exposed to the burning
rays Of the sun at midday in August, and
sleep on until aroused with hearty punch
in the ribs; and then they would look
up at you with as much reproach as If
they bad been disturbed in their mid
night slumbers. They are ve,y fond of a
>mi nap at any hour-that's fact"
"Your ,alIusion 70 the burning rays Of
the sun." said Mr.. A., reminds me
Of an incident which occurred many years
ago. which is further illustrative Of the
negros Propensities for sleep. My father
owned stout, hearty negro, whose high
est notions for felicity consisted in undis-
turbed s!umber. lie was perfect slug
gard, and mover let sn opportunity to in
,dplge this propensity pass uninproved.
One cold night he stretched himself down
upon the hearth OF his cabin, before
blazing ire, and all the efforts af his wife
to get him aroused and off TO bod, proved
unavailing. He maintained his position
TO the fre, and his family wen. to bed
and left him to bis repose. The next
morning he was found BY his wife with
one leg burnt off nearly up to the knee,
and he vas still fast asleep, You, reeol.
lect the circumstance, Lucy I" he observed
to HE wife,"
10, very well," was her conarmatory
response. ~, ,.,.- 49,.
Nov, Mr.. E---- and his inestir able
wife were both Methodists, and very strc,
ones, too, and to doubt their, testimony
was out ofths question. *, 49,,
| L bad been but short time in Missis
sippi, epd was anxious to learn all could
respecting the negro race, and had made
some progress in this direction; but this
l,ory, or .incident" or ac;rcumstances," "
Of negro pecuIiarily.r waA snPrePar q
for, -
Hooked at Mr.. and Mrs. R----; their
Il Il d.
gravity was genuine, Ifslt q vacancy ];
| !. seemed as IL Twas getting hungry a.
.gsin. though | had jus. finished q hearty
meal Of The mos. saso'y yiands, and was
only, waiting to finish /. of with . por.
ton Of the rich deser. which ! knew wac
coming.
Il came, and I felt wonderful relief.
I put iato pudding and syilabub, secretly
ryveIling In MY mind the probabilities
ay, even the possibIlitiss Of such a story
---and came TO The conclusion to propose
isw aaeatioas By way ofcross examine
don. 80 - - ~ A1'A - -
APsfhsps, Mt. E.l the negro never
nd wsks up agAin y I - 49, @@n,
aYss, sis,.s he quietly responded. 4he
| dd wake up, and my father bad tas bosnt
stump Ampatstsd, ahda wooden isg put
| %, aud he lived ssd walked on 4 tsll he
died, which vss = nanbst d years sfisst
4 "a. ass.sfs ~ sFahr w stfFktyriG
e4ifays soss more of the pudding. NJ,
0biingsfl y saksd Ms. y 50
ssNot ssy more. snspk yosf' Z
s.Iiavs sosns more q the sylIAbatl z
Aftot any more. I think yya."2s -.
i had about saoash 70 s,ssysliSs shAi.
/ had been segssd u she tt'bls sbAs day,
Sos sxcspsisg ihe story oftbs bufst leg
Ii tbouebs 10, myself that woaid lcsse
| the s,slssr just where I foe~d {, asilhes
tslieyihe but I added, ,nen,nlIy every
Iiins 3oa Set noe down On my knees q B