The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1857-09-19


the dew from the face Of Nature, the entire
smechanic force of the plantation were
drawn up before the house-door. .s.
DIANA said Abram to his daughter, who
had been attracted by the noise to the kitch-
en-door, stell ole Missus dat we's all ready
fur her. a EE1
sWhat you want with Missus dis time in
the morning, Daddy? don't bleve she's
up yeti ,,n
tEf you don't do as I tell you, gal, I'll
box your ears. De sun neber gifts up afore
ole Missus, an it's now mos's quartern
hour high.' @ e
Mrs. Ecallow at this moment appeared at
the door.
sMornin' Missus!' shouted frank and file.'
Good morning, boys. Well, Abram,
what the matter now?' i 7a
sWe's all ready now, Missus,' replied he,
making his bow.
sWhy do you not proceed then? You
know gave carte blanche
sThank ye, Missus; we got no use for de
cart, but ef you'd tell de boys yourself
q understand your said my aunt, laugh
ing, 'and repeat what said last night. l
give you the use of the carpenters, black
smith, etc., until Saturday evening, and
they are to obey you as they would myself.
And now march your men into the kitchen,
and Diana will give them all cup of cof-
fee, and some breakfast before commencing
work.
With an unanimous shout of shank We,
Missusv the party rushed pell-mell into the
kitchen, much to DIS annoyance. Having
sfed to repletion' upon his idea, old Abram
had no sympathy for the hungry maws Of
his band, and was continually urging them
To make hase.'
There is an end to every thing, and
Abraham soon had the satisfaction of hear
ing the hammer and the saw.
Thorpe's good humor was restored by
sound sleep, and he lost no time in present.
ing himself to the patriarch. Abram re-
warded him by the appointment of first as
sistant and confidential adviser. Observ-
ing half dcsen little urchins busily en-
ployed in bringing water to the work
men, and constantly running ON the most
trivial errands for the men; Thorpe asked
Abram WHY he did not let the men bring
those things before they commented work.
sNeber mind, Mass Thorpe, l'se watch
in' 'emr Twelve O'Clock bell rung from
the Gverseer's house, and the men dropped
their tools, and were proceeding to their din
ner; when Abram commanded them to stop.
sWe wants our dinner, Uncle Abram,'
cried the party.
dispose knows dat,' responded Abram
coolly; 'but dis is fust rate place to eat
on. fse given my orders to hab your Wit
ties fetched here. Dar's no use in mutter-
in, boys, you'se got to do jist as we and
young NAUSEA says. Enty so, Mas Thorpe?'
snf fon,,s.I ondoa tho copf; ,lapt;o al a H.
wiser:
Dinner soon made its appearance, and
while the men were discussing it, Thorpe
took the opportunity Of questioning the
propriety Of such strict measures.
Mas Thorpe said Abrani sagely, syou's
too young to know what nigger is: S'po-
SIM now, had lef 'em all 60 home to dere
vittles. When niger gets in de cabin he
feels nifty hungry. Did you ever see mig
ger dat wasn't hongry, Mass Thorpe:'
Thorpe confessed that he had not.
sWhen he gifts done, he lock at de bacca
and den at the pipe. Nigger's nifty fond
of bacca, Mas Thorpe?'
Thorpe believed they were:
sDen, when he's mos troo smokin', he
look at de bed, and when niger look dar,
he's gvine to sleep sure. It's nifty hard to
wake niger up, Mas Thorpe, when de
SUMS hot'
Thorpe having had some experience with
Abram himself acknowledged that it was.
'Ef had lef 'em 60 den, Mas Thorpe,
dey couldn't be got back agin afore morn
in. We's got to git troo afore Sunday
mornin', and dar no timeto lose.'
Abram kept his force steadily at work.
Sundry breaches, which time and tempest
had made in the old barn were repaired, a
rude pulpit was erected, and number of
chairs and benches Of 'home manufacture,
were ranged in due order on each side of the
room. BY Saturday evening Abrams idea
was embodied. Itwas fixed fact in the
shape of the ISLAND Church!'
Regularly every Sabbath the church was
filed with the Island negroes of every sex
age and condition. The driver threw aside
the dignity Of his Office and fraternized with
the cowboy; the spruce house-servants laid
aside their patronizing airs, and even the
sbody servant was 'affable.' On the one
side, new calicoes and flaming head-ker-
chiefs Ned with each other in the brilliancy
of their hues: and on the other, stiffly-
starched shirt collars, swallow tailed coats,
white inexpressibles, and polished boots,
shone dszzlingly in comparison with the
round jacket or drab coat, gray-breeches,
and weil-greased shoes of the feld-hand.
There is but one other superannuated ne
gro in the room beside Abram. 1t is
Old Isaac. He is seated upon that high
backed chair nearest the pulpit, with folded
arms, looking out in dreamy trance upon
the open fields. His hair is as white as
yonder cotton, which in his younger days
he helped to pick and gin. Memory is busy
with that old mans brain; he lives now in
u world of his own creation, peOpled with
forms long since mouldered into dust. He
lives the last of his race; like Logan, mot a
drop of his blood runs in the veins of any
living creature He clings to his island
home with the love of a parent to its child.
He was born upon the soil, and assisted in
the development Of its resources. He speaks
of the plantation and every thing upon it as
his own. lie addresses his mistress (young-
er by twenty years) as his child, his danght-
er; and is looked upon by her with almost
flial reverence. Though born in America,
he esteemed himself an African. His pa
rents were brought into the colony Of New
York by an English SLAYER, and sold to q
Virginia planter. Isaac had once been the
'brag hand' Of the plantation; and his step
was yet firm, and his eyes undimmed. He
has been, and still is, the 'modeP of the
plantation for honesty and intelligence
He is somewhat remarkable too, for having
in his youth beheld General Waehington.-
His description of that hero is glowing in
the extreme. He endows him with all the
vigor and strength of a Hercules, the stat
ure of an Ajax, and the sagacity OF an
Ulysses. The steed upon which he rode
was of the purest breed, milk-white, feet as
the winds, and Of powerful makes Certes,
the Father of his Country grew at each mar
ration sbeneath the hands of his suble ad-
mirer. But here comes est .E
Uncle Abram. He has large Bible un-
der his arm and apair of spectacles in his
left hand. He is little bent with age, and
like most sold fogies,' dogmatical and OBJ
stinate in his opinions. He, like Isaac, has
grown gray in the service of the Ecallow
family, and considers himself privileged
character. Throughout theweek he is usu-
ally seen lettering around sthe house, and
entering into theological arguments with
mistress nephew. He quotes passages
from the Scriptures which Thorpe who has
read the book through several times, ten
4 IL