The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1862-11-25

Fine old London Dock Port is the
iavorile beverage, when the ediior, the
lawyer, the apothecary and the mer-
chant meet 10 play euehrc in Mis-
souri,.
We bought our files from The surly
clerk, and made for the calaboose. II
was a s,ou, log structure with grated
windows At one of these, BY the
low moonlight. We saw a negro. II
was cold and late. Nobody was near
We hailed the man.
Ham.
That's me, massa.
You're sold TO Murk6r. 70 20 South
tomorrow. If you waik 70 Get free,
catch Z
Brent tossed him up the Giles.
Catch again, said Bildulph, and
up went a ratlling purse, England's
subsidy.
Hams white teeth and geateel man
ners appeared al once. lie grinned,
and whispered thanks.
Is that all we can do j? asked the
Baronet, as we walked of.
Yes, said Brent, taking a nasal
! tone.
Hams poplar niger, handy
niger, one er yer raal ambishus sort
He kin cut bar, fry a beefsieak, and
play on the fiddle ike minsiril. He
kin shoe a mule, drive a team, do a
little jiner work, and make stompers,
Yes, Biddulph, trust him TO knaw him
self free with that Connecticut rat
tail
Ham against Japhet; hope he'll
win
Now said Brent, that we've put
in action Cbrist's Golden Rule, Jeflier-
sons Declaration of Independence,
and All-ihe. wisdom's Preamble to the
Constitution, we can sleep the sleep Of
welI-doers, if we have two man-steal-
ers-and one the brother Of mur-
dercr-only papercd off from u.s.
The following morningthey resume
their journey.
The day, after the crisp freshness
Of its beginning, was a belated day of
Indian summer; mild as The golden
mornings Of that calm, luxurious time.
We stopped to noon in sunny spot
Of open pasture near a wide, muddy
slough of the Missouri. The reser-
voir for the brewage of shades for
Pixies bad been re-fIled in some au-
tumn rise Of the river, and lay great
slagnant lake along the roadside, a
mile or SO long, two hundred yards
broad,
We camped by fallen cottonwood
near the slough. The atmosphere
was hopeful. We picnicked merrily,
men and beasts. Three gentlemen
at once over a chicken soon dissipat-
ed this and IFS trimmings. We light
ed the tranquil calumet, and lounged,
watching our horses at their corn.
Presently We began TO fancy we
heard, then to think we heard, at last
to be sure we heard the baying Of
hounds through the mild, golden air.
Tally-ho,' cried Biddulph, what
day for a fox-hunt This haze will
make the scent lie almost as well as
the clouds.
Music, music, cried he again,
springing up, as the sound, increasing,
rose and fell along the peaceful air
that lay on the earth so lovingly.
Music, II it were in merrie Eng
land, where the hunt are gentlemen.
A cursed uproar here, where the hum
ters are men-stealers,' said Brent,
No, said Bi1dulph. Those are
fables Of the old. barbarous days of
the Maroons. ] can't believe in dogs
after men until | see it.
I'm afraid its our friend Ham they
are after. This would be his line Of
escape
1t the word, a rustling in the BUSH
es along the slough, and Ham burst
through. He turned TO run. We
shouted. He knew Us, and flung him
self, lurid with terror, and painting
with fight, on the ground at our feet
- the poplar niggerP
o, massa, he gasped, dey's gone
set the dogs on me. What'lI | do ?
Can you swim 2 said for to me
he was kneeling.
No, massa or Id bin cross this
yer sloo fore dis
Can you ride Z
Z 1