Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1874-02-14
dued to a low and Teverent tone. Sud
denly Uncle Dan1 exclaimed
1i,b;l'ep 3ah's sumfin q comm

QueQ 10 low anu TeFeTtHt touS- Ouo
denly Uncle Dan1 exclaimed
"Chilen, dah's sumfn comm J!
All crowded close together and every
heart beat faster. Uncle Danl pointed
down the river with his bony finger.
A deep coughing sound troubled the
stiffness way toward a wooded cape that
jutted into the stream mile distance.
All in an instant fierce eye of fire shot
out from behind the cape and sent q
long brilliant pathway quivering ath-
wart the dusky river. The coughing
grew louder and louder, the glaring eye
grew larger and larger, glared wilder
and still wilder. A huge shape devel-
oped itself out of the gloom, and from
its duplicate horns dense volumes OF
smoke, starred andspangled with sparks,
poured out and went tumbling away
into the further darkness. Nearer and
nearer the thing came, till its long sides
began 10 glow with spots of lightwhlch
mirrored themselves in the river and
attended the monster like torchlight
procession.
"What is it Oh, what is it Uncle
Danl :"
With deep solemnity the answer
came:
"It's de Almighty Git down on
yo' knees :"
1t was not necessary to say it twice.
They were all kneeling in moment
And then, while the mysterious cough
ing rose stronger and stronger and the
threatening glare reached farther and
wider; the negro's voice lifted up its
supplications:
20 Lord, ives ben mighty wicked,
an we knows dat We 'zerve to go to the
bad place, but good Lord, we amt
ready yet, amt ready-let desc po chill.
en- hab one mo chance, jes one mo
chance. Take de ole niegah if yous
GOT to hab somebody. Good Lord,
good deah Lord, We don't know whah
yous a gwyne to, we don't know who
yous got yo' eye on, but we knows by
dc way you's a commin and by de way
yous tiltin along in yo chariot o
tiah dat some po' sinners gwyne to
ketch it. But good Lord desc chil'er
don't blong heah, dey's fm Obedstown
whah dey don't know muffin, an you
you knows yo own sef, dat dey amt
'sponsible. An deah Lord, good Lord,
it ANT like yo' mercy, it amt like yo'
pity, it amt like yo long-sufferin lovin'
kindness for to take kind o vantage of
SIGH little chilen as desc is when dey's
so many onery grown folks, chuck full
O. cussedness dat wants roastin down
dab. Oh, Lord, spare de little chilen,
don't taa de little chil'en away FIN dey
frens, jes' let EN- off jes dis once, and
take it out'n do ole niggah. Heah | is
Lord, Heah l is De ole niggah's
ready, Lord, de OLE"
The flaming and churning steamer
was right abreast the party, and not
twenty steps away The awful thunder
of mud-valve suddenly burst forth,
drowning the prayer, and as suddenly
Uncle Danl snatched child under each
arm and secured into the woods with
the rest of the pack at his heels, and
then ashamed of himself, he halted in
the deep darkness and shouted, but ratb-
er feebly; "Heah / is Lord, here is. "
There was a moment Of throbbing sus-
pense, and then to the surprise aud the
comfort of the party in was plain that
the august presence had gone by, for its
dreadful noises were receding Uncle
Danl headed a cautious reconnaissance
in the direction of the log. Sure e.
nough, the Lord was just turning q
point short distance up the river, and
while they looked the lights winked ont
and coughing diminished by degrees,
and presently ceased altogether.
':H'wsh Well, dcres some folks say
dey amt no 'iciency in prah. Dis chile
would like 10 know whah we'd q ben
now If it warn't 70 dat prah. Oats it,
dats it. Mark Trdin.