Litchfield enquirer., 1875-06-17

M8 meat was give law, ana no nre mos or kie time to cook it. Many would mix pone and put it down to de fire to bake, and den be kept 50 hard to work dat when dey came back, deyid find de pone all burned up; have, many time. Oar was hard times down dar. Often when night come, after I'd had muffin to eat all day, I'd be too tired. spite of de hunger in my stoin- ach, to go up to de house and get piece from de mist's table.
 Bob Barrett was de man dat threatened to lick me. I'd got on pretty we'll all along, and never had thrashing since Igrew up; and I was a powerful hand to work. so I kept along, and he got no chance to lick me; but he was hard on me, pilin' mp my stent little more ebery day, cause he knowed couldn't bar the shame of de stlck, and dat I'd work de nails off my fingers fust. Dem days IS gone, but my flesh was wore away like an old hoe den. and pears like I ache in all my bones when | member of lem. When Bob Barret had been on de plantation about SIX months, I had a bad turn of cholera mo-bel I should ha' died ob 1t, ef 1t hadn't been for Luce, madam's maid. laid down under de trees near de house.
 most ready to gib in, but Luce seen me, and she mixed powerful dose ob cam phire and hot water, and worked and worked till she got it down me. In day or two l was back in de field ag'in, but
 peared like my bones was timber, and couldn't do my stent nohow. Mass Bob Barrett he came up to me in de cotton field as mad as fire. ''Now you Joe," he says. sdont you show me none of yer shamming sick tricks; you pick up your stent to-day or you git licking tonight, as sure's my names Bob Barrett" Den he rode of.
 We'll, I tried hard for an hour, but I couldn't pick my stent nohow So den I made up my mind to put for the swamp, ap nebber pick no more. knowed he'd fog me, and I couldn't stan it; I'd neb- Der tuck licking, and 'peared like it would break my heart. So give out I was mighty sick in my insldes, and den I crep under de fence, an laid dar, like was mos dead. Arter a while, when I seed dey wasn't 'memberin' of me, crep' away little by little till got out ob sight, and den put fur de swamp. Twas allers a amighty good hand to run, and swim too, and fore dey stopped work, or suspicion. ed ob me, l was fur enuff away. I knew de swamp we'll, an jus how to 'scape from de hounds; heern lem arter me, soon ar ter sundown, but my trail was lost in de water, and dey couldn't kitch me. I stood it pretty we'll dat night, and de nex' day, till 1t seemed like I'd go mad with hunger
 De second night went up de swamp two miles or more beyond our plantation, and den hid in de woods; couldn't find muffin to eat dar, so clum up tree to take look 'roun' de country, an sure huff seen some of Mass Blackmore's s plantation hands (de plantation longside of ours was Mass Blackmore's) maxim a fire, and wofkin' 'roun'. By'mby dey fix ed some pone and some meat, an put 'em down fore de fire ter cook. You bet was down dat ar tree quickern Gghtnin-, as soon as dey went back to work I grab bed all dere victuals an back to de swamp again. Tell you, dat supper tasted fust- rate, and had enuff ter last me two or free days. De dogs was out arter me ag'in dat night, and had ter take to de water Esm nights was mighty hard. had ter keep out in de ribber on an ole tree-trunk, and de alligators wasn't nice company. I made kind of a harpoosh of long stick, and stuck a knife into de end of 1t, to keep lem off wid. It was mighty smart hand at hittin' alligators. When de day light came l got along better. Elf could git stones, I used ter hit 'em with a stone right in de snout; dat's de best way ter kill lem. But Lord dey was too thick 'roun' dar fur me. A fellows arms nd git wore out in a few hours, a-keepin' on 'em off. Day-times lay down under de young undergrowths, poplars and willows and slch. De tussock was soft enuff; easy runnin' on it fur me, cause I was bar footed; 1t was chock full of snakes, but 1 never minded of 'em. Twas more 'fraid ob a white mans face dan all de reptileses in de swamp. As soon as I'd eat mp all stole, begun ter cOntrive and watch how could creep out Ob de swamp to steal suffin. was most starved fore I got an- udder chance. I had little tobacker in my pocket, and I chawed dat, and when dat give out I found an ole dried-u grape vine, and l lived on dried punches of grapes fur two days.
 All dis time dey was a-huntin' of me. I'd hear de dogs bayin' ebery night, and worked my way furder and furder up de swamp. Two nights arter fust found de grapevine, dey was nearer to me dan dey eber was before, and I tuck to de water, and swum a long stretch. I was mos wore'out when l lighted on ole boat what was left, and clum inter dat. and stayed a while. I'll nebber forgit de way de muskeet's fit me dat night. It was worse n de alligators, and fore daybreak I swum ag'in long stretch till I come to a little island in the ribber. It had kind of a sandy beach. and Hvered myself all up with sand ter my neck. gor a resi- good sleep den, nobody ter 'sturb me. and good perfection from de muskeet's. It was mos sundown fore I woke up, ravin' hungry. 60 Lord!" says, out loud. "Where will get suffin ter eat dis day. D l jus lifted up my eyes den. and I see right hangin' down ober me some syca- more buds. I was under sycamore-tree dat was chock full of buds. Dey was sweet and good too, and I lived on water and dem buds till stripped dat ar tree bar 8 de palm of my hand Den I tuck ter hanging roun' on de edge ob de plan tatiOns agin, ter see eff could find sufin to eat, and had mighty good luck; dar was fine sheep, one of ole mist's sheep, strayed away from de plantation. Iknow- ed de look ob him, and felt like could sing fur joy when knocked him on de head. got back to de swamp ag'in with him mighty quick, and didn't wait fur fire. de fust meal made off dat ar sheep. l jus fin' myself full as could stick, and den laid down longside of my sheep. De mex day set to work to skin him reg Tar. and was workin' away when I heerd kind of soft step. and twigs cracklin'. Lordi dar was painter a-lookin' at me, all ready fur ter spring on me. My ha'r rig on my head, and my feelin's change, but l frew down de sheep and tuck step away. and he didn't come arte5 me, and I felt some lief. Den I tuck anudder step away and felt Iefer By dat time de painter had hold ob de sheep, and made tracks fur de woods. knowed he would not put arter me tlll he'd eat up my sheen. and den I run my bestest. I tell you 1 was glad of good bellyful dat time. I couldn't have stood the rovin' and hidin' dat week eff I'd begun on an empty belly. l got away from de painter easy enuff de just day, but he was nosin' arter me fur free days and nights, and I eneasy and runnin and hidin' as hard as I could. De end ob it was I had a good nine.mile stretch away from him. l run and run tln by'mby 1 come all of sudden plump on hut Tn de swamp, whar some colored D0ODln lived ' knoUod dav 1vac I;x-;,,, ;,>