Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-04-14
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of the hill, and they had missed sundry
sticks from the end Of the pile usxt the
street, and suspecting Pete. they kept an
eye out every night, and en- this evening
about eight o'clock as the streets grew
quiet they got glimpse of Pete and his
sled going up the hill, as soon as they
thought him well up they run line across
the street, BEDFORD, passing one end
through ring on the platform where
horses were hitched in the day. and car
rying it back they wound both ends around
q post, standing ready TO slack at once II
a sleigh came. but not team appeared
until Pete came gliding noislessly and
swiftly down on the opposite side, one
knee on top of his i'll gotten gains. the
other dragging behind as ruGder the rope
took his hands first, then his body, and he
performed as many somersaults as an ex-
perienced circus rider, striking fiat on his
back. and crying out in wild alright 'de
dcbbils wha dat" oh goramIty-oh marcy
and with such groans and prayers as
can be extorted only from thoroughly
sffrighted negro he alarmed the inmates
OF the stores, who ran to their doors, and
to the street, where poor bewildered Pete
lay, crying and praying, ''oh my heabenly
fader, If you'll only let up on poor mig
ger dis time, nsber tief noting NOR, no
neber; clar to goodness Use a changed
man from dis time henseforard and cher
NOR"
Kind helping hands assisted Pete into
one of the stores, but he groand terribly
Ibis back broke, broke clar through,
he's neber be able to do no NOR work. :"
"Wsll but Peter what knocked you DOWN.
"Oh. donno, clare to goodness cauno
tell"
Some one gave Pete glass of 80 be
JOYFUL for this was in rum times, when
three cent nippers were for sale in all
grocery stores-and this eased Pete's pain
very much-and enabled him to reply to
numerous questions of the sympathizers-
where were you going Pete? What
knocked you down? tell us how you got
hurt?
Il clare dunno"
"Why Pete, you was drunk"
..Oh. Massa, l kno | neber drink moth
ing"
Just then boy came in and said Pete's
sled was out there with some wood on it.
No. oh no, Pete said, dat not his sled, his
sled home" Why yes it is your sled. said
several, who had found out the secret, and
you have been stealing wood. Oh, says
Pete, Use berry sick | mus go home"
"Well, but hold on Pete, you stole that
wood, and you must confess it, OF the dew
il will make you turn another somersa!t."
Down went Pete on his knees and con-
fessed, and prayed so fully, that they told
him to GO; and out he went to the side
walk, and there was the sled with the
wood terribly shaded up, but they tied it
on for hin-for he had four stakes to
his sled-then they harnessed him in
horse style and told him 10 lean and
be attempted to go, but some mis-
chievous one had passed the chain hal
ter which was fastened TO the post around
the hind bar of Pete's sled. and he could
not move it ahead bit, but the sled went
up from the ground a foot or so as the
strain came on both ends at once. Pete's
eyes were over large and wonderously
lustrous as he looked back, saying claws
gorimity what's de matter now?"
On nothing said they. 60 along Pete,
and with a desperate effort and leaning
well forward he started with a tremend-
GUS spring but the halter having been
loosed he pitched headlong into the snow
amid the laugh and shouts of the crowd
around, and the poor darkie felt that the
way of transgressors was hard. ''Oh
Lordy do not affiict de poor afflicted mig
ger any NOR" please Massa, do Massa !
lem me go,"and he was suffered to 60,
cured of wood stealing.