The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1878-12-31
ONLY YAK0B.

the nnnncler, anu Cnurley-nuu us
covered Yakob."
1t needs very little wit to give u say
ing long life in lonely farmhouse, and
Yakob was as remarkable n novelty
among us as u poem or q good deal of
money would have been.
He was very short, very stumpy,
very white-headed Dutch boy of seven
teen, whom Charley had found on the
Battery one winters day. Charley went
to New York every winter to buy gro
oeries, for the plantation, and clothes
for the slaves, and he had found Yakob
on his last visit, in 1859, just before the
war began.
Yakob had landed from an Antwerp
schooner, and had fallen among thieves,
who had left him in rags and penniless,
when Charley came, like the good Sa-
maritan, to his rescue.
But what can you do with him Y''
my father demanded, when the queer
looking creature stood before him, his
big eyes staring straight at him.
ooh, there will be some place open
for him on the plantation, sir," said
Charley. Hell be of use somewhere"
You could make more use of sea
horse" said Sue, pertly; and my mo-
ther nodded. Mother said she had an
instructive dislike to Yakob. But what
ever Charley did was right in our mo-
theirs eyes; and besides, she would have
been gentle and polite to Yakob even if
he had been sea horse.
So Charley, taking me 10y the hand,
led Yakob to the tobacco-house, and set
him to work there. He stared dismay-
ed for minute or two at the black faces
(fOr he had never seen but two negroes,
and had never been brought in contact
with Il black man), and then went to
work intelligently enough and never
raised his eyes again to them.
Charley and l went back to the house.
was boy of nine then, and the tor
ment and pet of my big brothers, We
found father on the piazza reading the
Richmond Examiner.
g have brought you first-rate ma
chine, sir" Charley said, 6 as steady, as
sure, and dumb, as if he was made of
wood and steel"
" It's your property" said father, with
shrug. Now nobody but Charley un-
derstood German, and Yakob could not
speak word of English. 1t followed,
therefore, that Charley had to take care
of his property" He gave him a
little wooden shanty, which had been
tool-house on the edge of the woods, in
which to sleep.
The German whitewashed and re-
paired his dwelling, and in the Spring
planted vines and flowers about it, In
stead Of being longer on eyesore, it be-
came the most picturesque spot in the
plantation. But the creature himself"
Sue declared, was an animal" Such
mountains of pork and rivers of beans
disappeared down his throat.
He showed no signs of interest in any
living thing except Charley, whom he
followed about like dog whenever he
could, never speaking, however, unless
forced to do so.
The war came, of which l wish to
say little. Our family, like many others
on the border, was divided. Joe went
into one army, and Charley into the
other. My father held to the old flag.
My mother and Sue presented banners
and arms to Southern companies.
The negroes caught the excitement,
some of the house servants followed
their young masters. Yakob alone was
unmoved as stone. Either Joe or
Charley would have been glad to take
him as recruit into their companies.
Never never! ~ he grunted. "No
fghtl"
(" But don't you want to uphold the
Republic 7" said one.
Don't you care nothing for liberty ?"
asked another.
=" care for mein kopf," clapping his
hands on his head. g keeps mein kopf
on mein shoulders
Beast ~ muttered Joe.
Even Charley looked disgusted, which
Yakob quickly perceived.
. come to this country for peace"
he said, rapidly, in German, "and the
men take each other by the throat. L
know nothing of your North-your
South.n
" You know nothing but Yako6 !"
with laugh.
The light eyes flashed little.
Yaw, and Yakob's work. he said