The Benton weekly record. [volume] (Benton, Mont.) 1880-1885, 1880-04-23
ss sWHHAR's HeAT NassaaEHg ?
Am Incident OF the Rebellion.

e
i In July, 1868, when the army at Wi
chester, Tennesse, one of the foraging pa
: ties had for guide old jim, one of IL
+ blacklist darkeys that ever you did Sc
Jim was SO black he would shine at niel
in the dark, and his eyeballs were MOI
than threc-fourths white, or, as the bo,
used to say, had ''little or no yoke int
them"
The first place Jim led us to was til
house of his former master. Riding up
the door and dismounting, the first SCUM
that was heard was:
We'll, il there amt jim, How colI,
you leave us, jim, when we have alway
treated you SO kindly? Didn'tyou alway
say you loved us dearly?"
These remarks were addressed to Jim bl
ladylike-looking woman, and for a mo.
ment or two he stood twirIing his hat and
not knowing what to say; then he burted
out:
Yes, missns, always luh you, and /
Tub you now a heap: but really. missus, |
find hub myself best after ALL
The good lady could not help smiling,
and went into the house. Then Jim con-
Quoted us over the place where he had for
so many years been Il slave. with AS much
pride as if lie was the real owner.
Jim showed his peculiar nature more
perhaps in the following incident than in
any other: During the advance towards
Bridgeport Il heavy artillery duel was
fought, and Jim got scared and hid away.
lie was not seen for whole dav, and when
night came on, the Colonel, whose cook he
was, began to inquire ''wllere the ninper
was, and why they did not have something
to eat - The Sumpter mules were BROUGHT /
up, the old ham unpacked, ard a soldier
set to cooking, when, just as we had given
Up all hope of ever seeing Jim again, he
vas observed slipping quietly into camp,
lis large eyes rolling wildly.
''Come here, you black scountirel,> - cried
he Colonel, "and tell us where YOU have
,een."
Jim came up smiling, and, holding out
lis hand, said:
"Dat you, Col'nel: Alive, too, and we'll
Bless de Lorlt And dar is de Captin A.
ookin' right at me and ;t-seemin' hull.
ord! Lord! Colonel wasn't it drefful
ay? and you is all alive shuah, and no
listake. Neber expected to see you in dis
.orld any more: no didn't
"Why, Jim, said the Colonel. .!vou :
rere demoralized; it wasn't SO bad as Won
link."
"Don't swear Colonel, dear. may have, /
: you observed, got darn-dalr. It's
ad word, and can't jist make it out, but !
never afore was SO near my blessed Lord !
nd Master us hev been dis day"
"How is that2' we all inquired.
''What did ever do to dem rebels dat
~ should aim at me so?" said jim, say
yely. +
"Aim at you:'' said the Colonel. ssWhv, :
IN, that is absurd. They aimed at the
ldicrs, not you.R
'I4ook here, Colonel, don't fool. Fore
od, dey aim at me, an purity near hit me.
heard that shot a-comin' through de air 2
+ sayin' as plain as am sayin' it now, Ii
Vhar's dat niger? Whar's dat niger? h
har is Den he see me, an come right h
+ me, a-yellin', L see him see him 2 n
nd when run away he busted, and de
tie debbils went skrunidgin' all around II
sht after me. | hid under de log, and I Ii
arn dem huntin' OBJ me, but de good
'rd preserved me, and dey didn't find "
c.' a
Jim was in dead earnest, and really be-
we'd the rebels had singled him out for a
rget, and every shell thrown from their n
tteries was aimed directly at himself
II