The Northern Pacific farmer., 1880-05-27

be negro, when finding he was white
man the leader of the patrol began ask
ing leading questions and insisting on
prompt replies. For some reason Dan
thought best to change his plans.
Dropping his left shoulder and hump
ing up his back, be replied to their
questions in a whining drawling voice,
in imitation of half.wit. !.
"Laid for a niger and captured
foo]!" growled the leader, as Dan began
to ask silly questions and dance
'Whar. do you live?" asked one Of
the Others.
In-ze-moon," drawled Dan,
laughing as loud as he could.
How did you get down here"
"On-a-stripg-h -ha! hal hal" And he
Jumped around and chuckled as if ne
had got off good joke.
"Well, suppose we'd better give him
kick and let him co." remarked the
leader. He's no niger, don't know
enough to be soldier, and we'd better
hurry him along"
II don't know about that" remarked
the third man, who had alone been
silent. II don't know of any fool in
this neighborhood, and we shouldn't let
this chap 90 until we have closer look
at him. Here, you internal idiot, do
you know any one around here?
s'Missus Brown Missus Brown!" re-
piled Dan, using the first name that
came in his way.
'Well, it's only step down thar"
said the man, and if she knows him it's
alright"
So there was Mrs. Brown close at
hand. No one could have been more
surprised than the spy, and he feared
he had gotten himself into bad scrape.
There was no chance for him but to 60
along, and 60 he did, amusing the men
for quarter of mile with strange an
tics and silly talk. Mrs. Brown was q
widow, living in q comfortable, though
smal farm house, and Dan was march
ed straight up to her door. She was
q woman about so years of age, with
kind face and motherly ways.
"W.dder Brown" began the leader
Of the party, as he put his hand on the
spy, eve captured this fool down the
road thar. He acts and talks like a
fool, but we want to be sure he isn't
tricking US. He says he knows you.
If you know him that's all we want.
"Missus Brown know Tommy"
chuckled Dan, as he boldly entered the
house and sat down, and took the fami-
ly cat on his lap
The widows vanity was bit fatter-
ed in the first place that she had been
called upon to identify a stranger, and
in the next place she would lose prestige
if she failed to doso.
"Mebbe I know him-mebbe I do" /"
she replied, as she looked for her spec
tacles. "Somehow or other I allus
know all the fools going, and most of
'em come around here for vltteis. Now,
then, I'll look at him."
She put on her spectacles, took the
candle in hand, and Dan Was scrutinized
for long minute. He looked up into
her face and grinned and chuckled,
though his heart was in his mouth.
''She don't know him." whispered one
of the men.
The widow overheard it, and now she
was on her mettle. Walking slowly
across the room to put down the candle
and her spectacles, she turned and
said:
Yes, he's a fool, and you are bigger
fools for stopping him."
''Then you know him ?" asked the
leader.
"I raythur think so! His name is
Tommy, and he lives somewhere
around Fairfax. He's been here more'n
dozen times"
'Didn't propose matrimony, did he p
asked one of the men.
'No!" she snapped; "but if he had
he'd have stood a better chance than
white men who hide in fence corners to
capture niggers.'
So saying she slammed the door on
them and went away. She sat down
by the table and looked across at Dan,
and presently unused:
"Yes, he's fool, and those men had
no business hauling him around, no
matter whether I knew him or not.
guess he's hungry and tired, and I'll
give him something to eat and send
him to bed."
"Dan t'played the fool" to perfection,
and when he had eaten, the woman had
q real motherly interest in him. She
guided him up stairs, showed him the
bed he was to occupy, and then went
down with the light, saying:
"Fools can see in the dark as we'll as
by daylight, and you might set the
house on FIRE."
The spy was out of the scrape, in one
sense, and yet he was in trouble. He
wanted to reach and pass the confeder-
ate outposts before daybreak. If he
remained in the house he would en-
counter people next day who might
want him more fully identified. But
how was hs to leave2