St. Landry democrat., 1881-10-08
TRANNY.

tyranny.
Five o'clock in the morning in a
North Carolina barren! The east
streaked with crimson; hooking birds
making the wood alive with their ca
PRECIOUS music, and dew heavy on the
underground among the pines. Acct
dent has kept us here since midnight
and seems likely to keep US longer, and,
now that daylight has come. to exam
inc the ground is the only resource for
such hours as must still be spent in wait
ing The solitary station. intended not
SO much for passengers as for stray
bales of cotton or tobacco, holds no
suggestion of interest. A negro cabin
or so; a low-roofed house in the dis
lance, and other cabins from which, as
doors open, emerge the looming figures
OF one or two poor whites. Pigs, lean
and lank as their owners, range the
wood or smell about the track for pos
sible bits of food from the caboose, and
over the platform marches a long file
of dignitied geese, discussing in sub
dued tones the reasons of things in gen.
eral. To follow them promises more
excitement than any longer observa-
ton of the dreariness all about, and
pass down through the sliding sand of
the roadway and up the narrow path to
the low-roofed house, from which, as l
near it, comes the sound of rafting
plates and the smell of coffee and friz-
zling bacon. 1t is a true Southern
house; the chimneys built outside, at
either end, and all rather thrown than
put together. An astonishingly red
faced man. in shirt and trousers, comes
to the door with bell in his hand and
books blankly at me before he rings.
Three or four dogs run out barking, and
some COWS turn slowly to inquire if it
may be on their account. The bell
rings languidly. as if the red-faced man
were not quite awake, or, if awake,
had no interest in ringing--or anything
else-and as he stands blinking toward
the station the bell is suddenly taken.
and woman, lost to- sight in her deep
slat sun bonnet, rings with an energy
that, considering the horrible want OF
it in everything else. is as welcome as
a north wind would be in this sultry and
shut-in spot
'sYou Slenus! you 90 in yonder,'
she interjects between the rings; Il
reckon I'll get 'em yere if ringin' IL
fetch EN-"
Silenus, evidently well named, dis
appears. The conductor is seen COM
ing toward breakfast with speed
which might almost be called hurry,
and the passengers leave the car; the
sickly-looking woman dragging along,
hair loose, gown awry, and a sense of
being held together by one pin which
is just upon the verge of falling out.
There is a long, low room, lighted only
by three open doors; large, round,
oil-cloth- covered table, and, elevated
a few inches above it, smaller circle,
also oil-clothed, on which various
dishes stand. The conductor gives a
twirl as he sits down. Our breakfast. is
to be on the teetotum principle, and to
spin the thing round and round seems
to be more desirable by far than to in.
vestigate the dishes it holds.
''Pears like if you wasn't well set
this mawnin'. Can't you eat nothin' ?
Have some cake? I reckon there's a
snack, onless Silenus hez been after it.
You Silenus! Fetch along some caker
AOu FO DOcA dUOubs ICChOu3 u "
eled heap all over, maybe? You
haven't never been to any O the Sand
witch Islands, may-bep Any one Of
'em, or one like 'em?''
.'No. never. Why do you wish to
knowp'
cit might be comfort if you he'd,
that's all,'' Silenus answered, backing
out; while the woman, who had looked
at me with the same eagerness, sighed
and half turned away.
.Folks 60 everywhar now" she said;
..everywhar. I hoped--anyway you
won't mind lookin' at tyranny. 'Twon't
hurt you. An if it should, couldn' t
YOU stand one SEEM an SEEM it day
an night? Day an night! Oh. the
long nights yere; yere in the woods, an
not sight nor sound till they built the
road. The roads asheap o. company.
Come. You look willin', an I must
tell it out. It's only over yonder a
step. Come
.'Yes. come an please her, honey"
said the colored woman, coaxingly.
And Silenus. who had again looked in.
added: ..Yes, come an please her.
Thar's folks all round, an you've nc
call to be skeered. don't want ye1
half dollar. Anybody's welcome .te
more'n one breakfast that'n please Lo
reny."