The Red Cloud chief., 1881-11-17
TRANNY.


Five O'Clock in the morning in a
North Carolina barren! The east
streaked with crimson; mockiug-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 20 kecpus longer, and,
now That daylight has come. To exam
inc The ground is the only esource 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; n low-roofed house in the dis
lance, and other cabins from which, as
doors open, emerge the looming figures
OF u pr two poor whites. Pigs, lean
and lank as their owners, range the
wood or smell about the track for pos
siblc bits of food from the caboose. and
over the platform marches a long file
of digniiied geese, discussing in sub
ducd tones the reasons of things in gen.
eral. To follow them promises more
excitement than any longer observa-
lion of the drcariness all about, and |
pass down through the sliding sand of
the roadway and up the narrow path to
the low-roofed house, from which, rs |
near il, comes the sound of rafting
plates and the smell of coffee and friz-
Zling bacon. IL is a true Southern
house; the chimncys built outside. at
either end, and all rather thrown than
put together. An astonishingly red
faced man, i'm shirt and trousers,
10 the door with a bell i'm his hand and
looks blankly at me before he rings.
Three or four dogs run out barking, AMI
some cows turn slowly to inquire if il
may be ON their %ccount. The bell
rings languidly, as if the red-faced man
were not quite awake, or, If awake,
had no interest i'm ringing-or anything
else-and rs he stands blinking toward
che station the bell is suddenly taken.
and n woman, lost TO sight in her deep
slat sun bonnet, rings with an energy
that. considering the horrible want of
il I'm everything else. is as welcome as
a north wind would be in this sultry and
shut-in spot.
You Silenus! YOU 90 in yonder,"
she interiects between the rings; 81
reckon Ill get 'em yere if ringin' II
fetch en-"
Silcnus, evidently well named, dis
appears. The conductor is seen COM
ing toward breakfast with a speed
which might almost be called hurry,
and the passengers leave the car; the
sickly-looking woman dragging along.
hair loose, gown awrv, 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; a large, round,
oil-cloth covered table, and, elevated
a few inches above il. n 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 tectotum 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'P
Have some cake? l reckon there's a
snack, onless Silenus hez been after it.
You Silcnus! Fetch along some caker'
You've been about, L reckon; tray
eled a heap all over. may-beP You
haven't never been to any o. the Sand
" tNaslbtlNs tsl ANY elC vi
'em, or one like emp"
mo. never. Why do you wish to
know?"
1T might be a 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. 1 hoped-anyway you
won mind lookin' at tyranny. 'Twon't
hurt you- An if it should, couldn't
you stand one SEEM an | secin' it day
an night? Day an night! Oh. the
long nights yere; yere in the woods, an
not a sight nor sound till they bull. the
road. The roads a heap o. company.
Come. You look willin', an l must
tell it out. It's only owe yonder q
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 no
call to be skeered. 1 don't want yer
half dollar. Anybody's welcome to
more'n one breakfast that'l please Lo-
reny."
The Ancient Mariner himself had not
more compelling power than 10
reny." With only a backward glance
toward the station and a look at the
serious and unsmiling Midnight 1 fol-
lowed silently across a narrow yard to-
ward small building which might be
barn. or servants quarters, or any one
of the numerous outbuildings of a
Southern plantation. Two or three
hounds lay neal and looked up suspi-
%ciously. Once more the woman turned,
and this time her voice faltered, as she
said again:
You're sure you amt skeered?"
and, without waiting for answer, pushed
Open the door and drew me after her.
To have followed Alice in her pass
age through and Behind the Looking
Glass" could not have given stronger
sense of unreality than those few steps
from sunshine into the shadowy room.
opening into one from which seemed to
come the heavy, tropical scents one
who has once known them can never
forget; a mingling of spices and sandal
wood and the rich sweetness of musk
blossoms, whose aroma seemed to take
life all their own. A step farther. and
the mystery. though evident now, held
only a deeper bewilderment. What
was this strange spot-the South Sea
Islands in the heart of North Cardinal?
For grass-mats covered the walls and
waved in curtains before I
the light wind through the half-opened
window. Spears and Arrows and gay
ouivers hung on the wall. Polished I