Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1882-06-02
Ann" she shouted, "como 'ero to

dy Ann," she shouted, "como ere to
mep'
a moment later sauoy, trlm.l looking
girl appeared In the doorway In answer
to the perenptory summons.
"Salindy Ann" said Nanny Isabel,
with grim emphasis, pointing with her
stick Mt the trembling Isham, who had
retreated few steps, in case o hasty
flight should seem advisable, "did yer
tell dat dar Is'am Coombs you wanted
ter marry him9'
Isham looked imploringly nt Salindy
Ann, who had said that very thing.
Salindy Ann glanced at him, and then
at the outstretched stick, with which she
had an intimate and painful aoquaint-
ance, and her heart failed her.
"No, Nanny" she said, falteringly,
collar TO goodness l neber did"
You hear dat, nigger, don .youp'
inquired Mamma Isabel, triumphantly,
of tho detected Isham. "You clar
yourself off'n desc ere premusses, an
dom you leave no tracks ahin' you, an
ef you eber sets yo' foot inside o. my
palms agin, you'll 'pent de day, or de
night elder. An you kin tell all de mig
gers what wants ter marry Salindy Ann
ul COlllt Un llD WIN ult, utI We thlo
snakes an toads an lizards an pole
cats an buzzards, an de debil comes
ter supper wild us ebery Sat day night.
Now clar out"
He clared.
But Isham was much in love with
Salindy Ann, and even forgave her base
dcsertion of him in time Of need. He
was horribly afraid she might think him
| Enn 1lx-l IS NN,,N
ton to some other suitor, and he racked
his brain for method of imparting to
her his faithfulness. Not for worlds
even with Salindy Ann thrown in
would he have crossed EDEN palm $"
in defiance of Nanny Isabers prohbi-
tion, but surely the road was free to all.
1sham was n good banjo.player, and a
leader in the church choir, so he con-
cluded that he would screnade his lady
love. But unluckily for him he an
nounced his intention to several of his
confreres, boasting in an unguarded
moment that he "warn't 'fraid of
Nanny Izzable, don keer Of she is
witch oman" One of Nanny Isabers
cronies repeated this to her, and with
malicious chuclle she resolved to be
ready for him.
One moonlight night, about twelve
o clock, our hero wended his way to the
cherished yet dreaded spot, and there,
Just outside of the "palin' s." he poured
forth his soul in melody. He warbled
of Dinah:
"Hcr eyes 80 bright, dcy shines at night
When de moon am gone away;'
of Cindy, whose
meek S so long an stringy,
feared she'll neber de;"
of Nellie, who
"was a Indy,
My dark Virginia Dride;"
of Susannah the forsaken. and Lucy the
betrayed, feeling more and more coura-
geous rs the end of each song found
! him still unmolested. AT last '.snapr'
went string, and he looked round for
convenient place to sit down and
mend it. Close to the fence was sec
ton of big pine log, and upon that he
ensconced himself He tinkered the
string, he tuned little, and sang
great deal more, enjoying himself ia
mously, and feeling uncommonly
brave. At last the moon disappeared
under cloud the night grew chilly,
and Isham concluded to leave, with the
pleasing consciousness that Salindy Ann
must have appreciated his devotion.
He prepared to arise, but his hair
was the only portion of him that rose.
He could not move from his seat. He
wriggled and twisted, he pulled and
tugged, his eyes nearly popping out of
his head, and his teeth chattering with
fear; iron chains could not have bound
him faster
Lord have marcy 'pon mer' he
calculated presently, dropping his BAN
jo and clasping his hands. DE ole
oman done trick me sho huff dis time
o Lordy! o Lordyn' He dared not call
out, for fear of worse consequences; he
could not get up; he had not a spark of
courage to be Kept up by whistling or
singing. The clouds grew thicker, the
night darker, the wind colder. Every
now and then the captive made an
abortive attempt to escape, or muttered
a prayer for deliverance, but he mainly
preserved the quiet of abject despair.
AT last, accidentally turning his head
toward the cabin, he thought he saw
through the palings something white
approaching him. Yes, there it was,
and now he heard a stealthy step. Near
er and nearer it came. its outlines vague,
its proportions gigantic. 1t reached tho
fence beneath which Isham was COVER
ing, huge white something stretched
over the fence Immediately above his
head, and dull, horrible groan saluted
his ears.
There was shrek, wild struggle. q
rending of garments, and sound of fly
ing feet and the place that had known
lsham knew him no more.
Early next morning Nanny Isabel
might have been seen just outside her
garden fence picking up a banjo, and
disengaging from pine log the gar
ment which had clothed the neither
limbs of Isham Coombs. She seemed to
enjoy the performance immensely, for
she chuckled as she said to herself at
, intervals:
"Didn't know / was a-settin' at de
windy watchin' on him, an a-hearin'
all dat miowin'. Eff he hadn't sot
,, down, I'd "a had him some odder way.
Alwus knowed | cud make good glue.
!, An den dat OF white oow--he! he! he!'
and the old woman almost bent double
with delight.
"Salindy Ann" she said, re-entering
the cabin with her trophies, "you see
I desc yer thingsP Well, dey's all yo,
eber will see o dat fool Is am Coombs. "
4, Salindy Ann didn't believe her; but
! it was true. Isham Coombs left the
country; but before he went he gave
such narrowing account of his night s
+. adventure that Salindy Ann never had
another offer till her grandmother s
death, which, luckily for her prospects.
; took place not very long afterward.-
Hdrper'S Bdzdr.