Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1884-02-07
A MASQUERADE.

always amiable; but when we said to
him, won't you Join us and take a
characterg he frowned down on us
from his six feet of height, and said,
without any attempt at ciEility what
ever:
mo, l won't. I'll have nothing to
do with masquerade, and marched
away. In few moments. however, he
repented him, aud marched back.
I'll tell you why" he aaid, ''if you
care to listen. | was born in Georgia,
you know, and there [ lived while | was
young. We were very sociabe set of
people, and enjoyed ourselves in every
way. One winter we took to having
masqueradcs, and made great success
in my characters. Other people were
found out, but never |. / had fresh
disguise and good one every time. /
took pains about it. and altered my voice
and my walk, as an actor should, to
suit the role. In no case had any one
found out who was until I unmasked
And now the last masquerade of The
season was to be given by Mr.. and Mrs.
Peyton-under their auspices, rather,
for it was really Miss Sally Peyton's
party.
II was anxious, of course, not to lose
my reputation as an actor, and rack
ed my brains to think of new char
acter. At last determined to go as a
negro, and having seen a comical rascal
on the road, / made myself up as much
like him as possible, in q green baize
jacket and white apron. with big
standing collar of striped pink and white
and a woolly wig of immense proper
tons. Instead of wearing a mask.
backed my face with preparation which
was an excellent imitation of the gen
uine black skin, and wore comical
mustache and side whiskers, which |
gummed on. Ny sisters were going to
the party, but | would not ride with
them, for | believed that secret was
never safe after it was divided, and |
dressed after the others had gone, and
rode over to the Peyton's on horse
back.
at was long way and the night was
cold, and though l had my cloak about
me, | certainly would have been more
comfortable in the close carriage. The
houses that | passed stood back from
the road Though it was winter, the
pines were still green, but the other
trees were bare. The ground was FROST
ty, and echoed under my horse's tread,
and as | approached the tavern the
lights looked bright and cheerful.
Il think | should have stopped to
warm my toes at the fire and my inner
man with something of which you ladies
doubtless disapproves. but that my
| disguise forbade it, and after staring in
at the door moment | rode on, not
without sigh. As | did so | saw a
man who stood at the door make signal
to another who made haste to join him.
Perhaps they recognized my horse, and
it provoked me to think that | might be
betrayed. | put spurs to my horse. and
whet | heard the sound of hoofs behind
me | rode faster. 1t was at point
where three roads met at bridge over
a rapid stream that my pursuers gained
| upon, and two armed men arrested my
| progress.
'''Halt, or we fire. cried rough
voice at my ear, and my bride was seiz-
ed, as supposed, by highwaymen.
Generally / carried pistol with me;
but in excitement of making up for my
character l had left it behind me. !
was unarmed; but, after all, reflected
if | could pass for negro might ride
on at will, my handsome cloak perhaps
the only forfeit. threw It off, and in
my best imitation of the negro style ex-
claimed
"'What massa want of poor ole brack
Ben? Ole niggar goin' on an GRAND.
Ole niger got no money, got no watch,
got no muffin. Ole Ben ant done muffin
wrong, sartin sure, massa-'
"'Hold your tongue you rascaln cried
one of the men This is our man, eh,
Smith? Answers to the description,
cloths and all You're Mr.. Whitney S
Jim. You robbed him of fifty dollars
yesterday and ran away. l knew you
at sight, You black thief you. But whose
horse you've got passes me. Ride back
between us, OF it will be the worse fol
you.
Gentlemen, | replied, in my most
civil manner, You have made a very
excuseable mistake, but l can explain
who | am. | am not negro; | am nc
more black than you are
.'At this the men burst into a roar OF
laughter, babe me hold my tongue, and
ride on. | saw that they were both
intoxicated and though | hope | am nc
coward, had no wish to die--shot fol
a theivish runaway negro on the high
road.
1T will be mere joke when the truth
comes out, said to myself, and rode
on in silence to the gate of the Smith :
place.
. Mr.. Smith imp cried one of my
conductors over the fence. We've got
Jim
IAN old negro tumbled out of Il {
kitchen door, rubbing his eyes and star.
ing
- Hi, got Jimr he said. Dat are q
berry bad darkie. Use shamed OBJ dat
nigga. Done got rob Marse Bill an
den run away. Use got no use fol
niggas ob dat kind. Dat ar amt dc
kind OBJ boy to b long to spectacle folks
All! dear me! what am de worl comm
to?'
:" Sam, you go long, send one OBJ dc
men. Hold your tongue, and call Mr.
Smith. q
= Can't do it, replied Sam-'can't
do it nohow. All de white folks is gone
to a masyrain ball over to de Peytons
Use settin. up for EN-
The men swore furiously, and in
| quired what was to done with me; and
felt that this was a quandary indeed
for had calculated on enjoying The
joke with Smith; but Sam was intellj
gent.
"'Come here, boy, / said want you
to look at me-
Il amt got no use for nobady like
you. Use seen nulf o you, | has, re.
piled Sam.
"But yor must come here, | said.
I'm not Jim. Look at me- Do speak
like Jim?'
DE lodges OBJ deceivne' niggas is
wonderful. Dey cali but on any kind
ob ways said Sam. But knows dat
jacket, Jim, chen in de dark, an
knows dem whiskers Use got de office
key, marse; lock him up dar; dere's bars
to dc winders; he can't get out nohow
dat's sho'
= All right. replied the most sober
( of my captors. Open the door. Now