The Irish standard., 1886-10-16

! gro yan-yan q, anu SHOOK Ills s1ues IL
true African fashion.
Excuse me, captain,'' said HenshaN
ssbut these unfortunate creatures seldom
or ever have surname. =
Yes, yes, was aware of that; but
have an object in ascertaining what his
second name is. He must have name
either from his father or his master.
Silence in the court, there! Tell me,
SIR" he continued, s'wllat is that boys
name, sitting there before you?' and he
pointed to the individual in question.
s'Dat boy?-Natty Nelson
"Where was he born?''
"Don't know, massa."
"Where did you first see him?''
IT seed him III the baccy feld-yah,
yah!"
In what state?''
sole Virginny-"
"On whose plantation?'
Whose plantation? Can't tell dat,
massa, no how replied the African.
'sTou must, sir; 1 shall order you the
bastinado this instant ii you refuse y
''Yah, yah, massa; this am free coun-
try. Niger here am as good as white
man."
At this stage Of the proceedings stir
was seen in the crowd at the lower end
Of the room, and presently entered Mr..
Ephraim G. B. Weeks, covered with
jewelry, a gold-beaded cane in his hand
and the silver card case protruding as
usual from his pocket.
! Sambo was 50 intent or evading such
questions as might be likely to cr,mil.-
ate his protege, and so fearful, at the
same time, Of provoking the magistratee
anger, that he neither heard nor SAW
anything of Mr.. Weeks, till that gentle
man attracted his notice by throwing
his fest upon the very platform on
which he was standing.
"Ge}ly, Massa Charles, you dar?" he
exclaimed, as his eye turned on tLe
new conner. '"Massa-I mean Massa
Weeks" be added, endeavoring to cor
rect the bl,1naer
Captain Petersham's quick eye saw
the confusion this unexpected recogni-
tion caused the Yankee; and instantly
! writing q few words rapidly in pencil,
dropped them on The clerks desk, and
again resumed.
&Witness, I again repeat the question
on whose plantation did you first see
this boy?''
ssMe no tell dat, masse,'' replied the
negro, decidedly.
:sThen shall commit you. Clerk,
make out his commital. I'll send you
presently where you can have plenty OF
time to determine whether you'll answer
or not''
"Mr. Petersha,n,'' y observed Hard
wrinkle, leaning over on the bench, and
speaking IN low tones, but still sniff
ciently loud to be heard by his brother
magistrates, lit does not appear to me
that the name Of the proprietor of the
plantation is essential in this case"
"Certainly not, so far as we regard
simply the ownership of the rosary; but
there's q secret of some Importance, J
suspect, in connection with the case,
which I'm anxious to discover
But are you justified, nevertheless,
in committing the witness for Jour own
personal gratifcat1on?"
"Perhaps not; but at present I'm dis
posed to run the risk replied the cap
tain; and turning abruptly from Hard
wrinkle, he handed the committal to a
constable, and ordered him to take the
witness forthwith to the barrack, and
keep him i'll close custody.
The negro, finding himself in the
hands of an officer, looked beseechingly
first at Weeks and then at the boy, but
said nothing.
"You may depend upon it. Sambo, ,;
said the captain, as the poor fellow left
the witness box, s'you shall meyer leave
the lookup till you tell who the owner
of that tobacco field is, or vas, when
you first saw this boy-away with him. y
| "Massa: massa, I'm want to speak one
word to Natty.'
'Not sYllable.''
cone leetle word"
''Not letter of the alphabet
The boy now rose, and in feeble &C.
cents begged permission to accompany
the negro to prison. "He has been my
friend, he said, please your worships,
my best friend ever since I was child,
and would grieve to part with him. y
':It cannot be-" replied the captain,
she must go alone'''
During this conversation Weeks sat
leaning back against partition. with
his feet stretched out before him, point
ing pencil with penknife. ana appar-
emily quite Indifferent to what was pass
ing. He was cautiously deliberating,