Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1888-12-27

HssAJnsg' WI .sSs6yl III most southern gem
IkNys, & IxAlSSJ tlemen. my father
NJ &91szA< owned slaves and,
NhlGS. aKWZ1 unlike most South
4x VI ern ladies, my
ESs, N. akS$Vl mother greatly
@<SNssllAS &SllS dreaded the con-
">.asa]sES#SESNkA Eliminating in
to '.-Tas fuence Of negro as
IS sociates for her
children. To guard against this, plank
wall, about ten feet high, was erected
between the great house and the
negro cabins, and it was az much as
my life was worth to be caught on the
wrong side Of IT.
But from the days Of our grand
mother Eve downward, prohibition has
had but one effect on depraved human
nature, l. e., to MAKE US long more
ardently for the thing prohibited. A
nocturnal visit to Uncle Isaac's or
Aunt Casters cabin had always been
delightful. but it became irresistibly
enticing after the erection Of that
fence. Many night, when | was sup
posed to be sleeping the sleep Of in
nocence, | had scaled the barrier and
was snugly ensconced in q huge chim-
ncy corner, Illustrating on hot ash
cake and roasted 'possum, and listen
ing with all the ears had to negro
songs and stories.
One night | made mp my mind to
accompany Uncle Ike on q postum
hunt We both knew such an cxpedi-
tion would be considered an overt act
OF high treason against the reigning
powers, and entail direful consequences
if detected. Nevertheless, | was bent
on going, and Ike was equally eager to
take me.
Ten o'clock OF an autumn night
found us trudging towards Cocodri
swamp, accompanied by mongrel
Cur which Ike pronounced de pow
fules' 'possum dawg en- all desc dig
gins. .
AT first, our way lay through the
pine woods, and the moon lighted our
path and silvered with melancholy
luster the smooth brown trunks and
huge swaying tops OF the pine trees.
But as we approached Cocodri, the
thicker growth intercepted her rays
and made twilight through which we
had some difficulty to avoid stumbling
over the cypress knees and breaking
our own.
We had gone mile in tho swamp
when our attention was drawn 10 the
strange behavior of Ike's dog. Instead
Of questing round in search Of game
he skunk close 10 his masters legs,
his tail between his own, and shiyered
all over.
Fo' Gawd, Marse Harry yer done
see dat dawg? 'lieye, 70 my mars
ter, dat dawg done see sumpun We dem
CANT see. Now try him. ILL., Cesar,
hi, boy, 'possum up er gum tree; sick
him, boy, sick hlm!'
But Cesar declined to s'sick him, z
or to do any thing but SLOUGH close to
Ike's heels, his hair bristling and
showing his teeth with faint snarl.
What makes him do that way,
Uncle Ike? never saw him behave
so before"
done tole yer, young marse, dat
dawg got mighty keen nose. lie kin
smell 'possum whar yer neber think
ha'r NV 'possum tail was. nj he smell
sumpun now. Sho's yer born. honey,
dar sumpun ain sniptious roun ere,
Oars hants som'ers.
= Hants! stuff more likely he
smells alligators. Cocodri Lake swarms
with EN-. and he's mortally scared Of
them ever since one snapped of a
piece Of his tail in the bayou.
Yah! yah! 50 he am, young marse,
but tain no allumgaiter. We dem
ent nigh 'nough der lake fur dem.
Cesar he snuff up her spool1. chile,
shos yer born. Wen he stick. he
But CESAR DECLINED 10 "sIcK HIM.
dumpy tail en- dat or way, dar's hants
roun' sho'. Oar! wat l done t0le yerP'
looked where Isaac pointed and
saw light twinkling family through
the trees
well, / see light What about ~
Hunters camping out, suppose.
Nov, Marse Harry, don yer know
hunters ain gwine camp en- Cocodri
swamp dis time er year? Dey emit ssr
mighty anxious fur ter cotch swamp
fever. Lawd, honey, dat no camp
fire! Dat er ghos' Light, sho's yer
born.
looked at Uncle Isaac and an idea
flashed into my mind that he wasn't
half 50 badly scared as he pretended
The fire was some runaway camp,
and he wished to prevent me from APP
preaching. The spirit Of opposition
at once determined ne to DO SO.
"Hants or what-not, I'm going to
see; and you had better come with
me, for If get carried off BY spooks
or lost in the swamp, you know very
well what will happen to you.
In vain Isaac implored me to give
up my purpose. Curiosity and the
foolhardy spirit Of adventure common
to boys Of my age prevailed over his
entreaties and my own inward fears.
So we set out toward the light; Ike
most unwillingly following M, and
Cesar still more unwillingly following
Ike. As we approached, IL grew con-
stantly broader and brighter until ii
seemed TO soar in one unbrolzea, un-
wayering column half as higA rs the
forest trees. We did not venture With
in the circle Of radiance, but stopped
some distance OFF and looked from the
dense shadow Of the overarching TO
liage upon wild, weird scene.
We had paused on the brink Of one
of those lagoons so common in a
Southern swamp, On the other side
OF it, on d knoll that seemed to rise
from the midst of morass, drama
was acting that thrilled me with hor-
ror and makes me SILVER now to think
Of The great boles OF the forest
trees draped with funereal wreaths of
Spanish moss, the oozy fetid water
circling the mound, the flame luFidly
lighting up near objects and intensity
ing the darkness around, the wild
vines twisting from tree to tree, look
ing in the lurid light like the huge
folds of twining serpents, all made
fit setting for that picture.
Seven figures were grouped within