The Arkansaw traveler., 1889-04-06


 side-takes in de Noses an de Hightowers am some po' white folks dat lives up on de ridge-lows dat de Britsides-takes in de Mayfelds an de Per dues an some pol folks dat lives 'way over on Caney Fork-put you ter watchin' ter of you couldn' fine out suthin' ter grace de Savelys De Savelys say da gwine hurt somebody, an de Brit sides say, pitch in De Britsides say, da do, dat da's yo' fren, makes diunce eff you is or 'tect- i've, an dat da gwine stan' up fur you. Da wuE all jes' achin' fur CT fight anyhow sah an it wuz gwine como sooner or later. Step dis way, sah" "Pm not going to the hotel Pm going to get the horse and buggy and go out to Colonel Osburys"
 "Tll git de hoss. You stay right here"
 "Hold on minute. Is Henry Osbury in town2"
 "Tuck de train fur Louisville dis ebenin', sah. You met him bout ha'f way"
 was soon on my way to the farm. The night was clear and cool and the white turnpike, stretch ing far away, was ghostly where 1t bent over the top of hill, and the shrub b-covered spurs that came down from the ridge, drowned with dark foreboding.
 Old Tom trotted faster and faster as he neared home. saw dark object on the brow of hill heard the sounds of approaching hoofs. A horse- man came galloping toward me.
 "Helloa P he called, refining up his horse.
 "Helloa 1" replied, in a disguised voice. The horse galloped on. The man was Boyd Savely.
 When reached the big gate that opened out on the turnpike, I saw a light burning in the library The colonel was evidently expecting Just be- fore arriving at the yard gate met some one.
 "Dat's ole Tom, knows" said a voice.
 "Who you2" I asked.
 "Isom, sah." It was the negro who had advised his friends to vote "saft an easy"
 "Take old Tom to the stable, Isom," said l, get ting out of the buggy.
 ''Yas, sah. Look yere, did you meet somebody"
 "Yes-why2"
 "White man been 'roun' yere snortin' like CT goat. Dat MT. Savely been yere. Come orderin' me roun', too, he did, an doan' like dat. tole him dat long CT you'd been yere you neber ordered me 'roun' none, den he cussed you. Den I says Look yere, MT. Savely, doan cuss dat man, cage he's my frien', an aint gwine put up wid it. Is you got CT quarter, sab? l got ter go down yere an git some medicine fur-thankee, sah thankee. Oh CT man jes nachully kain't come ter an talk erbout my frien's."
 did not not knock at the front door, for, finding it partly open, I entered the hallway. The hang ing lamp was burning dimly. Not a sound broke the deep and ominous stillness-yes that strange cracking noise that seems at midnight to come from the weary joints of old house. l tapped at the library door. The coonel's voice bade me enter.
 Great God, Burwood what have you done l" he exclaimed when stepped into the room. He had been lying on the sofa, but, upon seeing me, he sprang up, with the flush of sudden exertion on his face. "What have you done?" he repeated.
 "If havedone anything wrong" I replied, cit was not premeditated Listen to me for a few moments Sit down-lie down, and let me tell tional was the part have played in this-farce can think of no other befitting term"
 He sat down, and I stood waiting for him to light his pipe, which he had taken up and filled Then told him of the joke which Moss played upon me and how had good -humoredly attempted to repay him.
 "What you say is true, Burwood, know it is but, understand this my boy, even if you had dis covered that fellow to be a criminal and had pur- posely given him over to the law, even though twenty families might be weighted down by dis grace, by the eternal God would stand by you 1" He had sprung to his feet and was walking up and down the room, cracking and breaking the pipe stem in his hand. rushed toward him, but he waved me back. "By the great God of civilization it is time for the people of this state to throttle that ruanism which desperate ignorance is pleased to term just resentment of an insult Philip, you ax.& Ahnr anlxa AxaA