San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1889-03-28

true, he was dressed IN n rude, hall
Indian garb, and had q red belt or sash
swathed round his body, but his face
was neither black nor copper color, but
swarthy and dingy and begrimed with
SCOT. M II he had been accustomed to toi
among fires and forges. He had SHOCK
of coarse black hair, that stood out from
his head In all directions; and bore an aS
on his shoulder.
He scowled for n moment at Tom with
pair of great red eyes.
"What are you doing In my grounds?'
said the black man, with hoarsc growl.
ing voice.
"Your grounds" said Tom, with a
sneer; mo more your grounds than
mine: they belong to Deacon Peabody
deacon Peabody be ID" said the
stranger, "as ilatter myself he will be
If he does not look more to his own sins
and less to his neighbor's. Look yondeI
and see how Deacon Peabody is faring.
Tom looked In the direction that the
stranger pointed. and beheld one of the
great trees, fair and flourishing without,
but rotten at tho core, and saw that II
had been nearly hewn through, 80 that
the first high wind was likely to blow II
down. On tho bark of the tree was
scored the name of Deacon Peabody. lie
now looked round and found most of the
tall trees marked with the names Of some
great men of the colony, and all more or
less scored by the ax. The one on which
he had been seated, and which had evil
IDENTIFY Just been hewn down, bore the
name of Crowninshield; and he recol.
lected mighty rich man of that name.
who made vulgar display Of wealth,
which it was whispered he had acquired
by buccaneering.
Hes just ready for burnlngw said
tho black man, with growl of triumph.
"You see | am likely to have good
stock of firewood for winter"
"But what right have you," said Tom,
"to cut down Deacon Peabody's TIMBER
1.-THE right of prior claim" said the
other. This woodland belonged to me
long before one Of your white faced race
put foot upon tho SOIL"
"And pray. who are you, if | may be
so bold?" said Tom.
"Oh, go by various names
I am the Wild Huntsman in
some countries. the Black Miner In
others. In this neighborhood I am
known by the name of the Black Woods
man. am he to whom the red men de-
voted this spot, and now and then
roasted white man by way of sweet
smelling sacrifice. Since the red men
have been exterminated by you white
savages, amuse myself by presiding at
the prosecutions of Quakers and Ana
baptists; l am the great patron and
prompter of slave dealers, and the grand
master of the Salem witches"
"The upshot Of all which Is that, II |
mistake not" said Tom, sturdily, "you
are he commonly called Old Scratch"
"The same, at your servicel" replied
the black man, with half civil nod.
Such was the opening of this inter-
view. according to the old story, though
it has almost too familiar an air to be
credited. One would think that to meet
with such n singular parsonage In this
wild, lonely place would have shaken
any mans nerves; but Tom was hard
minded fellow, not easily daunted, and
he had lived so long with termagant
wife that ho did not even fear the devil.
1t is said that after this commencement
they had long and earnest conversa-
ton together, as Tom returned home
wards. The black man told him Of
great sums of money which had
been buried by Kidd the pirate
under the oak trees on the high
ridge not far from the morass. All these
were under his command and protected
by his power, 80 that none could find
them but such as propitiated his favor.
These he offered to place within Tom
Walkers reach, having conceived an
especial kindness for him, but they were
to be had only on certain conditions.
What these conditions were may easily
he surmised, though Tom never disclosed
them publicly. They must have been
very hard, for he required time to think
of them, and he was not n man to stick
at trihes whero money was In view,
When they had reached the edge of the
swamp the stranger paused.
"What proof have that all you have
been telling me is true" said Tom.
"Thcre is my signature" said the