San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1889-03-21

true, no was dressed In rude, half
Indian garb, and had q red belt or sash
swathed round his body. but his faoo
was neither black nor copper color, but
swarthy and dingy and begrimed with
SCOT, as N he had been accustomed to toll
among fires and forges. He had a shock
OF coarse black hair, that stood out from
his head In all directions; and bore an Ak
on his shoulder.
He scowled for moment at Tom with
a pair Of great red eyes.
tWhat are you doing In my groundsY
said the black man, with hoarse growl-
ing voice.
aYour groundsY' said Tom, with a
sneer; mo moro your grounds than
mine: they belong to Deacon Peabody
deacon Peabody be ID" said the
stranger, "as natter myself he will be,
II no does not look more to his own sins
and less to his neighbor's. Look yonder
and see how Deacon Peabody Is faring."
Tom looked In tho direction that the
stranger pointed, and beheld one OF the
great trees, fair and flourishing without,
but rotten ut the core, and saw that 1t
had been nearly hewn through, so that
the first high wind was likely to blow 1t
down. On the bark OF the tree was
scored the name of Deacon Peabody. He
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 lust been hewn down, bore the
name OF Crowninshield; and he recol-
lected mighty rich man Of that name,
H. xSsoIo /. ,,,Icror 1tcplnu nP wealth
which it was whispered he had acquired
by buccaneering. -.
"He's just ready for burningl" said
tho black man, with growi or triumph;
"You see l am likely to have good
stock of firewood for winter"
"But what right have you" said Tom,
"to cut down Deacon Peabody's TIMBER
"The right Of prior claim said the
other. "This woodland belonged to me
long before one Of your white faced race
put foot upon the SOIL"
"And pray. who are you, If may be
so boldP' said Tom.
"Oh, l go by various names.
I am the Wild Huntsman IN
some countries, the Black Miner In
others. In this neighborhood ! am
known by the name of tho 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, I amuse myself by presiding at
the prosecutions Of Quakers and Ana.
baptfsts; l am the great patron and
prompter Of slave dealers, and the grand
master of the Salem witches"
"Yhe upshot of all which is that, II
mistake not" said Tom, sturdily,. "you
are he commonly called Old Scratch"
1.-THE same, at your service" replied
the black man, with a 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 bt
credited. One would think that to mee
with such singular parsonage In thi'
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 he did not even fear the devil
1t is said that after this commencement
they had long and earnest converse
ton together, as Tom returned home
wards. The black man told him Of
great sums Of money which hac
been buried by Kidd the pirate
under the oak trees on the higf
ridge not far from the morass. All these
were under his command and protected
by his power, 30 that none could fine
them but such as propitiated his favor
These he offered to place within Ton
Walkers reach, having conceived al
especial kindness for him, but they were
to be had only on certain conditions
What these conditions were may easily
be surmised, though Tom never disclosed
them publicly. They must have beer
very hard, for he required time to thinl
of them, and he was not man to sticl
at trihes where 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 trueT' said Tom.
"There Is my signature" said thu