Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-04-10
CHAPTER Iv.-wHo DID IT?

produced visible erect on the party.
Cecil alone was not surprised, because
the state of things described was precise
ly his innocent notion of Arkansas. How
wise he esteemed himself to have carried
his revolver-now uncomfortably weigh
ing down his inside pocket!
But the residents took matters less
coolIy. CONSERVATION and horror were
painted on Sally's face. Col. Seyton
looked very stern, and even the stolid
Ally puckered his mouth into an inaudi-
BILE whistle of dismay.
FStuff, - said Col. Seyton, "he's
fooliug you'll
Aunt Valley rubbed gnarled and
wrinkled hand slowly down her knee,
shaking her head Two of the tight lit
tie braids in which the negroes keep their
wool stuck out under her turban like
horns.
"Looked LAX he wudn't be a fool
IN - she said meekly-all the same
there was keen look thrust out Of the
tail of her eye-''He ben perfessin'
member an he did seem pintedly walked
up.''
Chow many men did he say were
out?''
81 doan't rightly unnerstan' be did
see airy hsseff, but dey all done come t.
his place rarin an chargin', maxim
noise like a army with bananas, he
sayd-''
"ArmY with bananas-what in the
thunder-Oh, reckon you mean ban
ners?''
Aunt Valley revealed her full stature,
being really a tall woman when she
stood straight She answered in a very
dignitied manner, for none of us like to
be corrected in our language, 81 amt
'sponsible, sab, fo' Brer' Peat's talk
in g. Dat like he call 'em. SaYd dey
boiler an shoot DER guns an pistils, an
in de mahnin' by sun up, when he hair
ten hisseff huff t git aout he seen q big
notus stuck on dey all's sycamore tree a
warnin all de culled folkses t. lehe de
kentry To- de week s endin. 80
''Did you see the notice?'' said the
colonel. selecting cigar from his case
with the leisure of man whose mind is
not on his occupation.
"Naw, SIT. he sayd de done fotch hit
t. de sto' an dar he met up wild right
smart er culled folkses fieeln' frum the
wrath t come; an dey all say IL dey
came t. DER haouse de same way. hol-
lerin wild all de power an shootin and
dey fine de nOtus il de mahnin. -
''Who all were they?''
want out, does ye? Come yere right |
straight, sneakin' off dat way! Ye is mt |
sharp nufft' cut me! Come by! You heah |
me?' To Cecil IS amaZement the biggest |
mule, quite little space down the road, |
turned obediently at the word and !
Gifted up to Aunt Valley; she picked |
an ear of ocrn from her apron |
and put it in his mouth. The other |
mules eyed this interesting episode visit |
fully, but did not stir. 81 get 'em |
right well trained up, L is dat said |
Aunt Valley. "Dey all foller. at de |
wud err commandment like sojers. Heah, |
you Abram Linkum, you tourn now?''
Abram Linkum approached, received his |
corn and retired in good order. The |
children were more pleased than Col. |
Seyton by such by-play; he impatiently |
repeated his question. But the obsti- |
nate old woman must have her own way. |
'Cayn t be pa 'shal nohowt' desc ami |
miles, - she grunted; "dey got heap |
mo- feeIin g 'be hurried nur folkses got. |
Melodeon! Melodeon, how come We doan'
bark It me better!''
Meodeon, with positively a detected |
air, like boy caught in gross inatten- |
ton, came up for his portion. Aunt |
Valley patted him. Then she made a |
gesture toward the mules.
"Dey amt but tree er dem now -
said she, with an indescribable culver of |
her hard face.
"Whatl" cried Col. Seyton, fdid |
hat-urr-Dawsey get MIR. Henderson?'
She nodded, clincning her fist. "De |
cot reward him. Dat de way er call |
hit. Guv him nv mewl fo' de rent ee |
prommus me nebber hab t. pay. Dat de |
way alIus my mudder done tell me when |
oil 10 3So
POI ole black niger an he greet rich |
W lite man, but Use sharp huff t. cut i'm
yet!''
While the negress was speaking her re-
pressed fury worked in her until it burst |
the fiimsY mask of composure. Blind to
her audience, apparently, her great eyes
glowed like live Goals, her voice swelled
into the harshness and volume of a
man g, her bent figure Strengthened, the
corn in her skirt tumbled in a yellow heap
over the ground as she swung both her
arms above her head with swift, Impas-
stoned motions, screaming: "Ya 'as,
va as, ga as, my Lord, he got my Mist
Henderson, dat I done raised from
teenty colt, de sharpes', bigges'
stronges' ur dem all. He got him puIlin
de stalk-cutter so dirty an +ga 'nted an
him, him a drivin' him, hollerin' an
sw 'arin '-beatin' dat good, willin mule
wild de whip. Oh, nv Lawd, sw ar 1
nebber quit hearin dem blows 'twelI
pay dat W lite t'ief out!''
*Gaunted, thin.
Suddenly her wrath collapsed into
groan Of pain as her features twisted and
she bent over nearly double, both hands
gripping her back.
ode mizery keteh me jes dar, eff
stan straight" she moaned, ''but l