Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-10-16

4 discovered it to come from cabin
/ Howard, whose feet were not so sore as
mine, left me standing near a tumbled-
down fence, and coming back after a
/ few minutes he said:
The only people in the house are an
old black man and his wife. Come on.
old fellow"
took his arm, and we advanced bold
4 ly and into the cabin.
"Blcss de good Lori" called the old
man and his wife, as with raised hands
and open mouths they stood watch
ing us.
I'VE are Yankees, uncle; we are es-
Gaping from Libby prison, and you must
help US, said Howard, as be closed the
door behind him.
Good Lor', honey, yeh's in a heap
sight ov daniahi' said the old woman,
"foh do Confed sojers hez been skrim-
agin' round bar all day fob yeh."
But you can give US something to
eat and let us rest for awhile2r
Wen do de bes' we kin. mars, but
dar amt much left atween de 40 sides
But praise de Lor', my ole mans a
| skrimager hissef an he has de knack
Of flndin out il dar's any thing lef
round about" said the old woman, as
she stirred up the fire and brought out
her pans.
Me an my ole woman, we amt a
gwine TO starve SO long OARS any thing
lef' to confunscate tween har an
Mars Davis house in Richmond"
chuckled the old man, and he at once
became busy helping his wife.
In proof Of his success as a ''skrimager"
we were soon sitting down to such a
feast Of PONIES and bacon as would have
delighted the heart Of Nitellus himself
--thatis, If he had been blessed with our
appetites. Since that day, at home and
abroad, have partaken Of hanquets
where all earth's luxuries, prepared by
artistic cooks, were spread before me in
profusion; but never enjoyed them as
/ did that delicious meal provided by
the kind-hearted negress in that hum
bic hut.
We ate till we were ashamed OF our
selves, and frankly said so, our tin plate
were kept piled up till we were satisfied,
till, for the first time, the hunger, that
had been gnawing at our vitals for
months, was appeased. But this did
not exhaust the hospitality Of these
good people, for a supply was cooked
"foh to tote OF" with US when we left
1t did not take much urging on the
old mans part to induce us to sleep for
a few hours on the bed he had prepared
in the sooty loft of the cabin.
"My ole woman, she'll dry yer clothes,
an I'll fix yer boots ez well ez kin, an
eff dars any danjah, wich amt a-lookin
fob at dis time oh night. III let yeh
know" said the old man.
With this assurance, we took of our
boots and outer clothing and climbed
into the loft, where We were soon fast
asleep.
81 reckon, gemmen, ez how yehd
bettah be gittin' Up. It's nigh onto bout
half past three" called up the old man
Howard and were out of the loft at
once, though it seemed to me that had
not been asleep ten minutes. We
found the soles OF our boots fastened on
and our clothes comfortable and dry
We dressed. and when | told the old
ward them, both declared that they
were ready to do ten times noah fob
de Yankees If they could.
The old woman gave as a basket con-
tanning cooked food, and then offered
up teryent prayer for our deliverance;
and when We were ready to go the old
man volunteered to guide us "'twile
bout daylight"
The rest and food and our implicit
confidence in our guide made us feel
like new men, and as we started off
again we felt that We could march with
out fatigue for month-that is, il our
course lay in the direction of liberty
and Gods land"
The necessity for ''skrimagin" must
have developed our guides walking
powers, for he led us on at pace that
was surprising in a man of bis years
just as the day was breaking he
knocked at the door Of a log-cabin on
the edge OF a dense wood. and in re-
Spouse to a who's darP" in a woman's
voice from within. be replied:
Uncle Jake. an be hez two Yanks
wild him."
Good LORI" from within
''Yes, an ] wants Tom TO keep EN-
all day, an see EN- on tonight"
TON amt har."
"Whar's hep"
Hes done gone of slrimagin."
''Wa'al. Liz. can't you hide 'em till
dark an give EN- a place to sleep. fob
deyre powahful ti'-ahd7''