Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-08-13
.1E NOSE.
KATE LEE FERGUSON.

row, and came to the cotton wagons just as
they started to the Clubhouse with their
last load. Mandy was sitting in the end
one, on the highest pile, and her basket
was alongside of her. "Where Nose?
said she. 81 amt seed him ter day."
81 don't keep dat boy in my pocket, nor
in my bag needer," replied Betty, climb
ing on Pinkey's wagon.
When they got to the gin the sun was
nearly down, and they had to hustle up
before the overseer came. Mandy was
tossing the cotton on the scafold, while
Sandi Black raked it up. Il speck Nose
done run away" she said. HE got lick
ing agin dis morning fur dat prank heplay
las night"
s'What prank ?" asked Sandy.
,aLord massy, is you de only niger on
AntIers plantation what is ig'nant OBJ dat
scan'lous boys action? If you is, I'll tell
YOU Sandy said that he was, and Mandy
related what was pretty well known
through the quarters how Nose had got
tied all the ROSTERS together and let the
hens out; then fastened deer's horn on
the old muley cows head, who charged
the milk woman wildly in the morning.
9Who find out all dis about Nose ?"
asked Sandy.
"Why, eberyb body knowed twas him,
and then he neber made no denial oh
it,"
'Well, 1 seed him to-day, come out of
his mammy's cabin. Hab We axed her
where Mose?p
sYes, is; say to her just now, Where
Mose?' and she got riled about 1t. You
know Lame Betty exchanges no remarks
on dat particular subject"
SWELL" said Sandy, raking away for
dear life, 81 bet you my speckle hen Nose
turn up fore dark
"Sandy Black, OATS de wust boy on dis
plantation, and he gwine to de debbil
fastener den you is low you is de en-
courager OBJ all his badness, and eff you
don't look out you gwineter bofe OBJ you
have engagements fur to wuk wild red
fork"
"Hah, hah, hah Just hear Mandy talk"
laughed gang close by.
"Miss Jones'" says Sandy, pulling his
wool to her, Il is lookin' and admiring
you. Dem eyes oh yourn shine like rab-
bit, an your mouf open like a condor,
an when you 'spresses yourself wild your
tongue, kin just see how well de Lord
hab made yo' palate" Sandy Black hol-
lered
She, jumping out of the wagon, "You is
too nigh de color OBJ your name fur me TO
stand dem remarks er yourn," and she
ierked at her head handkerchief.
aDon't you pull off yer head handker-
cher at me Mandy, or / rake yer wool,
shose you born"
Mandy turned on him: "You see dis
foot; you see dis shank, and you see dis
knee, now l gwine to kick you off dis
skaHling, shose you don't eonimize your
words"
The overseer looming in sight, there
was no response, and she jumped back
into the wagon, and dug her cotton fork
with vim. A sort of grean or squeal
was heard, end she drew back astonished.
eWhat's dat?' she thought, Il done struck
my fork into?7 Something was certainly
moving under the cotton and raising it up
like a great billow. She wanted to call
Sandy, but was still smarting under his
remarks. She ran her fork slowly in
again, took up her shovel and pushed an
open place; slowly black head appeared.
She ran her fork in the back of the white
shirt before her, and straining every
muscle drew up the fellow hidden under
the cotton. "Who's dis, l say2 Who's
dis?" and her voice brought some of the
others to look over the side of the wagon.
'Please God" exclaimed one, ''ef it amt
little Nose" "Mose, you been here all
day.? 'How dat, when de wagon list
while ago load ?" said another.
The noise brought Mr.. Randall out on
the scaffold. BY this time Nose was
standing up, his big eyes shining brighter
than Mandy's He was a little, short
negro, strong and compactly built; his
ewes large, broad forehead, not quite as
full-lipped as usual, and a row of white,
fat teeth, that gave the mouth jovial
expression when he laughed. Just now
he was looking anything but '.jovial," and
there was an ugly expression In his eyes
when the oyerseer put his hand behind
him for the long whip, which always hung
at his belt The first lick had rung on
the negro's shoulders, and the hand was
raised for the second, but ere it could de-
scend it was caught in an iron grip and
the lash ierked from the mans hold,
twisted into a knot and thrown whizzing
away. Before any could recover from
their astonishment the boy had leaped
from the scaffold and ran ike deer
through the field into the far-of woods.
The next day Randall went to the
house 10 see the Colonel. They were all
in the dining-room before the fire. Mrs.
Burton had Willie IN her lap, and LYDIA
was in her riding habit, waiting to so out
with her father. Colonel Burton laid his
pipe, with Its long cane stem, on the man
teipiece as the oYerseer came into the
room. 1t was always difficult for him to
talk and smoke. Some men can, | know,
but he always laid aside his pipe when he
saw Randall coming.
"Colonel," he began, taking the seat of
fered him by the house boy, "Mose ruined
off again last night. reckon we are 60
ing to have pert old time finding him.
He's the wust niger you got on this place,
and it's pity you'd keep him; besides,
he lust acts like pison TO them hands like
Sandy"
"Of course you whipped him before he
got off" said the master, opening his knife
and trimming his nails. The overseer S
face grew pretty red: then he spoke out:
sWhy, Colonel, that's what / come to tell
Won. Pm most too mad to talk straight,
but / did sleep bit about day, if l was
awake half the night thinking how I'd fix
him when sot hands on him agin." And
with many a pause and interruption he
told of the affair on the scaffold the even
ing before. The Colonel did not answer
right away. He reached up and got his
pipe off the mantle-piece Then took his
whistle out of his mouth and blew loud
and long for George" "Fill this and
rake me out coal, boy. Now, Randall, il
YOU will Just step outside I'll smoke 9
little: you can take look at that SOW and
her little pigs by the stable while you are
waiting. Maybe she will teach you {
little muscle. am sure you need it. neeC
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