The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-02-03
TREASURE IN THE PIT.

1t was in the very thick OF the cotton
picking season. The crop was large and
the planters were driving ahead to gather
it before any misfortune befell it.
The members of the Order of the Chosen
Sons of Identity had an entertainment at
the Bush Arbor meeting house. The soci-
ETY. was wealthy for the members got from
fifty cents to 81 a day picking cotton-a
large sum in the country. In giving their
entertainment the Chosen Sons of Identity
were assisted by the Daughters of the Gold
en- Reaper. A large crowd attended, as it
was Saturday night and they had all day
Sunday in which to rest.
The entertainment was great success,
owing to the good management Of Silas,
che chief grand sachem Tor lambkin, as he
called IT'D OF the order Merriment and jol-
litv reigned when old Juba entered the
house and applied for membership into the
order
Old .Tuba was strange negro tramp
whom Mr.. Sam Rodgers had hired in the
great dcarth of cotton pickers, and whom
the regular plantation hands viewed with
suspicion and distrust, and his claims for
membership were secuted by Silas, chief
grand lambkin.
"You wanter be a Chosen Son OBJ Iden-
tityi How you gwinter git my identified
ton, I'd like ter kno'? No, no, You identify
cotton; OATS all de identification you kin
dop' said the chief grand lambkin, super
ciiously.
The crowd Foared with laughter, but the
mirth of the company ceased when old
.Juba, unmoved by their jeers, began to tell
them that spirit had appeared to him
and directed him TO go in search Of buried
gold, and he wished their aid.
"De spirit led me yer" cried the old
man, "frum a fur place. He say tub me,
GO Juba, and 20, GO hunt fer a branch
dat run norf and souf, de spring of which
rises outer a tupeler gum; foller de branch
till you git tub tree poplars, den foller till
you come tub a clump OBJ sweetgums on
de fur side, halt an dig?'
Old JUDAS manner had altered, his head
was thrown back, his eyes fixed, and his
voice assumed sing song toue like kind
of rude informing The superciious grin
vanished from the face of the chief grand
lambkin. and the crowd listened in speech
less awe to this revelation.
"Ehl my Laudr' muttered they, as he
ceased speaking, "dat's Marse Sam
Rodgers spring branchp II knows de
gums" cried one and another of the com
pany. The entertainment broke up and
the negroes followed old Juba as ne went
out to cut witch hazel divining rod by
the light of the moon.
Sunday morning a long procession of SUI
perstitious negroes accompanied Juba till
he halted at tie clump of sweet gums and
began 30 try to locate the spot where the
l.,- h4,r 10
aid man whirled round and round with the
tivining rod held at arms length, till at
asst it bent a little and seemed to indicate
u particular spot. The crowd eagerly mott
fed him of the fact, and Juba, opening his
eyes, proceeded TO measure off the ground
for about twenty feet. This was all they
could do Sunday, so they returned to the
Bush Arbor meeting house and proftably
spent the day preaching about the find.
nCs of the spirit"
Early Monday morning they all marched
M to the planters house and asked per
mission to dig for gold Mr. Rodgers was
greatly surprised at the request, for he
thought they were all out in the field pick
ting cotton.
dig for gold down by the sweetgum
treesl No, indeed Take yourselves off to
the cotton field; that's the place to gather
gold"
"Dere's seventeen an a half bushels
buried dere, " cried Old Juba, IAN rs will
IN, sub, tub wide wild you, wen we sit it. ="
Il expect you are, cut there is no gold
there"
1t wuz buried dere fo' hundud years
ago, so de sperit says"
well, the spirit lies. This country
wasn't settled 100 years ago. But there is
millions of gold in the cotton field; go back
aud pick it out"
But the excited negroes refused to bulge
and at last Mr. Rodgers was forced to com
promise. They might dig for a week; at
the end of that time, if they found no gold
they must stop and 80 back TO picking cot
ton. They left him Tuning and fretting,
but as misery loves company he was con
soled by the fact that the negro hands of
his neighbors struck work also TO take part
in the digging for gold, large sum being
offered them if they found it.
Accompanied by his followers Juba pro
oeeded to lay off the spot where the hole
was to be dug; it must be done with suita-
bic ceremonies "or," said he de ebil spirits
will 'sturb US" He accordingly drew a
line around a space some twenty feet square
for excavation.
Now want" said he, de black tail OBJ
o red rooster"
Silas had become so impressed with the
great sum of seventeen aud a half bushels
OF gold that he forsook for the time being
the greatness of the Office of chief grand
iambkin. and was now a most earnest gold
seeker.
Run, Titus" said he to his son. IAN
pull out Nsrse Sans gamecock tail"
Titus departed, not very willingly, for the
cock was fierce and hard to catch.
Now" said old Juba, "nobaudy mus
say a wud vile lay off de lines"
The crowd watched him breathlessly as
he, with great dignity and a garden pick.
proceeded to mark off the spot
''He got dat line crooked" muttered a
straight eyed bystander
Old Juha stopped. who dat spoke?"
Profound 81 elce.
"Ef knowd who DAT spoke Ia chop 'em
down wild disher pick!'
The crowd looked reproachfully at the
speaker, who skunk away.
Now" said Juba, way dem fedders,n
They were probably on the rooster but
no one spoke A runner was dispatched
TO tell Titus 10 hurry up. The messenger
found Titus skulking about Mr.. Rodgers
horse lot. trying 10 drive the rooster before
him.
"Dey say come quick wild dem fedders, 9"
sale the runner.
"Dey better come III EN- demSelyes den
Ursner rooster sPlses cuuud pusson
wusser' pisen. an he'll spur You quicker
an muffin. You better stop trOwln' after
oisher rooster, ef Marse Sam ketch you
R-chunkIn' him he'll lay his buggy whip
ODER you 10 you know way you stan.
The two Tow drove the bird into the lock
of the fence, where, armed with their hats,