The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1891-09-26

smoke and time. Upon the high man.
telpiece single coal oil lamp burned
and none too brightly.
In q far corner, upon a platform OF
boards laid across two -four barrels. sat
Uncle Ben. playing upon squeaky fid-
die and shouting the figures"
"Ahl via Chouchoute!" some one
called
"Eh! Chouchoutel"
Jus in time, Chouchoute; yere's Miss
Leontine waitin fer partna."
"S'lute yo' partnas!' Uncle Ben was
laundering forth; and Chouchout, with
one hand gracefully behind him, made
profound bow to Miss Leontine, as he
offered her the other.
Now Chouchoute was noted far and
wide for his skill as dancer. The mo-
ment he stood upon the floor fresh
spirit seemed to enter into all present.
It was with renewed vigor that Uncle
Ben intoned his "Balancy ALL Fus TO
fo'ard an backr"
The spectators drew close about the
couples to watch Chouchoute's wonder
full dancing.
lit takes Chouchoute to show 'em de
step. var proclaimed Gros Leon, with
fat satisfaction, to the audience at large.
"Look i'm! look i'm yonda! Ole Ben
got to work hard an dat if he want to
keep up wild Chouchoute, var
So it was; encouragement and adula-
ton on all sides, till, from the praise
that was showered on him, Chouchoute's
head was as light as his feet
At the windows appeared the dusky
faces of the negroes, their bright eyes
cleaning as they viewed the scene
within and mingled their loud outlaws
with the medley of sound that was al
ready deafening.
The time was speeding. The air was
heavy in the room, but no one seemed
to mind this. Uncle Ben was calling
the figures now with rhythmic sing
song:
Right an lef' all 'roun! Swing
c0'nasl"
Chouchoute turned with smile to
Miss Felicie on his left. his hand ex-
tended. when, what should break upon
his ear but the long, narrowing wall of
locomotive.
Then he vanished from the room.
Miss Felicie stood as he left her, with
hand uplifted, rooted to the spot with
astonishlnent.
1t was the train whistling for his sta
ton, and he mile and more away He
knew he was too late, and that he could
not make the distance but the sound
had been a rude reminder that he was
not at his post of duty.
However, he would do what he could
now. He ran swiftly to the outer road,
and to the spot where he had left his
pony.
The horse was gone, and with it the
United States mail bagl
For All instant Chouchoute stood half
stunned with terror. Then, in one
quick flash, came to his mind vision of
possibilities that sickened him. Dis
grace overtaking him in this position of
trust; poverty his portion again; and his
dear mother forced to share both with
him.
He turned desperately to some negroes
who had followed him, seeing his wild
rush from the mouse:
who saw my boss? Wat you all did
with my boss, say?''
WHO you reckon tech yo boss, boy?'
grambled Gustave, a sullen looking
mulatto. You didn' have no call to
lef' i'm in de road, fus' place."
Pear to me like heahed a boss
a-lopin down de road jis' now; didn' you.
| T1nnlo Iol yopfrro6 caonpl
"Neva heahed nuttin-nuttin t all
cep' dat big mouf Ben in yonda maxim
mo fuss an t'unda sto'm."
Boys" cried Chouchoute excitedly
bring me boss. quick, one of you
I'm boun to have onel I'm boun to-;
| I'll give two dolla to the frs man brings
me hoss."
| Near at hand. in the ''lot" that ad-
| joined Uncle Jake's cabin, was his little
creole pony. nibbling the cool, wet grass
that he found along the edges and in the
corners of the fence
The negro led the pony forth. With
no further word and with one bound
Chouchoute was upon the animals back
He wanted neither saddle nor bride, for
there were few horses in the neighbor-
hood that had not been trained to be
guided by the simple motions of the
riders body.
Once mounted. he threw himself for
ward with a certain violent impulse,
leaning till his cheek touched the ami
mails name.
He uttered a sharp ''Heir' and at
once, as if possessed by sudden frenzy.
the horse dashed forward, leaving the
bewildered black man in a cloud of
dust.
What mad ride it vast On one side
was the river bank. steep in places and
crumbling away; on the other an I'M
broken line of fencing. now in straight
lines of neat plankiug, now treacherous
barbed wire. sometimes the zigzag rail.
The night was black. with only such
faint light as the stars were shedding.
No sound was TO be heard save the quick
thud of the horses hoofs upon the hard
dirt road, the animals heavy breathing
AMI the boys feverish "hei. he'll" when