Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-02-12
I, could find the fellow I'd lay my buggy

vice OBJ Satan, an muffin fer me, Chris
tain man an de chief gran lambkin OBJ de
Chosen Sons OBJ Identity tub meddle wild. ~
''Silas," exclaimed Mr.. Rodgers. Il never
suspected you before, but | believe in my
soul that you and Titus had something to
do with it''
Me, Marse Samr' cried Titus as Silas
stood dumb and conscience stricken. Fore
Gaud nebber fetch dat rooster; he'll spur
yor eff he get chance. Hetoo 'spise cul-
iud pusson fer me tuh fool wild 'em. He's
better AN watch dog in de ci icken coop.
De moment you try ter get in he crow"
What! have you been trying to break
into my chicken houses'
Land. 10, sub! nebber t'ink Oh sicher
thing. l only try de do tub see, lis by way
OBJ speriment. | year de niggers say 50, so
tried, not dat I'd demean myself tuh steal.
an leastways yo' chickens, Marse Sam. But
TO Gaud jes' as put my han On dat do,
dat rooster rlz up an crow, coo-coo! go-go-
go! les' same rs he could talk"
We'll, now his tail is gone he don't
crow"
No, sub, seems like all his pride in life
is gone! His hea-at is broken -
Il wish lcould break the head of Che fell
low that robbed him"
sun, WISH you COulu, sad Titus,
smiling sympathetically
Mr. Rodgers, having heard of Silas'
downfall, determined to make use of him
IN overthrowing old Juba. The chief grand
lambkln was now an altered man. As he
stated it, he was now nowhar." While
he was in this forlorn condition, Mr.. Rodg-
srs unexpectedly came to his relief by of.
fering him 3 to break up the gold digging
fever.
There is 40 gold down there in that bed
of rock" said Mr.. Rodgers THAT old
darky IS crazy, and you negroes are pack
of fools to believe him"
Sllas smiled in silence He did not be-
lieve Mr.. Rodgers, but still he thought it
would be good plan 10 run of old Juba
and get the gold in the pit himself. and at
the same time recover his lost prestige as
chief grand lambkin
Mr- Rodgers was a waggish man, so he
took great pleasure in preparing Silas and
Titus for the parts they were t. play. Ac-
cordingly at midnight the gold diggers,
who were working in profoU nd silence.
were startled by strange sounds and groans
that proceeded from the woods Two tall.
white phantoms, each supplied with two
heads, adorned with fiery eyes and mouths,
appeared, followed by another that looked
like cleaning skeleton.
Who NEEDLES with my gold e' cried
they
''Laud hab mercy cried the negroes,
and began to fly. Old Juba leaped up.
Some baudy's bin a-spitten''' he yelled.
AN so an ebil sperit."
"Juba-a! Juba-al l come after YOUR
cried a hoarse voice.
With another wild yell Julia fed, fol-
lowed by the mob of frightened negroes.
Now I'll get my cotton picked said
Mr.. Rodgers, and he went to bed with a
contented mind.
But with daylight the negroes courage
returned, and they swarmed about the pit
full of excitement. In the bottom of it
was found paper on which was written:
Il have taken the gold ami left you the
hole"
Curious TO see how matters were pro-
crossing al the gold digsings, in the after
noon Mr.. Rodgers took his wife for stroll
and walked in that direction Aunt Bina
accompanied them with the baby. He was
big fat fellow, more than a year old and
quite load for the old woman, but she
dotted on him and thought him a wonder of
the earth
The day WAS hot and oppressive. A
strange sultriness filed the atmosphere.
Wen have shower before long" said
Mr.. Rodgers. Its so close"
This observation started Aunt Bina off,
as she walked behind with the baby. She
had long wished to gee Mr.. Rodgers opin-
ion concerning the discussion which ragged
between her and the cyclone pit diggers.
Now was her opportunity.
'Marse sam" said she, don't you think
1t wrong 5uh run frum de Laud7"
yes, l do
You does? Why does YOU"
Because it is useless waste of time:
you can't get away, you know"
well, then, don't you think a-dicgin' oh
cyclone pits is wrongs'
81 don't know. What makes it wrong, 81
why, it looks tub me liker irwin tub
go agin de will OBJ de Laud Ef de Land
wuz minded tub 'stroy you by cyclone.
wOuldn, I it seem liker flynn il his face. mr.
runnin' frUm Gaud, tub go dig a cyclone
pit an hide frum him."
Il don't know" said Sam AZ don't
think I'd spend my time digging pit. but
if there was one handy l think I'd jump in
if there was cyclone about"
But didn't you jis say you wouldn't
run frum Gaud2"
well, | don't, only from the cyclone"
well, amt dat agin his VIII tub stroy
you by cyclone?"
'If twas his will to destroy me by 8
cyclone it would overtake me before
could reach the pit, and if it was his will
that / should escape I'd get there ahead OF
the cyclone"
"Ki! Marse Samuel! dat ent de way tub
talk II mus be eder right u wrong tub
jump in de pit Now, blebe IT'S wrong
Then I'd keep out, j." said Mr.. Rodgers.
Eyes. sub, OATS Jist what Use gwintel
do, de l-aud bein' my helper. Use gwintel
stan right up an say, Yer, Laud. yer.
me, sun
In the meantime the crowd of negroe.
about the gold pit were in state of great
excitement, which was artfully dashed te
fury by Silas, anxious to recover his inf1u
ence Old Juba seemed dazed All h<
could do was to remark time and again:
"Sumbaudy spit Sumbauiy spit''
"Huccum de ebil sperits obertu'n us sc
wen Juba had de Bible2" queried Israel.
"He trow way de Bible" sad Silas con
temptuously "See way de ebl sperii
stomp 'em9" and he pointed to the marks