Nevada County picayune., 1891-10-01
SANI.

In the year 18- my duties as United States engineer led me to the little town of Bogville Upon arriving at this place found out that l would be obliged to make a journey of about thirty miles through the woods on horseback in order to reach the spot at which my survey was to begin This was evidently caused by a mistake of the official who had given me my or 1 ders, and there was nothing left for me to do except yield myself to my fate and make the trip as best could Ac cordingly hired the best pony to be found in Bogville, which pony, by the way, was as pitiablo looking animal as l it has ever been my misfortune to ride However, 1 resigned myself to the in evitable, and the morning after my arrival at Bogville saw me travelling slowly through the woods mounted upon the pony, which l had named Lazarus.
 The day was excessively hot, and my steed seemed to creep The woods were thick and black, and the little road vas overgrown with underbrush Trailing vines festooned the path, and evinced an irresistible propensity for catching me under the nose and almost unseating me My temper gradually got the best of me, and gave vent to it freely as there was no one within hearing More and more slowly did Lazarus move along the path, and l soon saw that he would be unable to finish the trip that day In vain l swore at him in vain thrashed him he accepted both with indifference. About ten of the thirty miles yet re- mained and l could plainly see that Lazarus would lie down in q few min utes. Still l forced him on and we still advanced, but slowly
 was just trying to reconcile myself to the unpleasant thought of passing the night in the swamp when heard a sound So unexpected was it that l refined in Lazarus and listened. Again l heard it, and this time recog ni2ed the source of it II was some one playing on the banjo Here a slight interruption was caused by Lazarus suddenly lying down Freeing myself from the stupid little beast, and giving him a kick as farewell, l walked in the direction of the music, which had be gun again with redoubled strength. In a few minutes came to a sharp turn in the road, and just then the banjo performer began singing. l stopped and listened. The words were those Of an old minstrel song, and the voice was evidently that of a negro boy. He only sung this one verse
 Oh, sam. you put that banjo down,
 Oh, sam!
 You good fur nothn lazy houn.
 Oh, sam!
 Go drivo the pigs in out the rain;
 Milk the COWS for Liza Jane;
 Iiza's got the hoopn cough,
 The old mans drunk in the stable lot,
 Oh, Saml
 The song wound up with a wild flour ish upon the banjo, and the playing ceased. Turning the bend in the road saw the performer He was, as oX pected, a negro boy, and looked about sixteen years old, He had not seen me vet. and was able to obtain a good view of him.
 He sat upon rough picket fence, beneath the spreading branches of an enormous oak, surrounded by thick, trailing vines, and looked positively weird He was bareheaded and bare footed, and was dressed in pair Of trousers and shirt the size of which suggested the idea that they had been made for much larger person. His face was almost devoid of expression, but his large, black eyes had strange, wild look in them that was in keeping with his surroundings His lean, mus cular appearance betokened one whose life had been passed amid rough sur rouudings, and the nervous grasp of his fingers that clutchcd his banjo indi catcd highly strung temperament. The instrument upon which he had been playing ne now lleid luly III us hand. and noticed that it was silver mounted and apparently of elegant finish His hat lay before him upon the ground and was apparently as much too large for him as his other clothes Hi, eyes roamed reotlesoly around a~ th,u,h seeking something, he knew moi Wiul
 At last he saw me, and, jumping down from the fence, he grasped his hat and started to run called out to him. and stopping he looked at me with a timid frightend glance, while into his eyes came that hunted, suspi cious look that is the peculiar charac teristic ol the insane approached him slowly and held out my hand. To inv surprise he took ii aIsl stood look ...#L |. ta.g.. startna, axfas