The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1891-11-02
SAM.

In the year 10 my duCleS DIS Oulteu
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 mistake of
the official who had given me my or
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 pitiable looking animal as
it has ever been my misfortune to ride.
However, 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 had named
Lazarus.
The day was excessively hot, and my
steed seemed to creep. The woods
were thick and black, and the little
road was 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 I gave vent to
it freely, as there was no one within
hearing. More and more slowly did
Lazarus move along the path, and I
soon saw that he would be unable to
finish the trip that day. In vain I
swore at HMM vain I thrashed him
--he accepted both with Indifference
About ten of the thirty miles yet re-
manned, and I could plainly see that
Lazarus would lie down in a few min.
utes. Still I 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
I reined in Lazarus, and listened.
Again heard it, and this time recog-
nized the source Of it. 1t was some one
playing on the banjo. Here slight
interruption was caused by Lazarus
suddenly lying down. Freeing myself
from the stupid little beast, and giving
him kick as farewell, walked in the
direction of the music, which had be.
gun again with redoubled strength. In
a few minutes came to sharp turn
in the road, and just then the banjo
performer began singing. I stopped
and listened. The words were those of
an old minstrel song, and the voice was
evidently that of negro boy. He only
sung this one verse:
Oh, Sam, you put that banjo down,
Oh, Saml
You good fur nothin lazy houn,
Oh, Sami
Go drive the pigs in out the rain;
Milk the COWS for Liza Jane;
Liza's got the hoopin cough.
The old mans drunk in the stable lof,
Oh, Saml
The song wound up with wild -four
ish upon the banjo, and the playing
ceased. Turning the bend in the road
I saw the performer. He was, as ex-
pected, negro boy, and looked about
sixteen years old. He had not seen me
yet, and was able to obtain O good
view of him.
He sat upon a 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 a 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
.roundings, and the nervous grasp Of his
fingers that clutched his banjo indi-
Gated a highly strung temperament.
The instrument upon which he had
been playing he now held idly in his
hand, and l 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. His eyes roamed restlessly
around as though seeking something,
he knew not what.
At last he saw me, and, jumping
down from the fence, he grasped his
hat and started to run. I called out tc
him, and stopping he looked at me
with timid, hightend glance, while
into his eyes came that hunted, suspi
cious look that is the peculiar charac
teristic of the insane. approached
him slowly and held out my hand. TIC
my surprise he took it and stood look.
ing at me with his large staring eyes.
When / asked him how far I was from
any house, he said:
''Pm Sam. Mars Arfur sabe my life.
Some day I give it back to him. Sam
got no life; it b'long to Mars Arfur.
He live yonder."
Wrenching his hand away from me
he turned and fed swiftly down the
path, and in a few minutes was out OF
sight. I returned to where / left Laza-
rus, and dragging the shaggy little
pony to his feet ! mounted and fol
lowed the direction taken by Sam. A