The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1892-06-08
CHAPTER II.
III CoLoNEL's soN.

crossed
| the beaten path that led down to the
| spring. plunged at once into the woods.
where the trees grew tall and close. and
where the wild grape vines and the
/ sparkle berry bushes continually inter-
copied his advance; but with such OBJ
stacles he was accustomed to deal, and
they did not deter him. He had a secret
errand in this wood through which he
made bis way as if by instinct, for path
/ there was none; but this ancient child OF
nature was at home in the wilderness; he
| knew all the trees that grew, and all plants
that were Tor healing and ell obnoxious
things TO be avided. He came. at last. 10
| little dell, shut-in on every side bv alb
/ ruptly slopiDg ground, and almost impene-
| trable TO the sunshine. Here, when be
| rested awhile, uDon q lichen-grown log. he
| knelt down, and. pushing aside a brush
heap, laid bare hole in the ground,
wherein was set wide and deep iron pot
+ protected BY sn iron lid, on top OF which
was a tin platter that covered fracture
/ large enough to admit old Gill
bert's hand and arm. This was
the bank TO which he confded
the dimes he received for chickens
and eggs and the skilled labor of his hands :;
for old Gilbert was master OF many crafts
/ for all his jobs ne was paid in good hard
coin, an uncomfortable prejudice leading
him to refuse what he called climber
money" As he had the privilege of sell
ing his manufactures Of the plantation he
commanded what might be termed a wide
market. Often he sent his wares up TO
town; sometimes even he condescended
! to dispose of mat or broom to the de-
spised Furnivals across the road. What
he did with the money thus earned he
told no one; what he meant TO do with
these accumulated small earnings of more
than fifteen years-amounting now 10
| quite a respectable sum-he himself did
not know; but having no wife nor child,
nor any kindred whom he cared to honor
with gifts, the greatest satisfaction he
could find IN his money was 10 count it
over. This ceremony he performed by an
/ ingenious process of his own invention
| that did away with the necessity of alb
/ stracting the coin when once it was de-
| posted, each deposit being made in sums
/ of five dollars, securely tied in biz Of
aenaburg, the. whole amount could be
| pretty accurately reckoned by touch. the
account being kept upon q tally-stick
| which old Gilbert always carried with him.
When he had fingered his wealth 20 his
satisfaction Gilbert carefully resdjusted
the platter over the tin broken pot-lid,
raked the leaves over the spot and skill
fully heaped up the brush.
''Ole niger gittin' stid, tubbe sho'w he
said, rising with a grunt. Time ! wuz
! fixin UP mother bottle o. white ash box
/ en- whisky. git dc box en- Missle-virey
] gimme de whisky. Hit ain too late for
! sassyfac nuther. Little Missy alters honin'
/ arter sassyfac tea. / gwan tote Der bun
die o sassyiac to de greet house dis night,
seein' l wuz 'bleegcd ter spite her bout
/ dem Furnivals."
Old Gilbert took his way home by q
roundabout route through an old field
known as the berry patch, where elder
! bushes and sRssafras saplings grew rank in
the fence corners, hedged round by little
/ thickets of the odorous horse-mint.
Here the old man set to work; down on
his knees, bv the aid OF his ready jack.
knife, he was deity extracting the roots
whose rich aroma diffused itself around,
when his trained ear caught the sound OF
steps approaching.
'Wha' dat?" he whispered to himself,
with a palpitating heart, lifting his head
to listen. Rabbit"
yellow cur, with cropped ears and
barely three inches OF tail jumped upon
a log on the other side of the fence, utter
ing short, sharp bark.
Old Gilbert peered over the fence to
right and left of him, along the bride
path that skirted the field.
whey you come fun, you ondemanded
bens' critter?" he said, scornfully eyeing
the cur, which he recognized as the prop
erty of dem FWniraLs."
The dog answered with velp. jumped
| off the log ana across the bridle-pa
into the woods, but presently returned at
the heels of lank. sandy-haired, sallow
| youth, clad in faded Jeans.
Old Gibert's heart knocked at his ribs,
as he thought of his treasure in the hol-
low of the wood but manners" demand
ed that some greeting should be gwen,
and policy dictated a certain obsequious-
ness of tone. but the old negro babe the
youth "GoOd-mOrning' with a bow very
many degrees removed from the respect
he would have accorded quality"
The lad responded with sullen reluc-
lance.
"Whicherway is you comm fun ?" old
Gilbert asked. insinuatinRly.
81 dunno ez hits any O. yO' business, /"
/ was the surly answer. L amt no furer
from HON then you, en- amt a niger
Pm a-huntin' of hawg, en- eff you amt
tolled hit ter yo' pen. you ole prowler,
maybe you're fur gittin' onter hits tracks. &"
Old Gilbert's heart waXed hot. That he
should be accused by this "po' white
trash" of tolling away a lean ana scrubby
| old hog!
"De Lor'-a-mighty. he exclaimed, with
a sort OF persuasive indignation. "Doan
you en- yo' folks know what l have got
hawgs ev'y blessed year fattenin' Gavin
tinual? cuores my own bacon, en- is
been doin' dat same, year in, year out,
gwan on TO You wuz bawn. rs s'prised
at YEP
"Wal," drawled the boy, measurably
subdued by this reminder of fact with
which he was well acquainted, 81
s'picioned as ye're alters roun' these
woods"
"Me?" interrupted old Gilbert, with an
uneasy thought of his buried treasure !;
then, recovering himself II amt often
ow Ian" he said, with significance.
Look -s-herel" shouted the boy. adj
vancing menaciD ely, while the cur growled
and showed his teeth.
En- 1 5'longs TO Kernel Jasper Thorne,"
continued old Gilbert, with inflated su-
perioriiy. Use gemmsn's niger, is"
Il doan know ez that's anythin' TO me, +"
said Jesse Furnival, with sulen abate-
ment of his wrath. But, come, now,
amt you seen nothin' OF ow ole white sow
in 20 comin's en- COINS? l amt inquirin'
what We air up to-"
Old Gilbert had dropped on his knees