San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-01-16

Wy \\S'' N'Hi'tsy SS1'f
pom EN-"
Mighty dangersome," acquiesced the
narrator, "dat's what l lowed ter my
SET when l seed him. He was arter
lump O. dat green truck wild white ber-
ries pom it-mizzletoe, dey calls its
name. When l got dar he was comm
down de tree holdin it by de stem wild he
teef. He wouldn't fling it down, kase
he's feard he'd Spite de berries. Time he
totch de groun good, Miss Grace, she
hauled off, she did, an smacked his jaws
ez hard ez she could stave, an axed him
how dared he skeer 'em like dat? An
Mars Jim he larfed out loud and said,
Princess wanted it, an den he put de
truck he'd resked his make ter git in
Miss Pocahontas' arms, an she Rugged it
up tight an went long to de house
cryin."
Thorne moved involuntarily, and the
gun in his hand struck against the trunk
of the tree behind which he stood. The
negroes paused and glanced around
alertly, the man with the torch swing
ing it backward and forward, with a
muttered whats daty" Nothing of
any Consequences bird or rabbit,
perhaps-nothing worth investigation
The man with the bucket set his burden
on the ground and opened and shut his
hand rapidly several times. The wire
of the handle had cramped his fingers.
Both men transferred their bags from
the right shoulder to the left and leaned
against the tree stems to rest themselves
moment.
The elder man resumed the subject.
"Love her! Lord-er-mussy pom me!
Jim Byrd was fairly foolish wild love.
De groun warn't fitten fur Miss Poca-
hontas ter set her foots pom in his no.
ton; he'd er liked ter spread hissef
down to save her slippers. T'want NO
question bout lovin wld Mars Jim!"
''But he gone away" objected the
torchbearer. "Ireckon Miss Pocahontas
done kick him; dat how come he lef.
What he doin in Mexican eff he kin get
what he want here? He gomez
"Dat amt nothin. He was bleeged ter
go out yander ter git money ter buy back
de ole place. Money mighty plentiful
out dar, Aunt Vi'let say. Gwine way
amt nothin ter man: he kin come back
gin. went way ter Richmond onct
myself ter rake up money 'nouf ter buy
one mule, an rent er scrop o Ian, so ez |
could marry Sarah. Mars Jim's comm
back; las word he sed ter Aunt Vi'let,
was dat. Miss Pocahontas amt kick
him mother. What she gwine kick him
fur? Mars Jim's her likely man, an all
de ginnerashuns o de Byrds an Masons
bin marryin one mother ever sence Vir-
ginny war er settlement My ole gram
daddy, whar war ole Mr.. Dabney Byrd's
kyarege driver, allus sed-Lord a mussy!
what datp
The speaker paused with his mouth
open and chilly sensation about the
back, as though lump of ice were
travelling down his spine. A sound, rs
of scriptural denunciation, low, but in.
tense, had caught his ear, A bat, cir
cling low, had grazed Thorne's face and
caused him TO throw up his hand with
an impatient OATH The wisdom of the
defunct "kyar'ege driver" was over
whelmed in the food of perturbation
which seized his descendant. The man
swung his torch around nervously and
peered into the darkness, conscious of a
distrust of his surroundings that
amounted to positive pain. The other
negro said nothing; but addressed him
self to the adjustment of his burden in
the manner least likely to impede re-
treat.
Among the colored folks this portion
of the road enjoyed an evil reputation,
particularly after nightfall, for in field
near by there was an ancient graveyard,
and the rumor went that the denizens
thereof were of specially unruly, not
to say malicious spirit, and found pure
delight in ambuscades along the road
sides, and in sallies upon unsuspecting
travellers, with results too painful for de-
scription.
"Haunts was mighty rank bout dar,"
the negroes said, and after shutdown that
part of the road was destitute of attrac-
tions. The graveyard had not been used
for many. years, but that only made the
danger greater, for ghosts, grown bold
with long immunity of Office, were held
capable of deeper malignity, than would
be within the range of ghosts oppressed
with the modesty of debutants. The
fact that the occupants of the place had,
in life, been of their own race, inspired
the negroes with no feeling of kinship or
confidence. They were earnestly afraid
of all spirits, be they white, black or
red, but most of all of black ones, be-