The National tribune., 1893-02-16

him. There was no moon and in the forest
each object seen by his straining gaze took on
a startling shape as he watched it with wide
opened eyes.
EFF / know'd whar dem niggers air
skukin' sh I'D know jess whar to strike" he
muttered nnder his breath while he clntched
his club more nervously and moved with in
crcasing caution.
Suddenly the sharp snap of breaking twig
caused him to stop abruptly, and peering into
the dark space on his right he fancied he saw
tall figure rise slowly from the ground, when
he exclaimed in low, raspng tone:
"' Pears like forgot sumthin' to home !"
and turning upon his heels he sped along the
road SIS fast as his clumsy limbs would let him.
Nanny dropped her batch of hoe-cakes with
| an exclamation of terror rs Pollen burst sud-
denly into the room, great beads OF perspiration
standing out on his ebony forehead and his
breath coming in QUICK, short gasps as he sank
| into the nearest seat.
"Whut am de trubble? Seems Of yo' run'd
yo'seP bout to def"
She had repeated her question half dozen
times with rapidly rising infection before
the other grunted out:
lis d3r end TO de runnin' on OBJ yo'
| tongue? Pears like it run race wild itseP cherry
day en- beat. Yit am sprisin' how dis CROWN
stoutness oh mine do make cherry leetle e1'ry
'zertion mo- en- mo- top-heavy. Mebbe l did
walk lcetle Eastern common, COS I've got
'portant news to tell yo'. Use fggcred yit all
out mysel' ;; de days oh dat Wash Scrimp am
numbered"
Then, while nanny listened with speeches.
amazemeu:, and he pounded the floor with his
heavy cane, Pollen continued in his jerky style
| OF speech:
81 tell yo'-I tell yo' no fool niger is gcin'
TO trabbe ober dis chile on'-is gon' to trabbel
ober dis chile lon widout suffern' de con-se-
QuenceS, i jess Civ yo' fair warnin' dat air
| fooi 4
brack days air num-'CaSaa :"
The last exclamation was called forth by
loud rap at tho door, which startled the in
mates.
WHO can dat be2" exclaimed Pollen in
staccato whisper.
Another rap, louder than the first, followed,
| and then q til elk, CULTURAL voice declared
| Hi dar, Napoleon Cromwell Jones! yous
wanted!"
"Yit's dat big coward Wash Scrimp," NUT
tered Pollen, letting the cane slip from his
grasp to fall upon the floor with loud crash
What dat fool Niger prowlin' round homes
folks houses fo'?"
Hi dar, Pollen !" demanded him outside,
how long do yit take yo' to open dis air
| door,"
/" / amt hyuri" retorted he with the names
of two warriors. while he shock like an aspen.
Yo-ho. dats a good on, Pollen. But yo
dom seem to member dat am leetle Phil
1Olts. Blif FISH sent me GOWN 10 seq 20 on
'portant bizness en- he say"-
IVY didn't yo' say SO fust widout all dis
foolin' way oh valerbe timer" growled 'Po-
len, he ushered in his visitor. "Wot's
a-doin'?"
"Eberyt'ins a-don'. Deys hebbin' regu-
lar circus up TO Deacon Moses house, en- Bill
fout yo might wanter to look in on de carryin's
on OBJ dat sly possun oh Scrimp. So 'lowin'
yo's 'feerd to 90 froo de Johnsin woods wild EN-
nlggers lyin' in -
"' Feerd," broke in Pollen, with great show
of Indignation, who said Is 'feerd to 20 froo
dem woods2 / say, who said Is 'feerd to 20
froo dem woods from top to bottom? peat,
who said rs 'feerd2"
wash lowed -
"O de- cussedness OBJ dat brsck scamp!
Pears like dar's not'in' mean 'nough fer him
to do. Whar he? Sho' him TO mel Let
him put his head under dis cane see how
quick l scrunch cherry skull in his worthless
buddy. / WIZ jess startin' TO 90 up to Deacon
Moses, en- / want yo' to go long wild me to bear
witness dat dc men rs bounden to kill raped
ober in self-ofense huh?"
IL can't stop to go, 'Polen," stammered
the other Pm berry much 'bleeged all dc
same TO de honor. Seem es yo' amt stayin'
way COS yo' air 'feerd, I'll scoot ober to Bilis
en- tell him yo' air huntin' dat Wash Scrimp
high en- low en- yo hab no 'casion to use his
plan. Good chen -
"Hol' On dar. wot wuz daz plan OBJ Bll's2"
DE slckes, cu;est 'rangemen' yo' cher heerd
tell on, en- ii might sabe heap OBJ blOodshed. |
How menny niggers did yo' s'pect to tumle
ober?"
"wull, rs fggered on so, but bout 10 might
git way afore c'u'd re'ch 'em, though my arm
is powerful long in times like dat"
Mon seben feet, Pollen. But seein's yo's |
interested in dis new 'rsngement I'll expungs |
de fac'B OBJ de case. rs yos ware, de woods air
es full es forkytine is oh quilts Oh dem niggers
ready 10 'nihilate yo' de min -
"Whut's dat yo say? Eff yo' hadn't como to
bodder me I'd a-breshed de hull lot of dem
of'n de face OBJ de yearth afore dis / Jess |
wsitin' TO yo' plan out OBJ respec to Bill"
"Scuse me, Mstah Jones. rs liable to git dc |
fac's OBJ de case mixed wild de consequences |
To sabe emmy leetle 'sturbance Bill SUCCESS dat
yO' fro sheet ober yo' manly fo'm en- 60 froo |
dem woods es IL yO' wur one oh Sam JOhnsin's |
shotes. Den yo' git to Deacan Moses slick en- |
yo' beard de den right in dc lion, es 'twere."
1t was some time before the sluggish intellect |
Of Pollen could comprehend the scheme. but |
after considerable demurring and bravado of
his kind lie consented, when Nanny brought |
forth q grimed. and yellow sheet which Phil |
declared was what they needed.
II s'poss yo'll 20 long to see dat do yit |
fair" said Pollen, when everything was in readi-
ness for the undertaking.
"Datd cause q spicion en- sp'il de- Rame |
No; yo' mus go lone en- min wot say. Neber
hurry. De hogs berry celebrate creetur"
Phil did, however, consent to accompany his |
friend to the edge of the growth. where he saw
that the other was disguised as carefully as he |
might be and started on his way with the part
ing injunction to move slowly.
Pollen had been refused the possession Of his
club and he began his tedious advance with
many misgivngs. But as he crept along on his
hands and knees without hearing anything to
arouse his fears he grew calmer and was begin
ming 70 think his adventure was not 80 very |
bad after sll, when a low grunt familiar to his
ears but unexpected at that time and place
startled him.
It came from bis rear, and glancing back
over his shoulder his surprise may be imagined
at sight Of one Of the very creatures he had
been gotten up to resemble following upon his
heels.
1t first be was alarmed but upon second
thought he concluded there could be no danger
from such pursuit, and finding courage from
the feet that it showed his disguise must DO
nearly perfect TO deceive the real animal, he
kept on.
1t seemed a long distance through the woods
that night, but not sound had disturbed the
even tenor of his progress, and at last to his
great Joy the lights from Deacon Moses win
dows shone near at hand.
The hog still persisted in following him. and
seeing three or four persons in front Of the
house, whom he anticipated had discovered him,
he felt il would be more prudent for him to
II