The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1893-04-20
THE GOLDBUG
My EDGAR ALLAN POE
CONTINUED.

MOS 1eered for to ventur pom dis
limb berry far--tis dead limb putty much
all &c way
Did you say it was dead limb. Ju-
piter?' cried Legrand in a quavering
voice.
"Yes, massa, him dead as de door nail
done up for sartain-done deDu. ss.. "a.
mere lite.
What in the name of heaven shall l
do?" asked Legrand. seemingly in the
greatest distress.
DO" said l, glad of an opportunity to
interpose a word, why come home and
go to bed. Come, now, that's fine fel-
low. It's getting late. and. besides. you
remember your premise.
Jupiter" cried he, without needing
me in the least, ''do you hear lne?'
Eyes. Massa Will. hear you ebber So
''Try the wood well, then, with you;
knife and see if you think it very rot
ten"
Him rotten, massa, sure nuff." re-
piled the negro in few moments, 'but
not SO berry rotten as mought be.
Mought reataz On: ieetle way pom de
limb by myself, dat's true.
''By yourself! What do you mean?"
''Why l mean de bug. 'Tis berry
hebby bug. S'pose l drop him down
fuss, and den de limb won't break wild
just de weight oh one niger
''You Internal scoundrel" cried Le-
grand, apparently: much relieved, what
do you mean by telling me such non
sense as that? AS sure as you drop that
beetle I'll break your neck. Look here,
Jupiter, do you hear me:''
ger dat style"
"Well, now listen. If you will ven
ture out on the limb as far as you think
safe and not let go the beetle, I'll mako
you present of a silver dollar as soon
as yoss sc. down"
Pm gwin Massa Will-deed l is. :"
replied the neero very promptly: mos
out to the eend now
''Out to the end!" here fairly screamed
Legrand. do you say you are out to the
end of that limb:"
''Soon be to the eend, massa-o-o-o-o-
oh! Lor-gol-a-marcy! What is dis here
pom de tree?"
''Well!" cried Legrand. highly delight
ed, what is it,"
why, faint muffin buta skull-some-
body bin lef' him head up de tree, and de
crows done gobble ebery bit oh de meat
off,"
"a skull. you say! Very we'll! How
is it fastened to the limb-what holds it
on?"
Sure huff, massa; mus look. Why.
dis berry curious circumstance. pom my
word--dare's great big nail in de skull
what fastens OBJ it on to de tree"
We'll. now, Jupiter. do exactly as
tell you-do you. hear?'
Yes. massa."
PAY attention then! Find the left eye
of the skull"
Hum! hoo! OATS good! Why. dare
amt no eye lef' at all"
Curse your stupidity! Do you know
your right hand from your left?"
''Yes, l nose dat-nose all about dat
It's my lef' hand what chops de wood
wild"
ITO be sure! You are left handed. and
your left eye is on the same side as your
left hand. Now suppose you can find
the left eye of the skull, or the place
where the left eye has been Have you
found it?''
Here was long pause. At length the
negro asked:
lis de lef' eye OBJ de skull pom de same
side as de lef hand OBJ de skull too?
cause de skull amt got not bit OBJ a
hand at all-nebber mind. got de lef'
eye now. Here de lef' eye. What mus do
wild it,
Let the beetle drop through it as far
as the string will reach, but be careful
and not let go your hold of the string"
''All dat done, Massa Will. Moughty
easy ting for to put de bug fru de hole
Look out for him dare below!'
During this colloquy no portion of Ju-
piters person could be seen, but the bee
tie. which he had suffered to descend,
was now visible at the end of the string
and glistened like globe of FURNISHED
gold in the last rays of the setting sun.
some of which still family illumined the
eminence upon which we stood. The
scarabRus hung quite clear of any
branches. and if allowed to fall would
have fallen at our feet. Eegrand imme-
diately took the scythe and cleared with
it circular space three or four yards in
diameter just beneath the insect, and
having accomplished this ordered Jupi-
ter to let go the string and come down
from the tree.
Driving peg with great nicely into
the ground at the precise spot where the
beetle fell, my friend now produced
from his pocket tape measure Fas-
tening one end of this at that point of
the trunk of the tree which was nearest
the peg, he unrolled it till it reached the
peg, and thence farther unrolled it in
the direction already established by the
two points Of the tree and the peg for
the distance of so feet, Jupiter clearing
away the brambles with the scythe. At
the spot thus attained a second peg was
driven, and about this as center rude
circle about feet in diameter described.