The Red Cloud chief., 1893-08-25

well. n all join me in love to both you
and dear Dick. Write often and keep
us advised as to your whereabouts.
EVER YouR MOTHER"
| was. as the reader may well imagine,
filled not only with love toward my dear
mother. but with wonder at the senti.
ments advanced by her in her letter.
That she firmly believed hat through
her spirits Intervention she had avertcd
a great calamity, 10y pressing the engi
neer into her service. | could moi doubt
for a moment; but that such could be a
fact was quite another thing, and | re-
solved to investigate the subject before
calling it the 'imaginationso OF adiseased
mind
! will at this juncturc of my narrative
hint to the reader that this same subject
will play its part ever and non as the
story proceeds.
Dick, too, had letters from his people,
and, he and ! having no secrets, read all
our letters INTERCHANGEABLE.
We now began a systematic explora-
ton Of the city and the surrounding
country. We rode in BUSES, drove liv.
cry turn.outs, went out in vessels, and
tive pedestrian style. To-day we would
| Dt llbtthilIS w III Eltdl Dul liuiil'iltuis
debate, and tomorrow be angling for
fish.
Next we would find ourselves in the
quarters of the city wherein dwelt the
lowly, conversing with men, women and
children, studying their characteristic
traits, and in this way sought to inform
our minds as well az while the hours OF
each succeeding day away.
IN,,n .lnx ,,h,l, a.. .,,nrn ,r.alI;,n lnic.
urely along a street bordering one Of the
wharvcs. we were struck with the
thought that there, in that immediate
ward and precinct, perhaps. were ne.
groes who may have escaped from bond
age from our own immediate neighbor.
hood or county, back in Kentucky. just
then We met an intelligent looking col
orcd boy, with Il bundle Of school books
under his arm, and inquired Of him con-
corning his studies, and then asked him
concerning his %parcntage.
The boy was remarkably apt for one
of his age, and gave answer promtly and
without any seeming embarrassment.
Through him we learned that his father
had been a slave. had followed the North
star in his escape from bondage. and
that both he and his father would be
3 pleased to have US call at their home as
soon as convenient for us to do SO.
: We fixed upon the evening Of the fol.
| lowing day for the call, and, taking the
number and street as indicated by the
boy, pursued our way. still making notes
i Of such things as to us began now to as
( sumo interesting proportions. During
. the night there came a great rain storm,
and next morning we were forcibly i'm.
pressed with the thought that the
, autumn was far spent and that winter
o was approaching.
We had read SO much Of the rigors of
{ a Canadian winter that We were in a
mixed state of feelings as to whether We
ought to remain in the North or take
passage for Cuba.
But we agreed that we would remain
s in Ottawa for some time, at least, and
t that during our stay We would improve
our opportunities for gaining such infor
nation generally as might be Of service
t to us in time to come.
Dick suggested that We take up som
c Of our studies where we had left Off a,
the time we ran away from home, and
@ he at once determined to devote a por
tion Of each day to history, and higher
I mathematics, while ] 50 firmly resolved
d to find a place in one Of the largest
/, newspaper establishments in the city.
found some trouble in that behalf
n owing. as | then believed and still be
lieve, to the peculiaritics Of my Southern
dialect, but which preiudicc-if prcju
dice it was-soon yielded to more con.
+ genial feelings, and | was o o quite q
favorite with the greatest newspaper
published in the Dominion, "The Old
< Dominion" and was not long in gaining
o the hatred OF some members Of the
g rcpertorial staff on a rival concern.
But pardon my egotismJ | gave, ap
O parently, such promise of usefulness ir
the new role ] was now playing that
was soon honored with the position oil
c assistant reporter Of the happenings
about town. and was frequently sent out
on gathering tours into various
sections OF the Dominion. The onl,
draw back to all this was my often scpa
ration from Dick.
d But the good fellow was too brave anC
h manly to repine on account OF the situa
" ton, and encouraged me, even, to enter
upon the duties of my new position with
all my soul, mind, might and strength,
ii and so | did.
d | procured the necessary books or
1t stcnography, and began the work o
preparation with the view to becoming
1t an expert in my new profession.
a Time and space forbid me giving tn,
II reader more than the mcrcst outline o
the ordeal through which ] passed.
| would sit at my table in my bed
70 room, both at Ottawa and abroad, unit
the still small hours of the night labor
iously striving TO master the art.
it finally got So far along as to be adj,
r, to dot down pretty accurately som,
Y passages out Of history as the words fel
from the lips Of Dick as he would reat
1t in a slow and deliberate voice.
If But, like David Capperiicld, ] fount
" it exceedingly difficult to translate m,
ie own work into Ineligible English.
'p Already had we determined as To oul
ir future course by the following evening
" when we were to call at No. 1863 Vim,
ST., for an interview with the it'll,
O. darky's father. In response to "A pull "A,
fc the door bell we were admitted into 4;
Of spacious drawing room by the lad whom
lie we had met the day before, and polltel,
k invited to be seated while he should an
{, a., ,,,. coll 4. .