The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-10-08
FREEDOM AND A CABIN.
NOW OLD UNCLE EsAMn GAL
LANTLY EARNED THEM BOTH.
Frightnlng Ride Across The Psmunkey
ont Dark and stormy Night to Save
Two Brothers From n Duel


How Uncle Esam Earned His Corn-patch.
There are many pleasant drives lead
ing out Of Ashland into the surrounding
county of Hanover. To lovers OF nature
In her wilder moods, the scenery may seem
TO lack variety. but its very monotony
gives 1t a kind OF gentle charm. which
is heightened by the many humble rus
tic homes on the wayslde. SO. at least,
thought a gentleman who was driving
slowly down the "Ashcake" road one
afternoon not long ago.
In Odd Hanover one is apt to drive
slowly; one does not feel like dashing
carelessly along hose quiet level stretches
made sacred by so many historic asso-
Citations.
This gentleman. then, as IS the custom,
was driving slowly along the "Ashcake"
road. when he came upon the novel spec
tacle OF an old negro man sitting I'm
chair In the midst of his corn-patch,
hoing as vigorously as his unusual at
titude would permit. As he hoed he sang
gently to himself a quaint melody with
the following remarkable words:
80 sinner-man, row yo' boat one side,
Yo' can't git to hebben on de income tide.
Can't fin no hidin' place down here
80 sinner-man went TO de gates O. hell.
De gates few open an de sinnerman fell,
Can't fin no hidin' place down here"
He had hoed ~ wide a circle as the
length OF his implement would allow,
and just here with great elaboration
moved his chair 10 an unhoed spot and
was resuming both his work and his
song. when his eyes CHANGED TO fall upon
the stranger. The old man paused I'm
response to the gentlemans salutation,
confessed himself only tollerbul" on
account Of a terrible misery in his
knees
lie was an odd old figure sitting there
in the midst Of his sprouting corn. with
his pleasant old black face, twinkling
eyes and kinky grey hair Finding him
inclined 10 talk. the gentleman dismounted
from his buggy and seating himself upon
"a stump that stood socially near, en-
tered into conversation with him. and
finally asked him II he owned the land
he was cutiyating. "COse ] does sab, "
was the somewhat indignant response
Amt you nebber heard now come de
ole Cunnel to glib me dis yer trac' o.
lan2" The gentleman was forced 10 con-
fess his ignorance. but excused himself
by saying that he was stranger and
not very well acquainted I'm Hanover,
and begged the old man to tell the story.
Delighted 10 find listener entirely UNI
familiar with the circumstances the old
fellow began: Well Masr, all dis yer lam
as fer "a yo' kin see. useter blong 90
ole Cunnel Paxton He wuz de gra'-pa
O de young doctor what lives up az de
ole place now. YO' kin see de house ef
yO' des look sOrter Sideways through
de trees dar TO de ief,. 'Tiz nigh onto
forty years sence dat trubble cum UP
an ole marster glib me dis yer lam"
Here the old man lost himself in n host
OF old time memories, and his listener
had 10 bring him back to the present
before be again began. "Yas, dem boys
neber he'd cross wu'd To- dat gyul cum
verde boys? Oh, dey wuz Cunnel Pax
toms sons; twlnses dey wuz. an de onlies'
boys he he'd.
Dey he'd one sister-Aliss Lucy. She went
off to town 20 school, an dat wuz de way
de trubble cum. What town? Why, Rich
mum, sab, oh cose; when we all yer seq
town. we always means Richmun'
Well, Miss Lucy she went on to town 20
school, an dat summer when she cum
home, she brung "a young lady 10 spen
de summer wild her. She had some sort
o. Gurus name dat / nebber could git no
sence out oh, an she didn't talk like We
all. I lowed she WIZ a furriner, an
always did spicion she want 'zactly
quality; bat she suttlny wuz purity.
Dey want no mistake bout dat.
Her hair wuz "a yaller "a de Gavin tos-
sells an she want much bigger dan chile.
but she ulster wide de colts an swim de
rbber des de same ez de boys. Twan't no
time tell bofe oh em wuz des crazy bout
her Dey he'd always ben pow'ful loyin
wild one nudder an dey neber he'd ben
way frum one nudder IN dey lives
Whar Mars Dick wuz dar wuz Mars
Billy,a always cuttin' up an cyarrin
on dey mischief-tell dat yaller haired
gyul cum yer. Den 'twuz all changed.
Bofe Of 'em wuz cotin' Of her an she
WuZ maxim out 10 each one oh 'em dat
she like him de bes Fust twuz Mars
Dick, den twuz Mars Billy. tell 'twant
no wunder dey dldn know whut 20 make
OBJ II.
Now Mars Dick wuz natchelly a jealous
hearted chile an Mars Billy want fer
behine him an 10 long dey got 90
quoilin' an 'sputin' bout eyy little thing
dat cum long, but dey knOwed an we
all knowed dat 'tWus all on count o
dat yaller hair gyul what wuz Yistin
Miss Lucy.
AT last one eyeuln' her an Mars Billy
went ont ridin'. l dis remembers now
how cum dey tux Mars Dicks hawso,
but she rid Mars Billys hawse an he
rid Mars Dicks. Dey Wuz always a
bundunce o hawses on BE place an
I can't see how cum dey TUX Mars Dicks
hawse no way.
We'll, dark cum an Mars Billy an
dat gyul ain ncber cum home yet, an
Mars Dick wuz jes' turrible upset. lie
made out like he mad Gaze Mars Billy
TUX his hawse but we all knowed he
didn' keer nothn bout de hawse. 'Twuz
deg Gaze he 'splcioned Mars Billy wuz
cotln' dat gyul hisself Dat wuz whut
made I'm so Uneasy. 'TwuZ long pas
canle lightin when dey cum rldln up
wild de hawse all kivered wild foam an
Mars Dick ne neber scd a wu'd tell dey
got down an de lady dun gone I'm de
house. den he say. How cum you take
my hawse out De stable an ride i'm ike
de debbil7 Mars Billy he speak up des
ez ambitious % a dawg an say he ride
whut he please. Den dey he'd right smart
mo wuds. an mex thing ] knOwed dem
boys wuz hghtin same "a Fl dey want
no kin Yes, sab. dey III scan'lus FER n
few mlnits. an den I up an hollered
de ladies' Is cumin' saz I. an wif dat
dev quit an went I'm de house. But j
wuz feered dat want De las o dat
furse. 'caze when De PaxtOns lights,
dey fights.
After | put de hawseg up. ! cum long
down yer 10 my cabin. but 'peared Ike
I couldn' Kit no res fer steddyin' bout
dat light de boys he'd he'd. Bout midnight
l heered somebody ridin' down de road,
but 'twuz so dark dat I cOuldn stin-
guish who twuz. / got up an went up
de road todes de gret house an des 81