Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1893-09-04


S--s lll of the slaves on hel
' children. She had
.---.--..~a =, azszsusz, caused ten-foot
T1T0 fence to be built
between the great house yard and
the quarters of the house servants, and
beyond this fence Rob was forbidden,
under severe penalties, to go.
But alas the fence only served to
increase Rob's desire to go to the
quarters. A visit to Uncle Isaacs or
Aunt Esther's cabin had always been q
delight to him. 1t was his chiefest
Joy to sit in the chimney corner, and
while the 'possum cooked in the skillet
and the ash-cake baked on the hearth
listen to tales of spooks wanderin2 2
through lonely graveyards and cha nts'
infesting deserted houses until his
flesh crept.
These enticements, always strong,
became irresistible after the erection of
that fence. Many q night after he
was supposed to be tucked up in
bed sound asleep, Rob had scaled the
wall and found his way to Uncle Ike's
! cabin.
One night when Rob was unlawfully
present Uncle Ike announced that he
should start for Lake Cocodri next
morning before daylight, and request
ed his col CONAN" to put him up n
snack of corn bread and bacon to re-
fresh him on the way.
"What are you going to Cocodri
for, Uncle Ike, asked Rob-
'I'se gwine cotch mess O. fish fur
yer ma, honey. She say to me dis ar
ternoon, Uncle Ike she say, rs
gwine hab lots o comp'ny to-morrer,
n | wants nice dish o. fish fur din
ner, n you's de man to cotch EN- ;
N SO is. Eff dar's trout in dat lake
Use boun fur ter hab him out'n dar
TO ten erclock tomorrer.
'please, Uncle Ike, let me go! ]
can catch fish, too, and between us
We'll be sure to get enough"
Oats SO, chile, case / done teached
yer to bait yer hook n frow yer line
myself. But whar yer ma gwine say
bout you gwine tishin', stead o gwine
to school?"
"Oh, I'll make it all right with
mother. She won't care, ] know. ]
can get her consent"
"Well, honey, ole Ike'll be pow full
proud o yer comp'ny, eff so be's yer
sholy sagashuate yer ma OBJ yer per-
tensions
Before daybreak next morning Rob
stole softly out of the house and Joined
Ike at the stables. He had not had the
slightest intention to ask leave. His
father was absent on "camp-hunt"
for deer, and Rob was quite certain
that his mother would not let him go.
His teachers rules against truancy
were strict and rigidly enforced; md
besides, Cocodri was considered a very
dangerous place.
This lake, in central Louisiana, was
once so much infested by great nlli-
gators that the French called it Lake
Crocodile, and its present name is but
a corruption of that term. Nor had
the race of saurians died out there, by
any means. Many alligators still in
habited it,
The lake was one of the best fishing
grounds in the neighborhood, but
none except expert boatmen ever ven
tured upon it. There were strong
eddies and counter currents in many
places-for the lake is but broaden
ing of river which flows through it.
A capsize was especially dangerous on
account of the alligators.
Rob knew all this, but the sense of
peril only added zest to his anticipa-
tion of pleasure.
1t was glorious summer morning.
The cool breeze, laden with the per-
fume of the pine-trees, blew freshly in
their faces. Rob's pony paced gaily
alongside of old Ike's mule. The old
man was full of chat. Rob would have
been happy under other circumstances,
but he was not happy now.
An uneasy sense of falsehood and
bao conduct weighed heavily on him.
he had not only deceived and disobeyed
ms mother, but had duped the honest
old negro into believing that she sane
toned his frolic. He had untruthfully
made Ike responsible for his own esca-
oade.
Besides, his father might be at Co.
codri hunting, for the swamp about
the lake was famous covert for deer
Suppose they met what would follow
More falsehoods, or else humiliatinp
confession in presence of all the gen,
tlemen of the neighborhood. Better
confess now to Ike, and turn back.
But though Rob was ashamed of his
deceit, he was also ashamed to acknowl-
edge it, and went doggedly on, trying
to quiet his conscience Ivy repeating to
himself, cts no harm to go fishing
Mother won't mind when she knows
I'm with Uncle Ike. She knows he'll
take care Of me- And If the teacher