The Portland daily press., 1893-12-25

pCl
said, "Thank you" but as soon as he
was lost in the may dance again | made
good my escape, and with my pitchfork
over my shoulder crossed the open lots at
a run, and reached the parsonage in rather
q breathless condition, Disguised with my
own folly
The ball had been Il meaningless and
vulgar thing. had not even enjoyed the
dissipation of dancing and eating supper;
] had not spoken to a girl; Jim had not
behaved in what l considered a proper
manner, andif escaped deter. ion should
be lucky, for itlwas later tha@ thought
AS unlocked the kitchen door fancied
saw light beneath the door of the sit
ting room, AID certainly I heard voices.
My uncle had returned, but who was with
him?,
The next moment my heart was in my
mouth, for I heard deep voice thunder
forth:
"Tell me where dat money am, pa son,
or I'll kill you dead-I sartinly will I'ze
come for dat money, an TIE gwine to hab
itp'
knew the voice, and as I recognized it
my heart sank, for it was that of tho ter
ror of Turtle Hollow, great, brutal negro
named Sam-a short of outlaw who had
taken Up his abode in the thick Georgia
pine forest and preyed upon the village
almost at will.
Those who have only met the slim and
respectable colored gentlemen of the
northern states in his best clothes, have
admired the dignifed s'old uncle" in Vir-
ginia or laughed at a co,nical, good ma
tured field darby, happy in the possession
of red silk handkerchief or a big piece of
gingerbread, can form no idea of the ap-
pearance of black Sam. He was enor-
nous and a Hercules in strength. His
features were those of the African savage,
his expression ferocious; he always carried
great club and had knife and pistol in
his belt, even when he went to the store
for crackers and cheese and tallow can
dies. But be paid for what he bought,
however he got his money, and no one was
sure that he had killed the peddler who
was found in the road, or that it was he
who robbed the postoffice, or sacked the
Smith mansion while the family were gone
to a wedding
There were other bad people in the
world, and until Sam was caught in some
more terrible act than pilfering the au-
thorities had not cause for arresting him.
Whenever this was done there would be
bloody work, and people felt that it was
better to lose little live stock and gar
den produce than their lives So Sam
reigned in his forest solitude, monarch of
all he surveyed.
It was he who was now threatening my
uncle, and who would perhaps murder
him, for the good man was determined
and would protect the property of others
even with his life.
As for me, was only II and should be
as wisp of straw in his hands. There
were no neighbors within call, and there
were no firearms in the house.
However, my place was at my uncle's
side, and without a moments hesitation
dashed the door open and rushed in,
utterly forgetting my costume, in my
great excitement, fourishing my pitch
fork-which was not dangerous weapon,
being made of wire and gilt paper-and
uttering a shout of ssHere ami Here
amp
AS I entered, my uncle sat in his arm
chair, and Sam lowered above him, -four
ishing his great dagger. But in an in
slant the scene changed. The negro ut
tered howl, his knife fell from his hand,
and he lay upon the floor, hiding his face
and roaring:
"OL, good Lord, save mel Oh, Marse
Debil, don't take mel Oh, pa'son, hab
mercyl 'pents my sins-'deed doesl I
'pents 'em, sartin sure Oh, Marse Debil,
spare mel"
Evidently he took me for his satanic
majesty in person, and while I inwardly
prayed that he might not be undeceived
my uncle, with great self possession, fol-
lowed up the advantage.
"You see what happens to any one who
tries to murder preacher, Sam, +" he said.
"Yet, perhaps I may intercede in your be-
half, if you really mean to repent and be-
come a good Christian"
II does indeed, NASSAU said Sam.
tGive him five minutes to go, then,
Beelzebub, for my sake, said my uncle.
81 will give him three,''I replied in
hollow voice, and on this the negro, with
out rising, crept to the door on all tours
and crept out of it.
Then we saw him rise and rush wildly
away, vanishing at last in the shadows,
and bolted and barred the outer door and
flung myself on my knees before my uncle
"Kneel to nobody but God, my boy" he
said kindly. II heard that you had gone
to the masquerade ball as satan and was
very angry at you, but it has pleased
heaven 10 Uurn evil 1nUO gOOQ, ana Wen
say no more about the matter. fancy you
/ have been sufficiently punished already,
my boy"
This, however, was not quite the end of
the affair. On the following day there
was revival meeting in the church, and
to the surprise of all the terror of Turtle
Hollow appeared upon the anxious bench
His account of himself was that satan had
appeared to him, and that, in order to es-
cape his clutches, he desired to be a
Christian.
He was prayed over and exhorted, and
finally became a member and is now a
respectable, well behaving person with
family in the village, who tells his expert
cnce at meetings, and how for his sins he
saw satan, though only my uncle and my
SET know exactly where and how he met
Beelzebub, and we keep the secret.-Mary
Kyle Dallas in Fireside Companion.
Seasoning Beefsteak.
Nor can one overestimate this brand
new recipe for seasoning beefsteak, which
has been amended from one which is
high favorite with certain royal good liv-
erS.