The Opelousas courier., 1893-10-14

F71 fence to be bull
between the "great house. yard ant
the quarters of the house servants, anc
beyond this fence Rob was forbidden
under severe penalties, to go.
But alas! the fence only served tc
increase Rob's desire to go to the
quarters. A visit to Uncle Isaac's OF
Aunt Esther's cabin had always been 1
delight to him. It was his chiefest
Joy to sit in the chimney-corner, an6
while the 'possu2 cooked in the skillet
and the ash-cake baked on the hearth
listen to tales of spooks wandering
through lonely graveyards and "ha'n ts'
infesting deserted houses until hi
flesh crept.
These enticements, always strong,
became irresistible after the eyection OF
that fence. Many a night after he
was supposed to be tucked up in
bed sound asleep, Rob had scaled the
wall and found his way to Uncle likes
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 "ol' CONAN to put him up q
snack of corn bread and bacon to re.
fresh him on the way.
"What are you going to Cocodr1
for, Uncle Ike" asked Rob.
"I'se gwine cotch a 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 I wants a nice dish O. fish fur din
ner, n you's de man to cotch EN-
N SO lis. Eff dar's a trout in dat lake
Use boun' fur ter hab him out'n dar
TO ten erclock to-morrer."
"Please, Uncle Ike, let me go! /
can catch fish, TOO, and between us
we'll be SURE to get enough"
"Dat's SO, chile, case I done teached
yer to bait yer hook n frow yer line
myself. But whar yer ma gwine say
bout you gwine ishin', stead o gwine
to school?"
ooh, I'll make it all right with
mother. She won't care, l know. I
can get her consent"
"Well, honey, ole Ike1l be pow'ful
proud o. yer comp'ny, eff SO be's yer
sholy sagashuste yer ma OBJ yer per.
tensions"
Before daybreak next morning Rob
Etole softly out of the house and joined
Ike at the stables. He had NOT had the
highest intention to ask leave. His
ather was absent on a "camp-hunt"
or deer, and Rob wal quite certain
hat his mother would not let him 90.
teachers rules against truancy
yere strict and rigidly enforced; and
Cocodri was considered q very
dangerous place.
This lake, in central Louisiana, was
nee SO much infested by great ALI
,ators that the French called it Lake
crocodile, and its present name is but
corruption of that term. Nor had
he race of saurians died out there, by |
ny means. Many alligators still in
it.
The lake wa one of the best fishing
rounds in the neighborhood, but I
zone except expert boatmen ever ven
ured upon it. There were strong
ddies and counter currents in many
'laces-for the lake is but a broaden
ng of a river which flows through it.
capsize was especially dangerous on
ccount of the alligators.
Rob knew all this, but the sense of
eril only added zest to his anticips.
ion of pleasure. q
1t was a glorious summer morning.
he cool breeze, laden with the per-
ume of the pine-trees, blew freshly in
heir faces. Rob's pony paced gaily
longside of old likes mule. The old
was full of chat. Rob would have
cen happy under other circumstances,
ut he was not happy now.
An uneasy sense of falsehood and
ad conduct weighed heavily on him.
lie had not only deceived and disobeyed
is mother, but had duped the honest
Id negro into believing that she sane
loned his frolic. He had untruthfully
lade Ike responsible for his own esca-
ade.
Besides, his father might be at Co.
eari hunting, for the swamp about
he lake was Q famous covert for deer.
oppose they met what would follow?
lore falsehoods, or else a humiliating
onfession in presence of all the gen.
emen of the neighborhood. Better
now TO Ike, and turn back.
But though Rob was ashamed of his
eceit, he was also ashamed to acknowl-
1ge it. and went doggedly on, trying
, quiet his conscience by ~repeatingto
"It's no harm to go fishing.
won't mind when she knows
m with Uncle Ike. She knows he'll
IKE care of me. And If the teacher
pes whip me tomorrow, I shall have
I'd my fun, anyway"
But the fun would not begin. Rob
as not enjoying himself at all. At
st he grew SO uncomfortable that he
as forced to disburden his mind of
portion of its load.
"UncIe Ike" he said, 81 feel like
,mething bad was going TO happen to
to-day"
"Whaffer you say dat, Marse Rob,
asked the old man, anxiously.
| druther be gwine down to de plan
ttion wild q note in my pocket fur a
dan fur you TO git hurried
ngerme. Whaffer you say dat, chile?"
"Oh. / don't know" replied Rob,