The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-05-15
GUILTY HANDS.

Yes, sir, IL was the spring OF 1865.
Won could tell that from the way the
clouds blew up from Richmond, but the
inhabitants of ''ole Squire Godbolt's''
quarters were tho only ones who knew
that sign Marin Hubby originated the
idea She would stand in the midst of
n conclave of woolly heads ndpointing
TO shadowy clouds Just rising above the
horizon would roll her eyes In most orac-
ular fashion, and her words would
emerge ponderously, a the telling blows
Of o sledge hammer.
"De smoke ann 'cendin, >, she would
say, land de Yanks ann hittin hard.
Chillun, we am gwine 10 lebe here
SOON"
No one doubted her. They had great
faith in Marin Hubby, and she told their
fortunes in coffee grounds and chased
the witches away from thcir beds. But
there was one man who did not believe
in signs. That was Terror Fire. He
would grunt disdainfully MT her prognos-
.tications and heap ridicule upon her
signs.
"Nebber yo' min, Terror Fire, she
would scream wrathfully, "some OBJ my
signs am gwine ter be 20 ondoin. Now,
yo' min. Yo' amt done been bit To-
times by o moccasin fer muffin. OATS
sign enuF dat de debble ann i'm yer.
Now, all yo' niggers hear me talkinT'
I'VE hears yo', Marin Huldy," they
would say, and Terror Fire would laugh
a loud, slow laugh and trot of to his
cabin He was great, Terror was. He
was the suriy, cynical Diogenes of the
plantation. and Squire Godbolt often
found it in his heart to obstrnct some of
his sunshine, and once he was aided and
abetted by Marin Hubby. You see it
came about this way:
Attached to the ''big house. and not
far from the quarters there was a poul-
try yard, and in this poultry yard there
dourished and grew many fowls of both
sexes. They were beautiful birds and
the pride of MrR Godbolt's heart Very
well There were more hens thatG roost-
ers; consequently the latter were rare
and much priced However, there were
several roosters, bat one big fellow, who
sultan Of the harem. He ruled the
roost" and every morning just at day
his voice was the first living sound TO
be heard. This fellow was named Adam
and was the apple Of Mira Godbolt's eye
She knew his crow from all the others
and every morning would arouse herself
to catch the liquid notes of his early
then she would fall asleep
again, satisfied that he was there
But M day she awoke and listened,
and listened In vain, for the call Of the
chanticleer. The shades Of midnight
vanished, and the rising sum peeped In
through the cracks, and still no sound
had reused the sleeping world Not q
cock had crowed- They were waiting for
the great lord to have his Say, but the
great lords voice was silent, and Mrs
Godbolt's heart shuddered within her.
She awoke the squire, and together they
repaired to the fowlhouse. There, ON
the roosts and in the nests and on the
ground, were all the chickens, safe and
all but-Adam. Mrs. Godbolt
gave q little scream, and the squire
into the house and blew the horn.
Madly, fercely, he blew IL, and the
sounds brought all the negroes into the
yard
Now" said Squire Godbolt, "T
want you all to listen, for I have got
TO say. You are all paying
attention.
"Yes, sab, /" they chorused, and Marin
Huldy whispered, de Emancipation ann
done come; de smoke am q 'cendin from
But she was wrong; the next words
showed how wrong, and scattered all
ecstatic hopes.
well, " reared the squire, Adam
ID gone, and / am going to find him
Now, the Niger who has that rooster
mp and hand him over"
His words fell like a thunderbolt.
They all knew Adam, and they saw
from the squire's determined look nat
he meant what he said.
Hand him over reiterated the
squire, and every negro's knees shook.
But we ain't got him, squire, an
how can we han him ober when we
got him?"
10 was Terror Fire who spoke. and
some Of them wondered at his nerve, but
Marin Hubby smiled and shook her head.
'aThunderationi' yelled the squire.
well, he's gone. and somebody's got
him, and ] mean TO find out where he iii y
They argued there for two hours. and
at the end of that time were NO wiser
thar nc first. Then Marin Huldy came
to the rescue. She stepped up to the
and dropping d ''curtsy'' wished
10 have D word In private. The NEGROES
were dnmfounded.
Marin Hnldy couldn't a-stole dat
rooster" they said. '.Narm Hubby am
hones'f' 3l
But whatever Marin Hubby was con-
IL pleased the squire, and he
bowed his head and smiled two or three
times during the discourse. Then Marrn
Huldy stepped back, and the squire ad-
vanced 10 the front.
You may all go now, he said. .sbut