The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1894-03-03
A SLAVE.
IL Vas Not the Br stal sport Generally sup
posed.

posed.
In the old days when slavery eX.
listed in the south the runaway negro
used TO he tracked by the beagle
hound. Contrary to che general be-
lief the blood hound was not
used for such a purpose in this
country, writes L. i. Mackev, him
self a former slave owner The
beagle which was trained TO follow
any trail was put on the track OF the
slave and followed him up without
hurrying him or manning him when
found as the blood hound would have
done.
In order TO illustrate this Mr..
Mackey tells how a young slave
named Marston had run away from
him and was traced by beagles. The
slave was reared with MS master, who
had a great affection for him. and
when he disappeared IL was feared
some accident had betallen him. Ac.
cordingly, after consultation with
the slaves. mother. who was Mr.
Mackey's old cook, he brought out
the beagles To find his lost servitor.
i accompanied them, writes Mr.
Mackey, with two OF my friends, and
ii was my tirst and last slave hunt.
He was a tinely-formed negro, with
sinewy limbs, fleet AS "A deer. almost,
and OF rare intelligence, and he led
rs a long and puzzling chase. He
had put ~turpentine on the solcs OF
his shoes, and that at first caused the
dogs TO stop frequently and sneeZe.
He tramped in the mire OF several
barnyards, passed through a number
OF negro cabins, and climbed a tree
and went out on a limb overhanging
4 shallow creek and dropped into the
water and waded for nearly a mile.
Several times l thought that the
perpleXed hounds had hopelessly lost
the trial, but they circled for IL, max
ing wider and wider circles until il
was recovered. We came up with
the willy fugitive about q O'clock at
night 1t was three days before
Christmas, and bitter cold, and he
had kindled a large Are near the
edge of a swamp, some two miles
from any travelled road, and was
lying near IL, wrapped in his blanket,
and fast asleep. He lay with his
head TO the fire, according to the
habit peculiar to his race, and 1 could
see his face distinctly as l rode up
within fifty yards OF the spot He
was wearied with the chase. for he
had run about thirty miles, and slept
so soundly that he did not hear the
hounds give tongue as they closed in
upon him. He was still sleeping the
sleep OF the just when they leaped
upon his PROSTATE form. But there
was no tragic scene, for they were
licking his face when he awoke In
amazement and recogniy ed the
hounds They were his fast friends
in a double sense. He had charge
OF them from puppyhood and fed and
fondled them daily. AS he tried TO
push them away he cried out:E
'Get down, you, Lightfoot! You
Glide! Hain't you got no mannas?"
He saw me on struggling TO his
feet and exclaimed:
"Why, Mass Tom, is dat you?9 /
declar'!"
i answered:
Eyes, Marston, and your nanny
has sent me To take YOU home; do
you want TO go?"
lie replied:
Eyes, sab; dar amt no Christmas
tree in dis old swamp. And rs gwine
10 stay home, Mass Tom, when l
gifts back dar, sho as / lib"
Marston was welcomed back to the
plantation as one who was lost and
found again. and dusky groups lis
tened to the story Of his days outing
as If he were "A traveller returned
from some far.ofT country. Sixteen
months later South Carolina 'Iet
slip the dogs OF war" and American
slavery persisted in AppOmattox.
Marston is now a prosperous farmer.
He became "A member OF The State
Senate in 1863, and is the author OF
the act imposing a tax OF So per bead
on hounds.