The Press., 1894-02-15
"Sttck ter tim, Moss Crafatrd"

plight, and that the only hope of rescue lay in the frightened negro up in the haw bush. He changed his tactics when the deer rested again.
 ''Isam,'' he said gently.
 'Yes, honey.
 "Isam, come and help me, old fel- low.
 "Good Gawd, Mass Craffud,' ' said the negro earnestly, "dere ain nuthln 1 woodn' do fur you, but hits better fur one ter die n two. Hits long sight better.
 "But there is no danger, 1sam. none whatever. Just you come down and with your knife hamstring the brute. I'll hold him.
 "No, sah; no, sah; no, sah!' said [sam loudly and with growing earnest ness. No. sah, it won wukl No, sah! You CT in fur hit now, Mass Craffud, en ct can't be holped. Dere ain nuthin kin save yer but de good LOT, en he ain go'n ter, less'n you ak i'm umblelike en er-b 'liev'n en es mussy. 1 prayed wen l wuz down dere, Mass Craffud, dat did, en look wat happ'n. Didn' he sen you like CT aingil, en didn' he git me up hyah safe en wholesum? Dat he did, en he nev'r spec dis nigg'r war go'n ter fling 'essef und'r dat deer arter he trou- ble hisse'f to shove i'm up hyah. Stick ter i'm. Mass Craffud, stick ter i'm. Wo, deer; wo, deeri Look out fur es ho'nl Stick ter i'm, Mass Cratfudl Dere, now-tank de Lorl
 Aga1n the major got breathing spell. The deer in his struggles had gotten under the haw bush, and the ma jor renewed his earnest negotiations.
 "Isam, hesaid as soon as his condi- tion would allow of conversation, Eff you will get down - and cut this brute's legs-l will give you your free dom.'
 Isam's s only answer was groan. And 50 acres-of land." Again that pitiful moan.
 And a mule anda-year' 1ations. " The major paused from force Of cir ] cumstances. After awhile the answer came:
 Mass Craffudl"
 "Well?"
 You know dis nigg'r ben hard work'n en homes en look alter you en yo'n all es life.' a=......-.---.- ,
 "Yes, Isam,'' said the major, you 1 have been-a faithful, honest-nig- ger." There was another pause. Per- l haps this was too much for Isam. But he continued after awhile:
 Well, femme tell you, honey, dere ain' nuthin you got T kin git w'at'll temp dis nigg'r ter git down dere. l Wy" and his voice assumed a most earnest and argumentative tone, deed n hit d be 'sultin de LOT. Ain he dun got me up hyah out'n de way, en don' he spec me fur ter stay? You reck'n he got ruth n t all ter do but keep putin Isam back up CT tree? Nc sah, he dun ten ter me, en eff yo got enny diff culty down dere you en de dee1 kin fight it out. Hits my bizness dei ter keep er-prayin. Wo', deer; wo' deerl Steddy, Mass Craffudl Dere now-t' ank de Lor!''
 Again the major defeated the beast struggles, and there came truce. Blu the man was well nigh exhausted ana saw that unless something was done il his behalf he must soon yield up tn fight. Something like spasm of fea flashed over his face, and in the glanc he cast about him there was the on panic stricken appeal that all men yielt to at some time. It was hard to di there by the terrible horns of the beas astride him, whose eyes glared into hi and whose hot breath was in his face What a death!
 But the next instant he was calm am cautious. There came to his assistanc his fine knowledge of the negro charac , ter.
 "Isam.'' he said slowly and inpres sively. But Isam was praying. Tn major could hardly trust his ears whe he heard the words.
 But, LOT, don let i'm perish 'fc yo' eyes, He's ben CT bad man. H cuss n sware. n play keerds, n bet o horse race, n drink whisky''-- "En he steal-goodness, he tek te stealn like CT duck ter water. Roast , yers, watermilluns, chick k'n-nuthin tc bad fur 'im''--
 "Isam''- -. .s ......s.
 '' 'Tain' like CT nigg'r stealth, To;
 Dey dun know no better en can g
 t'ings enny erway, while he got none,
 but don let i'm perish rite 'fo' "
 eyes. Tek i'm by de slack CT es bricl
 es en shek i'm ov'r de flames, but dol
 let i'm drap''-
 ''Isam!''
 The word came upward in tones
 thunder. Even Isam was obliged
 regard it. He edid so from force of hal
 it.
 l "Yessir. D
 l Then he sobbed forth, 70 Lord Lordy, t'ot we wuz dun homo ag'i in.
 ''No, sir,' said the major sternl
 i've are not at home, and I'll never E
 there. am gong to die. "
 [sa1n gave yell that ought to ,ha'
 been heard q mile away.
 "Oh. don let i'm die. Skeer 'i1
 skeer i'm, Lord. but don let 'ini die,
 "Yes. continued the major, a 'ee going to die. but let tell you somethip y gIsaln. l have been looking into tE e beasts eyes until recognize him. n A sound came from the haw bush Ii v the hiss of q snake, as the negro wi ee'' ashen face and beaded brow gasped iiee an unintelligible word. The Fig 10 chord had been touched at last. Y fl remember Dr. Sam2' lsam s only ] s. ply was moan that betrayed ap ago ls too deep for expression. Well. this It Dr. Sam He got loose the other d it when the plug fell out, and he and e will never give you another hour ssf peace as long as you live''-- ss The sentence was never finishe ,n n With 9 .shriek that was blood curdli f. in its intensity of fear and horror, { + + negro came crashing down through :, bush with his hands full of leav # straight upon the deer. t, This was the crisis. n na The frightened animal made one d
 perate plunge, taking the startled r
 jor by surprise, and the next insts found himself free. He did not rems