Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-01-23
TWO RUNAWAYS
By HARRY sTLLwELL EDWARDS.

By HARRY sTnLWELL EDWARDS
(Copyright, lssa, by the Century Company. An
rights reservedJ
CONTINUED from ye.terday.)
Tho major stood this persecution. It
may be, for IS minutes, then the pa
thence Of the fisherman was exhausted
/. AS the hour wore away, ! regret to say
that the swearing became almost con-
tinuous, and the major reached what
Is generally termed Estate Of mind
lsam was approaching the camp when
the language Of the fisher attracted has
attention.
'.Oomhoo," he said, stopping to lis
ten. "sum' n dun gone wron wild Mass
Craffud."
Creeping to the edge Of the brake, he
behold his companion engaged In his
unequal conflict with the fate that at
times overtakes all fishers. Isam
ducked back and held his sides.
LEI dere's anyt'n go'n ter upset dat
kind er man quick, hits cats. Des
liss' n nowi"
/, Tho negro peeped out again. The
major was lashing the water with an
unfortunate victim, then he saw the
irate fisherman drop Ghuge cat upon
the bank and with 1ho paddle dash him
to pieces, and agaiArind another be-
meath his heel and end by kicking the
remains far out into the stream.
Isam reveled in this display Of passion
until wearied out and then prepared to
make his presence known. Going back
u hundred yards into the canebrake, he
sf1otidered his well stuffed sack and
lifted his voice in song:
~ ..sum folks shy niger won steal:
caught one in my co'nfiel."
He. was cheerfully giving expression
to-. this suggestive refrain when he
broke in upon the scene and pretended
to stumble over gasping cat. Down
came his bag.
4"Dere. now, ef Good pick'd de ve'y
fish wanted fur ter mex dat chowd'r,
hit 'ud er been dis same cat" Isam's
teeth shone, and his eyes glistened. As
he looked about and saw. the other I'M
welcome captives he threw up his
hands.
where you catch m, Mass Graf
fud?"
fright here" said the major, re-
garding him suspiciously, land have
Mt. been catching anything else for an
hour.
"Den dom yer stop now. You des
20 rite long ketchin 'em, en- we go'n
ter hav' er chowd'r fun way back.
Spec we'll want bout six moro big
ones. How long es hit bin sence you
had catfish chowd'r, Mass Craffuds"
The majors passion was vanishing.
About go years, reckon, Isam."
"Well. den, hit ain go'n ter be 20
years TO you git ernuther. I'm go'n
ter git ev'n wi desc hyah big moufs en-
bout er mint. Lor, Lori Els Iwuz
cummin long back KEEP a-sayin, Now
Mass Cratfud ain go'n ter ketch nuthin
but brim er yallerbelly wat aim good
fer chowd r meat. en- all dis con en- YIN
guns gotter be eat des dry SO, en-, bless
goodnessi hyah's dc chowd'r dun hat
made on lyin retldy." And Isam began
to shake his own prizes from the bag.
where did you get that corn?" The
major fixed his eye sternly upon the nom
chalant babbler.s s*slf 49,
dis CON-" said 1sam. shocking an
ear, "es wat dey calls 'vol'nterry
con- Hit es con wat cum up fun
las year seed wat de river en- de hog
scatter. En- desc yinguns es Nv de vile
kline wat es always up en- er-doin."
The major made no reply. but fixing a
new flathead on his hook cast it far into
the stream.
Above blazing fire Isam soon had
his kettle swinging, and within its
depths sputtered great chunks of fish as
they rose and, sank in a lake of green
corn and onions. With the earnestness
OF a wizard preparing his strange con-