Connecticut western news., 1894-05-03
GUILTY HANDS.

GUILTY HANDS.
 Yes, sir, it was the spring of 1865. You could tell that from the way the clouds blew up from Richmond, but the inhabitants of 'ole Squire Godbolt's' quarters were the only ones who knew that sign. Marm Huldy originated the idea She would stand in the midst of conclave of woolly heads, and pointing to shadowy clouds just rising above the horizon would roll her eyes in most orac- ular fashion, and her words would emerge ponderously, as the telling blows of a sledge hammer.
 ''De smoke am 'cendin, !" she would say, 'and de Tanks am hittin hard. Chillun, we am gwine to lebe here soon.
 No one dorsbted her. They had great faith in Marm Huldy, and she told their fortunes in coffee grounds and chased the witches away from their beds But there was one man who did not believe in signs. That was Terror Fire. He would grunt disdainfully at her prognos- tications and heap ridicule upon her signs.
 ''Nebber yo' min, Terror Fire, she would scream wrathfully, "some ob my signs am gwine ter be yo' ondoin. Now, yo' min. Yo' ain't done been bit fo' times by moccasin fer nuttin. Oats sign enuff dat de debble am in yer. Now, all yo' niggers hear me talkin?"
 ''We hears yo', Marm Huldy," they would say, and Terror Fire would laugh loud, slow laugh and trot off to his cabin. He was great, Terror was. He was the surly, cynical Diogenes of the plantation, and Squire Godbolt often found it in his heart to obstruct some of his sunshine, and once he was aided and abetted by Marm Huldy. 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 hourished and grew many fowls of both sexes. They were beautiful birds and the pride of Mrs. Godbolt's heart. Very well. There were more hens than roost- CTS; consequently the latter were rare and much prized. However, there were several roosters, but one big fellow, who was 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 Mrs. Godbolt's s eye. She knew his crow from all the others and every morning would arouse herself to catch the liquid notes of his early salutation; then she would fall asleep again, satisfied that he was there. But one day she awoke and listened, and listened in vain, for the call of the chanticleer. The shades of midnight vanished, and the rising sun peeped in through the cracks, and still no sound had reused the sleeping world. Not a cock had crowed. They were waiting for the great lord to have his "say," but the great lord s 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 sound, all but-Adam. Mrs. Godbolt | gave 8 little scream, and the squire rushed into the house and blew the horn. Madly, fiercely, he blew it, and the sounds brought all the negroes into the yard.
 'Now," said Squire Godbolt, "I want you all to listen, for I have got something to say. You are all paying attention?''
 "Yes, sah, " they chorused, and Marm Huldy whispered, ''De Emancipation am done come; de smoke am cendin from Richmond. "
 But she was wrong; the next words showed how wrong, and scattered all ecstatic hopes.
 "Well," roared the squire, Adam is gone, and l am going to find him. Now, the nigger who has that rooster step up and hand him over."
 His words fell like thunderbolt They all knew Adam, and they saw from the squire's determined look that 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 ain't got him2"
 It was Terror Fire who spoke, and some of them wondered at his nerve, but Marm Huldy smiled and shook her head
 'Thunderationr yelled the squire Well, he's gone, and somebody's got him, and mean to find out where he is. ''
 They argued there for two hours, and at the end of that time were no wiser than at first. Then Marm Huldy came to the rescue. She stepped up to the squire, and dropping ''curtsy" wished to have word in private. The negroes were dumfounded.
 Marm Huldy couldn't a-stoie dat rooster" they said. "Marm Huldy am hones'''
 But whatever Marm Huldy was con. fessing it pleased the squire, and he bowed his head and smiled two or three times during the discourse. Then Marn Huldy stepped back, and the squire ad vanced to the front.
 "You may all go now, he said, "but tonight at 2 o'clock I want to see yo1 all back in this yard-every chick an child" And they departed.
 Many of them stunned Marm Huldy cabin during the day, but the old wom an was busy up at the 'big house. an was not aware of it.
 Night came and with it all the hand from the quarters. They were all ther at 2 o'clock sharp Ten minutes pas Squire Godbolt came out and after hir Marm Huldy and two boys with great b1aolr ,,nt The snuira drpxv a c;rcla a,o