News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1894-03-01

"LOT bless my So1u, CT nc am uun gone
ter slCep"
monies appropriate to the occasion, he
approached the major, and with tri-
umphant flourish extended large tum-
bier of red liquid from which gracefully
arose q small forest of mint.
Dun foun er moo SPRING" he said,
but the man propped against the cy-
press was motionless, and his hands
were folded peacefully in his lap.
STOPPING down, Isam peered cautious
ly under the broad hat brim, with the
whispered ejaculation: ''Lor bless
my soul, eff he ain dun gono ter sloep!
| recken dat las 10 railer was pow full
wurrin ter r man r his fat. Mass
Craffud, Mass Craffudv' No answer
came.
Getting down on his knees, he care
fully inserted with spoon few drors
of the beverage between the lips of the
sleeper and allowed them to percolate
downward. AS the apple" of the
frightened throat darted up and glided
down again into place he whispered:
"Mass Craffud, es yer dun fainted?'
The eyes opened, and the major sat
bolt upright. The next minute he
drained off the drink and sat contem-
plating the honest face, IN whose eyes
was peculiar look.
Tank de goodnessp' exclaimed
Isam. Il bin er holdin dis hyah Julup
hyah fur half er hour. Ain nev'r
known you ter balk at er julup TO en-
40 yeaurs!'
"That came in the right time, Isam,
and it's good whisky" said the major
heartily. Where did you get it?
"Yessir," chuckled the negro, hits
good, but hit ain good ter ask er stray
hen watts layin en- your orchud whar
she belong er how many teef she got. y
The major realized that he had be-
come guest. He laughed, sank back
against the tree and soon again was
| lost in slumber. When he awoke, there
| had been a decided change in his sur
roundings. A low fire burned few
yards away, and sundry t1ps of-baeon
were browning in a frying pan set
iauntily thereon, while from the ashes
beneath the brown ends of hoecakes pro-
truded.
#" Tain but er bite, said Isam apol-
ogetically, "but des wait tell de fish git
mixed up wild dem sum er desc days,
en- den you see W at hit es ter be loos' 'en
free."
To be loose and freel The major
fixed his eyes upon the old negro as he
produced tin platters from his kit an
transferred the smoking viands, humble
but savory, from the frying pan. The
words haunted him, and as the smoke
arose there fioated upon his vision pic
lures of boyhood's escapades. lsam had
belonged to him from his own infancy,
though for the first 10 years tho ques-
ton of ownership seemed altogeth3i
unsettled, for the negro was five or SIX
years the senior. How they had hunt
ed and strayed off and set gums tor rab-
bits and res for birds and robbed
nestsl Loose and freel Old Isam sur
yeyed with proud satisfaction the ma
jor's fierce attack upon the morning
meal.
"Dero ain no spring chick'n en- der
pan," he said sententiously, but er
fuss rate app'tite kin git des' es good
er grip ON er flip or bacon es hit kin on
er yaller leg chicken"
There is something In that, sald
the major. "Get your flip, you black
rascal, and go to eating But lsam
shook his head.
mo, sab. Wen er nigg'r feeds, he
DON wan no wife folks roun, Ho
wan ter git off en- mop do pan 'thout
'tract'n 'tention ter hissef. ="
1T seems to me, said the major, as
he transferred another flip of bacon to
his platter, THAT it must be mighty