Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-02-22
TWO RUNAWAYS
By HARRY 8TILLWBLL EDWARDS.
lCopyri.:iIt. l -, 10y the Century Company. All
rights rrstrvCG.l
CHAPTER l.

/ iufu W tlllllSlOu, WHO III UulcDCllltLll
days kept open house in Baldwin Coun-
ty Major Worthington, as he was call
ed because of some faucied aid he had
extended To his country during the diff
Guilty with Mexico, WAS not type
unless 10 l." one of many singular char
uctcrs in region whose peculiar insti-
/ tutions admitted of the widest eccen-
! trcities can constitute type. He
| lived III the midst of peace and plenty
! UI.'I his plantation net many miles
/ from 2IllvdS,ville. surrounded Iy SOW
! trdl hundred slaves with whom he was
! upon singular Int easy terms. His
| broad. rolling fields. his almost bound
| less pastures, his solemn fronted and
tall columned house. his comfortable
"quartcrs. where dwelt the negroes,
| all bespoke prosperity and indrprnd-
| eucr Indrpeudcnt he WAS No prince
! ever ruled with sway more potent than
this bachelor planter, surrounded by
| his blacks and acknowledging none
other than his own will.
This mal kvd character was Il man be
/ low medium height. His figure inclined
very decidedly to portliness, and be
vOnd Il long. narrow mustachc and thin
/ imperial ot black and gray his face
WAS clean shavcn. Iron gray hair in
abundance Crtpt ont from under the
white felt hat he generally Wore, and
his mixed suit Of gray was illumincd
ty Il rutflcd shirt and broad spreading
cuffs of the finest linen.
Self willrd and eccentric are weak
words with which to stamp this gentle
mans actions. In the long days of his
idlyu,sS. when the legislature was not
in session, the negro was an unfailing
s,uIc" of anus m"nt and study to him
and his sole diversion, for he despised
books from the day he left college, and
beyond sporting journal and paper
from Il nvighboring city he had no
periodical. OF course he was Wing.
Upon the day which | have selected
IL open u page in the experience of
Major Crawford Wurthington he was
sitting upon his broad vtranda. which
swept lack from the front around to
the shady eastern exposure and over
Looked tn spacious hack yard. Two
scuIy Ti~h&uuI,li,S in short shirts had
scrambled i'll front Of him for small sill
Yer c,,ius Us he scattered them upon
the ground beneath. The tears wrung
from him hy their cuuIurtiuns and fun
ny Pastures had dried upon his checks.
AMI wrlrV Of the sport he had turned
away The llHck athletes hy means of Il
fyw s,uur,l+ If cold water Skillfully APP
piled tn their half clad forms, had set
TIL back IL cuJuy the afternoon and
fell a-drramiug.
He rCmymls,ryd. in that easy method
common Il dreams. how years before
h had st upon that same perch watch
iT-; Il favuritr old negro catching chick
,I,~ in tn. yard. "I>an,' he had said.
lul moving with jyrky little motions
that >.e.m"d always To- attunr themselves
Il his Iua-trr' : ll.u.,,l~ IL expressed in his
tuu,s I>u,r had minced up the steps.
I>aIu. H.. had continued, Won are
fixing To run AWAY
aforementioned the startled look that
swept over TIA funny little mans coun-
'cumr.. and his answer:
''Lurl mUS>y. Mass Craffud. who
tv'r hvah d. like CT dat
Yes. sir. and yuu are fixing to start
riEht AWAY.
Thu had r,cn genuine grief in the
nr-rn' Vnicr as he replied:
F. Gavd. Mass Cratfud. Won dun
ct d. wrong ui-Eer dis time. ISam is
.i-h ,ut, 7 ~ wear ole, on he ain nev'r
let d. place ON IT run Yet. No, sab"
ISam. however. spurrcd on by the
suggestion. had really run of. and the
ovvrSarr had secured the country for
him in vain. The black was enjoying
freedom beyond recall, hut one morn
ing while the major WAS hreakfasting
alone. and his two servants who attend
ed the table were busy with fiybrush
and wafil,S, I>am suGd, My stood i'll the
doorway. His cluth,s were torn and
Suilcd. and his fac Wore hangdog
look that WAS i'll truth cnmical. Since
that day old I>am had run away an
nually about the same time of the year,
and this without ans apparent cause.
Evidently this was what the major
WIS thinking Of. for smiles came and
went upon his face like shadows I'M
der tho >wayiu-; lniIhuSa. And when at
last his eyes fell again upon the old ne
gro:
''I<um!" 10 said. just as he had spo-
ken years ago.
Yes. si-, " and tho jrrky little tones
were the same
" You are fixing to run away, ISam!"
Nj" and again that reproachful.
protesting voice
Yes, You; just as You have for
years. Guu are getting ready to start
have had my eye on yuu for Il wu,k
SUIT. said the major, fixing his lips
iftcr the Warrington fashion. Il am
Ioiug Ia know this time where You go
md why You 20.
There was silence full minute; then
he negro spoke:
Mass Craffud, decd en- l dunno
'zactly how ct is. Hit jos sorter strikes
me, IN I'm gone 10 l know't. En-
dat's or sollum fac. sho. -
Will" said the major. then go
when it strikes you. 1t Is relief to
get rid of you occasionally But if you
get off this time without letting me
know whenyuu tart II cut Your cars oft
when You Come Lack if l don t.
And Isam believed him.
CHAPTER II.
Isam' annual runaway freak had
worried Major WorthingtOn more than