Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-07-11
GUILTY HANDS.

quarters were the only ones who knew that sign. Marm Huldy originated the idea She would stand ill the midst of n conclave of woolly heads, and pointing to shadOwy clouds just rising above the horizon would roll her eyes ill most orac- ! ular fashion. and her words would emerge pOnderOusly, as the telling blows of 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 doubted 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 a moccasin fer nuttin- Oats sign enuff dat de debble am in yer Now, all yo' niggers hear me talkin?'' | We ncsiTS ,NO -hsIIn IuItlNy they would say, and Terror Fire would laugh loud. slow laugh and trot of to his cabin. He was great, Terror was He was the surly. cynical Diogenes of the plantation, and Squire Godbolt often found it i'll 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 poul try yard, and in this poultry yard there f1Ourishcd and grew many fowls of both sexes. They were beautiful birds and the pride of Mrs. GOdbolt's heart Very we'll There were more hens than roost- CTS; consequently the latter were rare and much priZed. However, there were several rOOstcrs, but one big fellow, who was sultan of the harem. He ruled the rcOst," 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 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 i'll vain, for the call of the chanticlCcr. The shades of midnight vanished, and the rising sun pceped ill through the cracks, and still no sound had reused the sleeping world. Not q cock had croWcd. They were waiting for the great lord to have his say, but the great lords 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 ill the nests and on the ground. were all the chickens safe and sound, all but-Adam. Mrs. Godbolt gave a 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 have got something to say. You are all paying attcntion:''
 "Ycs, sah." they chorused, and Marm Huldy whispered. ''De Emancipation am done come; de smoke am a 'cendin from ; Richmond"
 But she was wrong; the next words l o4AO"tt lApN NloAE. SNtiANIttL u1i ecstatic hopes
 Well" roared the squire, Adam is gone, and I am going to find him. Now, the niggrr who has that rooster step up and hand him over
 His words fell like q thunderbolt. They all knew Adam. and they saw from the squire's determined look that he meant what he said.
 I,I, 1l, = squire, and every negro's knees shook
 But we ain't got him, squire, al how can we han him ober when WI ain't got him:''
 IT was Terror Fire who spoke, anC some of them wondered at his nerve, bu Marm Huldy smiled and shook her head - ''Thunderation!" yelled the squire Well, he's gone, and somebody's go him, and I mean to find out where he is
 They argued there for two hours, ant n at the end of that time were no wise1 than at first Then Marm Huldy cam, d to the rescue. She stepped up to thC \ squire, and dropping q "curtsy" wished to have a word in private. The negroe. were dumfounded
 = ''Marm Huldy couldn't a-stole dai rooster," they said ''Marm Huldy an |. hones'r'
 But whatever Marm Huldy was con fessing it pleased the squire, and h. bowed his head and smiled two or thres times during the discourse Then Maru Huldy stepped back, and the squire ad vanced to the front.
 You may all go now. he said, ''bu
 tonight at o'clock want to see 70 all back in this yard-every chick an
 child" And they departed
 Many of thakh summed Marm Huldy
 cabin during the day, but the old won
 an was busy up at the ''big house" an n was not aware of it
 Night came and with it all the hand
 from the quarters They were all thel ] at o'clock sharp. Ten minutes pa.
 Squire GodbOlt came out and after hil
 Marm Huldy and two boys with grea r. black pot The squire drew a circle an to placed the inverted pot in the cente
 Then he turned to the crowd
 ''Now, " he said, "all of you see tn
 pot? Well, that is to decide who sto s Adam" There was a show of interes N "Adam is gone, and he has got to I J, found, or his approximate whereabout
 Now, all of you step up. I am going
 extinguish the light, and it will be dar
 Then all of you walk around that pc
 touching it with your two hands as y'
 pass. Let your palms come down fu 6. upon it You all see that pot It has be
 washed, but after the test and the hg 1 is turned on the guilty man will ha'
 soot upon his hands. Now, out with u
 light, and here goes"
 They formed in a ring and around u