Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-01-23

Ana worse. b became actively parti-
ceps cximinis. Hs fearned to creep n
9 tlse spreading 6eld Of "volu3f9
corn'-which, 81 the way. invaded the
swamp Lands and rose in columns Of
surprising rsgularity and to load bag
with the juicy ear. { He teuewed m
early skill and crawled behind snake
fences to abstract dew christened water
melons. In short, he gave way 70 saw
agery; for tho time bedng civilization
knew him not.
No especial time for breaking camp
had been Get, but the time was ap-
preaching, and the signs were evident.
The whisky had long since vanished.
and the tobacco was threatening to fol.
low the whisky, when m event occurred
which left tradition that old folks In
middle Georgia yet tell with tear dim
med eyes and sfraining sides.
The. worthy pair had been foraging
for dinner and were returning heavily
laden The major bore sack Of corn.
and Isam led the way with three water
melons. Unless the reader has attempt
ed to carry three watermelons, he Will
never know the labor that Isam had i'm
posed upon himself. The two had just
reached the edge Of the canebrake, be-
yond which lay the camp. and were en-
tering the narrow path when Inagni-
ficent buck came sweeping through and
collided with Isam with such force and
audiences as to crush and spatter his
watermelons into q pitiful ruin and
throw the negro violently to the
ground. Instantly the frightened man
seized the threatening antlers and held
on, yelling Justify for help. The deer
made several Intellectual efforts to free
himself, during which he dragged the
negro right and left without difficulty,
but finding escape impossible turned
fiercely upon his unwilling captor and
tried to drive the terrible horns through
his writhing body.
80 Lor, y Lory' screamed 1sam.
20 Lor, Mass Craffud, cum holp me
tn dis buck loos'. !"
The laugh died away from Major
Worthington g lips. None knew better
than he the danger into which Isam had
plunged. Not stick, brush, stone or
weapon Of any description was at hand
except his small pocketknife. Hastily
opening that, he rushed upon the deer.
Isam's eyes were bursting from their
sockets and appealed piteously for the
help his stentorian voice was frantical-
.ly imploring until the woods rang with
his agony. Major Worthington caught
the nearest antley with his left hand
and made fierce lunge at the animals
throat. But the knife's point was miss
ing, and only trifling wound was in.
flicted. The next instant the deer met
the new attack with rush that carried
Isam with it and thrust the major to
the ground, the knife falling out Of
reach. Seeing this, the negro let 60
his hold, rolled out Of the way, and with
mighty effort literally ran upon the
top of a branching haw bush, where he
lay spread out like bat and moaning
piteously: - '4
"Stick ter 'im,. Mass Craffud, stick
ter 'irnl Wo', deer; wo'. deeri Stick
ter i'm, Mass Craffud!"
And the major stuck. Retaining his
presence of mind. he threw his left arm
over the deer's neck, and still holding
with his right the antler looked about
for Isain, who had SO mysteriously dis
appeared. Something like the hold he
had had more than once in boyhood and
served him we'll in school combats. But
he had never tried to hold full grown
buck, and so he somewhat anxiously
searched the scene for the valiant negro.
The first words he heard distinctly
were: t'-@.
"Stick ter i'm, Mass Craffud, stick
ter 'iml Hits better fur one ter die
den bofel Hole i'm, Mass Craffud,
hole 'iml Wo', deer; wo', deerl Stick
ter i'm, Mass Craffudl Steddy! Look
out fur es ho'ul Wo', deerl Steddy.
Mass Craffudl"
By this time the struggles Of the beast
had again ceased, and wearied from his
double encounter he stood with his head
pulled down to the ground half astride
lu0 uCoPCA AtO AAdAAp WIZ "eAo AOANAA6 w
for life., Whether Major Worthington
was frightened or not il is hard to cay,
probably he was, but there was no doubt
about his being angry when he saw lsam
spread out in the haw bush and heard
his address. His face was livid with
rage, and foam ard sweat mingled up
on it. As soon as he caught his breath,
he burst forth with:
"You internal black rascal, why don't
you come-down out Of that-bush and
help-me?" lsain's face was pitiful in
its expression. His teeth chartered. and
he fairly shook the bush with trembling.
Don, Mass Craffud, dom. You ain
got no time ter cuss now. Lif' up yo'
voice en- prayi Lor, Lor, ef ev'r man
had er call ter pray, you dun got It
now."
Eor ono Spe<o NJ - 1oolyo6 NJ ~ kho N a.