The morning call., 1894-09-21

his side and resting his chin On his cane,
proceeded slowly:
Jake was a slave once, boy. Dobbin.
your grandfather owned him. That was
good many years ago, fore the law made
rs all free. An axe had boy of his own.
he was black, but he was Jake's son, and
Jake loved him. Dobnin own lots of land
den-good land. too. Dem iOwlands you-
der was his, an folks said he was rich. But
he wasn't an he had to sell. Fust he sole
All Dat land dar. Dat was his own. Den
ne sole Jake's son. He was mine. Boy. l
plead hard for him. | telPd masser I'd
WORK night an day-an' | could 10 il then,
out wasn't no use. Dey took him down
De river. an Jake never seen him no more.
Jake was black, but Jake could mourn.
pay an night he wandered up an down
Iru dem woods. Feared like de sun didn't
shine, an de wind didn't blow, fur he
didn't know muffin 'cept dat dey'd took
away his boy. Den by'm by de mad come.
Den didn't mourn, but cursed.
Den L grOwed calm like an talks wild
de spirit. An de spirit tells me Y our boy
Is dead-dead to dis world; go hurry him.
An l went an dug a grave an l calls de
spirit Of my boy an covered do grave up.
1t was night an de storm rOared fru de
Ireetops an de skies was full of fire. [
kDOwed de spirit was in de grave.
Den l prays to de spirit for vengeance.
l nrays fur some power to return de evil
old masser had done me. Ar de spirit
heard my PRAYER, fur when got uD de
moon was breakin' fru de clouds an seed
something shine In de soft dirt | had dug
up. stopped down an l picked up ore.
Den L knOwed my vengeance was come
81 covered up de new ground an put
some Of de ore In my pocket an coed home
l slep' late dat mOrnin' for ] was sure OF
my revenge. When ] wakes i secs masser
an L SAYS; Do you see dat? He took de
ore in his hands, an see his eyes grow
powerful big.
Why, Jake says lie. 'dars ore! Where
did you git it?'
IL diCgeG 1t on your own land, masser,'
saws L
Il seed his eyes grow bigger an bigger
as he rubbed of de dirt and seed de sun
glistrn on de ore.
Jake says he. you're free man.
Take me to dis mine an You shall have
your liberty
Den l sung an Idanced. an yelled.
an masser fought it was 'cauSe | was to
be free. But no.
"Masser," said !, 'Jake's day for bein'
free Is gone. You bound up Jake's soul
when you sold away his boy. Jake Will die
slave now, for he would not be free when
mis- boy Is In chains. Masser, vengeance is
mine. Masser neber'l know where dat ore
lies
AN. chile, he nebber did. He pleads an
he prays. He offers Jake gold an freedom
IN nome. But he coul int give back
Jake's boy. an so Jake held his tongue.
On, chile. 1t has been a great vengeance.
De old man looked for dat mine. but il
wasn't 20 use. De snirit an Jake alone
knowed II, and the spirit guarded it. An
de ole man grOwed crazy like aud couldn't
talk OF muffin but ore. An he made his
Will so that the land can't be sold till
twenty years after your fathers death IN
less the mine is fOun'. An your father
died poor an de acres is a burden. an
you'll die hungry. too"
More and more excited had the old man
grown as his story drew TO a close, aud as
be ended he rose and brought down his
cane upon the hollow floor AS if to put a
period to his curse. Then, without an
other word, he put on his hat and de-
parted. The wind ratified the shutters
and the lightning alone disclosed the
mother and her son clinging in each
others arms.
A week passed, and Jake had not been
seen. dis fish pole. his only companion,
swung unused over the door of his hut.
and peOrle thought he had strayed off in
his crazy mood for every one thought him
OF unsOund mind.
Harry wandered one day over the wood
ed bill. thinking OF the prospect before
him. de had planned some improvements
in the arrangements of the farm. He had
reached high point in the woods and was
looking down deep ravine when the cav
Ing of multitude of crows attracted his
notice. Hurling a stone down the hill
hundreds of them flew crying into the
tree tops and then over the hills. Think
Ing that they must have some extraOrdin-
airy booty he clambered down the gully.
Arriving at the bottom he saw reclining at
the foot of a tree the body of man. The
shlvered bark showed that lightning had
been MS death messenger. lu his hand
was a piece of the ore with which he had
bought his vengeance, and at his feet was
the out cropping ledge.
Another wear and DObbin's farm was
sOld.-New York News.