The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1896-09-04
GUMBO.
BY WILLIAM p. BROWN.


though locally prominent, and well To
do, he wore an aspect as of one always
looking for forebearance and toleratlon
rather than expecting honor and re-
spect.
One felt sort of pity at sight of his
ho!low-chested, angular form, which
was somewhat neutraliZed by doubt,
however, when one noted certain hard
lines of minor expression that seemed
! to denote the possession of more forbid
ding attributes.
His wife was dead, and he lived in a
large, tumbla-down house, two miles
from the little Georgia town of Haber-
sham. When the civil war came on he
solo his negroes, retaining only Gumbo
to assist in looking after his imPover-
ished plantation. His neighbors fiouted
him being a unionist, for preferrIng
Yankee gold to good negroes. But
slave property was growing uncertain;
gold was sure, and secret hiding places
plentiful.
Gumbo was short, wheezy and tim
orous. Why the squire kept him, the
least commercially valuable of his
slaves, was wondered at; but the squire
knew, reasoning shrewdly with him
self.
IF / lose Gumbo," he would say, Il
lose nothing much but a fat bag of
| nuisance. The rest of my niggers were
worth their price"
Nevertheless, when the squire rose
one night and hid his gold anew under
great hearth stone in the Eitchen, he
saw a sight that made him. for the mo
ment, repent having retained Gumbo to
torment and wait upon him. That
4
and draw ers, was staring at his old mas
| ter from the doorway, while each hair
| of his l>inky head seemed to be slowly
| Strengthening.
\ devilish transformation convulsed
| Squire Mugle's face. Dashing down his
| candle, he sprang forward and seized
Gumbo by the throat, as he stood in the
I pale moonlight streaming down from
without.
Did YOU see it - he hissed, fairly
| choking with passion.
Gumbo gasped, gurgled, and at last
managed to say: Didn't see nuttin',
'ceptin' you, marse."
Squire Muele slowly loosened his grip,
| frightened it again, then took his hand
away, hesitafingly.
Gumba knew, Where else could he
hide his money? This spot was handy
| right under his fingers. so to speak
| He desired no distant swamp or hollow
| with tell-tale tree marks, as place to
| be hunted for or forgotten, as the case
might be-. He loved his gold with a
warm, personal affection Next to the
| joy of handling il was the feeling that
il was near by, unseen, Yet felt, as 10y a
sort of delicious sixth sense-dead to
most people, vet psychologically alive
TO misers and lovers.
But Gumbo gazed at his old master
with something like moisture in his lit
| tie eyes. He was wounded TO the quick
| by the nature of the squire's evident
suspicion, and he bore the latter's scru-
tinizing look lnfiinchingly, though with
an aspect of r.proach. The squire seized
Gumbo by the chin. raised he black face
and glanced at il harder than ever.
Then he released the negro and sighed.
Il will trust you," he said, at length.
"But if you speak, or even think much
about what YOU have seen and heard,
you are a dead nigger.
One night a band of bushwhackers de-
scended upon them, for the neighboring
mountains were full of these pests then.
They were n set of compound rascals,
clad indiscriminately in blue and gray.
and equally a curse to both confederate
and union sympathizers. They served
Mammon wherever the aid of rope, bull
let or lash could invoke that deity from
the curious hiding places wherein war
stricken families bestowed their valua-
bles.
The squire was routed out. but stood
protestingly on his dignity. He had but
a few head of poor cattle left, too poor
even for army beef.
''Durn yer stock, old mani" said the
leader. I'VE want yer money, so rush
aroun' and git it up"
Gumbo stood quaking behind his mas
ter. Though not above pilfering the
squire's tobacco, or rifiing some hen
roost when fare was hard, he was faith
full to that one great trust concerning
what las under the hearth-stone.
Is-dey unyunners er is dey rebs,
marse?" he whispered.
lit makes no difference. They are
thieves-so hush up Ny all is in your
keeping, Gumbo. H-s-s-h!"
One of the men, approaching from
| behind laid a hand on Gumbos shoul-
der.
III bet this niger knows where IT
is" he remarked. We've hearn bout
| YOU ana yer SQUIRE itt Nc
got money hid away and we're jes' goin'
ter hev Itch, boys?
An echo of assent from the others fol-
| lowed. and the man continued:
Il also hearn what yer said to this
nigger jes' now. So, out with the scads
er we'll find way ter make him talk"
Boys" exclaimed the leader, Its
cold work palaverin' out here! Tote
ther squire inter the kitchen. L see
thar's fire in thar
Once all were inside. some pine knots
were thrown on the embers. then the
header unwound coil of rope from his
] waist.
''Zeb," he commanded, you and Tom
go and cut some hick'ries"
Two men left the room. Gumbo's
teeth chartered with fear and cold, for
he was again clad only in a shirt and
| drawers.
''!'ll give yer two minutes ter tell.
squire. After thet we takes other means
thet yer won't be apt ter like so well"
''Meechin' Mugle" had planted him
self on the hearth-stone, over his idol.
Gentlemen" said he. you are troub-
| ling YOUR sleeves for nothing Don't we
look poor enough? There is meal in the
corner, little corn in the cellar and a
] side or two of bacon. That is all-isn't
it, Gumbo?"
"Fo' Cord, yes, marsei We-uns makes
coffee orten con, an rubs oak ashes on
de meat in placer salt"
4 s.Shat mn will ron rcd 4 hs leader