The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1896-09-04
GUMBO.
BY WILLIAM P. BROWN.

LuOuEu locally pTOulluCuCJ anu WCh W
do, he wore an aspect as of one always
looking for forebearance and liberation
rather than expecting honor and re-
spect.
One felt a sort of pity at sight of his
hollow-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, tumble-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 flouted
him as being 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 1 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 a
great hearth-stone in the kitchen, he
saw a sight that made him, for the mo-
meut, repent having retained Gumbo to
torment and wait upon him. That
sable worthy, barefooted and in shirt
and draw ers, was staring at his old mas
ter from the doorway, while each hair
of his kinky head seemed to be slowly
Strengthening.
a 6evilish transformation convulsed
Squire Nugle's face. Dashing down his
candle, he sprang forward and seized
Gumbo by the throat, as he stood in the
pale moonlight streaming down from
without.
did you see t." he Missed, fairly
choking with passion.
Gumbo gasped, gurgled, and at last
managed to say: Didn't see muffin,
'ceptin' you, marse."
Squire Mugle slowly loosened his grip,
frightened it again, then took his hand
away, hesitatingly.
Gumbo 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 it was the feeling that
it was near by, unseen, yet felt, as by a
sort of delicious sixth sense-dead to
most people, yet 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-
timing look unfinchingly, though with
an aspect of reproach. The squire seized
Gumbo by the chin, raised the black face
and glanced at it harder than ever.
Then he released the negro and sighed.
81 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 niger.
One night band OF bushwhackers de-
seconded upon them. for the neighboring
ell z hoe
They were 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 rifing some hen
roost when fare was hard, he was faith
full to that one great trust concerning
what Lag under the hearth-stone.
as dey unyunners er is dey rebs,
marse?" he whispered.
ut makes no difference. They are
thieves-so hush up. My all is in your
keeping, Gumbo. H-s-s-h."
One of the men, approaching from
behind. laid a hand on Gumbo's shout
der.
III bet this niger knows where il
is" he remarked. We've hearn bout
you and yer one man, squire. Yer've
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:
81 also hearn what yer said to this
niger jes' now. So. out with the scads
er we'll find a way ter make him talk. y
Boys" exclaimed the leader, "it's
cold work palaverin' out here! Tote
Their squire inter the kitchen. I SEE
thar's fire in thar"