The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-02-23
Continued from last sunday)
CHAPTER " -(Continuedl.

ering cry of a hound. Before the chill
dren learned the language of the ami
mails they would have said n dog was
bowling somewhere on the plantation
but now they knew that Rambler was
saying:
II am c-o-m-i-n-g!"
In a few minutes he came running
into the cabin, his hair damp with dew
He looked rather sheepish, as the say
ing is, and crouehed near Aaron, as il
he expected to be scolded. Once upon
time Rambler had been black and
tan, but he was now old, and the gray
hairs had wellnigh obliterated the tan,
and were encroaching on the black.
His muzzle was very gray, and his dew
claws had grown until they were near
" an inch and half long. One of his
long ears was split little at the end,
the result of a skirmish with old Mr..
Raccoon. He kept his eyes averted
from Aaron and the children, and seem
ed to be both humble and uneasy. lie
was better satisfied when Aaron told
him what was wanted. Indeed, he be-
came very lively, and went about the
room picking up the scraps of bread
the children had dropped on the floor.
Aaron went Ibis little pine cupboard
and got out rs Of corn bread that
he had save 6m the day before.
Rambler took the bread in his mouth
and then placed it gently on the floor.
Gently wagging his tail, he looked up
in Aaron's face.
"Son of Ben ALI" he said, Il am
getting old, and what with gnawing
bones and killing cats and fighting
coons, my teeth are bad. This bread is
hard"
Wherenpon Aaron took the bread,
crushed it in his hands, dropped it in
an old tin platter, and placed it on the
hearth.
''This would taste better if it had
ham gravy on IT." remarked Rambler
after saying ''Thanky" with his TAIL
''yes, good deal better, but III not be
choice"
When he had finished the bread he
seated himself near the chimney corner
ami licked his chops carefully.
.sYoa want to know about that trip
the Son Of Ben Ali made TO sell the cot
.on. But don't even know low % -
gin. NV tongue and my tail will be
here talking and wagging, and my
mind will be off in the woods hunting
minks and coons ana possums' You
know how one thing leads to another.
Well, il / get started I'll get things up
side down. as the rabbit does when he
tries to run down hill.
when T started with the cotton,
suggested Aaron, you made up your
mind to go with me-.
THAT'S so,' said Rambler. u don
know why. / knew we'll enough you
weren't going hunting. 1t was just q
notion that seized me. trotted along.
sometimes in front of the wagon and
sometimes behind it. Before we had
gore very far j happened TO be ~ front
of the wagon when rabbit ran across
the road. / dashed after 1t and bump
ed my head against fence rail. II
hurt so that / sat down BY the roadside
and waited for the pain to go away
The wagon went by and concluded to
go back home and 90 TO bed IN the
shuckpen. i started back, but before
/ had gone far, heard the clicking Of
bride reins and-bits, and presently /
saw two men ON horseback.
Il stopped until they passed by. And
then I saw that it was Old Grizzly and
the oyerseer.
"old Grizzly cried Buster John.
s.Who vas hep
AThat was the name the negroes had
for Mr.. Gossett," Aaron explained.
ssOld Grizzly and the oyerseer," Kam-
bier continued, paying no attention 70
the interruption. @They were riding
along after the wagon, but at some
distance behind it. says TO myself
well. Welt something is up. 30, III
stead of going back home, turned a
round and trotted along the road till !
passed Old Grizzly and the oyerseer,
and caught up with the wagon. | said
to the Son of Ben Ali:
Get down and fix one Of your va
gon wheels and see who comes behind
YOU
..This he did, but when Old Grizzly
and the oyerseer heard the Son OF Ben
Ali knocking on one Of the wagon
wheels with a rock they stopped, and
came no further until after he drove on
again. Then / knew, and the Son OF
Ben Ali knew, that Old Grizzly and the
overseer were coming to see that or
ders were obeyed.
ssThe house to which the Son Of Ben
Ali was carrying the cotton was not
far. 1t was in the midst Of big grove
of oak trees. The trees were too big roI
the house, or the house was not fine
enough for the trees, for they made
everything so dark that from the road
those who cannot see in the night
would never know that house was
there.
."rhe Son Of Ben Ali drove the wa
gon under the trees, waited until M
could hear the climbing of brides anf
bits, as Old Grizzly and the oyerseel
rode up, and the he slipped around tn
house and went to the back door.
waited until saw Old Grizzly and tn
oyerseer stop under one of the big oak
and then ] followed.
.eThe Son of Ben All knocked at tn
back door, which was soon opened b,
a negro woman. who asked him wha
he wanted. He told her, and then th'
man came to the door.
What do you warf?' he asked.
" Il want to see you said the Son o
Ben Ali. i want to sell you a bale o