Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1896-06-16

cumstancrs After awhile the answer
came.
Mass Craffud"
"Wcn?"
yer know dis nigg'r ben hard
work n on homes en- Look after yer en
yon all IS lifcy"
Yes, Isam, said the major, "you
have bccn-a faithful, honest-niggcr ~
There was another pause. Perhaps this
was too much for Isam. But he contin-
ued after awhile:
"Wcll. lemmo tell yer, honey, der.
ain nuthin yer got cr kin git wat u
temp dis niger ter git down dcrc
Wv" and his voice assumed a most
earnest ana argumcntatiyo tone, " 'dc'd
en- hit'd be 'sultin de LOr Ain he dun
got me up hyah out'n de way, en- don
he spec me fur ter stay; Yer rick n
be got nuth'n I all Ter do but keep put
tin Isam back up or tree: No. SAL he
dun ten ter ne, In cf yer got emmy
dif'culty down dcrc yer en dc deer kin
fight it ont. Hits my bizncSs dos ter
keep cr-prayin Wo'. deer; wo'. deer
Steddy, Mass Craifud Dcre, now.
tank do LOr!
again the major defeated the beast :
struggles, and there came truce. But
the man WIS we'll nigh exhausted aud
saw that unless something was done IN
his behalf he must soon yield up the
fight. Something like a splsm Of fear
flashed over his face, and IN the glance
he cast about him there was the one
panic stricken appeal that all men yield
10 at some time. Ii was hard 10 ule
there by the terrible horns of the beast
astride him, whose eyes glared into his
and whose hot breath was IN his face
What death.
Bat the next instant he was calm ana
cautious. There came 81 his assistance
his fine knowledge OF the negro charac-
ter
"Isam. he said slowly and impress
lively. But Isam was praying. The M
jor could hardly trust his ears when he
heard the words
But, Lor. don't let i'm perish 70
yer eyes He's ben er bad man. Il
russ tn sware, en- play keerds, en- bet on
horse race, en- drink whisky
'isam"-
"En he steal-goodness, he TEX ter
steal'n like er duck ter water Roast n
yers, watermilluns, chick 'n-nuthin too
bad fur I'M
''Isam"--
d" Tain like er nigg'r stealth, Lsr.
Dey dun know no better Ell can
t'ings emmy erway, while he got monty,
but don let I'M perish rite TO yer eyes.
TEX i'm By de slack er es briches en-
shek i'm oyr de flames, but don let
i'm drap"-
"Isamr'-
The word came upward in tones Of
thunder. Even Isam was obliged to re
gard it. He did 50 from force Of habit.
"Yessir +"
Then he sobbed forth, 80 Lordy,
Lordy, tot we wuz dun home agin.
"No, sir" " said the major sternly,
1--WE are not at home, and I'll never
get there. I am going TO die. "
Isam gave n yell that ought to have
been heard mile away.
"Oh. don let i'm die Skeer i'm,
skeer i'm, Lor. but don let i'm die!'
Yes" continued the major, Il am
going TO die, but let me tell you some
thing, Isam / have been looking into
this beast $ eyes until l recognize him. ="
A sound came from the haw bush like
the hiss Of a snake as the negro with
ashen face and beaded brow gasped out
an unintelligible word. The right chord
had been touched at last. "You remem-
Der DIR. Sam" Isam's only reply was
moan that betrayed an agony too deep
for expression. well, this is DR.. sam
He got loose the other day when the
plug fell out, and he and / will never
give you another hour Of peace as long
as you live
The sentence was never fnlshed.
With a shriell that was blood curdling
in its intensity Of fear and horror, the
,o,,ro ce,pa crashing down through the