The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-02-16

face and fairly foaming at the mouth.
lie came crying Is pap In a fuss? Where
are you. pap? He had pistol In his
hand. and when he saw the White-H Haired
Master standing so near his pap, as he
called him. he beloved like a mad bull.
and came rushing up. leveiling the pistol
as he got near.
.'rhis happened just rs the Son OF Ben
All wrenched the shoe from my foot. Still
stopping he turned his head and saw
George Gossett halt and point his pistol
AZ the hite-Haired Master. ] felt the
body Of the Son OF Ben Ali sway under
my neck in The most unaccountable man
mer. and the next moment ! saw young
Gossett fan AS IL he had been struck by
lighting. The Son OF Ben Ali crept under
my belly. and when / saw him again he
was sitting on tho block where he had
stood 10 be sold. his arms folded and his
eyes closed as II he were fast asleep
No one knew what had happened ex-
cept the Son OF Ben Ali and myself All
eyes had been fixed on George Gossett
and the White-Haired Master. Some said
Gossett had fallen in a iii OF passion and
that the blood had burst from his face
Ssme said that be had fallen on a. horsc-
shoe that happened TO be lying near. Some
said one thing and some another. George
GOssctt always declared. so I've heard,
that somebody iabbed him in the face
with Il forlIcd stick. but his best friends
said he was drunk at the time and fen
on the horseshoe and hurt himself But
there were some people who whispered il
around that they saw tine blood gush
from his face as he fell forward
THE matter was never explained. and
for many "a long day no one but the Son
of Ben All and I knew that Gossett had
No. of fffss oh.
] think the White-haired Master learned
IN truth by asking the Son Of Ben All
about il one night when they were re-
turning from a long ride together.
I'm the midst of the excitement old
Mr. Gosscft forgot all about the Son Of
Ben Ali. But after the wounded man had
been carried 20 "a doctors shop and ply
elckod. and the doctors had said that he
would recover. though the bruise was
serious one sir. Gossett remembered his
purchase. and came out 10 the public
square i'm some alarm, fearing that his
newly-bought slave had given him the
slip. But he had not far TO seek. Though
the uublic square was deserted. except
for the horses and mules tied 20 the racks
and q few people struggling aimlessly
about. the Son of Ben All still sat on the
Sherin's block. erect and SILENT his arms
folded and his feet crossed. The traders
wagons and his train OF slaves hao pass
ed ON through the town.
when Mr.. Gossett saw the Son OF Ben
All sitting where he mad leit MIN, ne
nodded his head approyingy. Ills son had
come u town I'M wagon, and In this the
YOUNG man had 20 be carried nome.
Straw was spread in the body OF the
wagon. and into this George Gossett was
lifted. The old man had come In "a buggy
and he made the Son Of Ben All SIT be-
side him and drive him.
Al this point the gray pony paused ana
bif at a specified fly that was sitting ON
his fat side ont Of reach Of the sweep OF
his tail
ia that au2" asked Buster John.
"a IS enough" replied the gray pony
"a few days afterward. being on the
far side of the plantation. heard a
,.,,,,b utlo telling Mr. Gossetrs buggy
horse that the Son OF Ben All had gone
10 the woods
The gray pony. saying this, turned and
walked away.
A L