The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-02

NVEdk. UUL HaT aIW UIDTTIET SVDhC UIdIIIIy
ON the subject. while father and the men
upheld the slave owners in their efforts
to recapture their slaves. Those were stir
aboIitfonist for a boy of sixteen. but not
one Of us three dared TO look toward the
oven during the conversation.
As we were laying the table for supper
that. night, a loud knock at the east door
called our attention and a rough voice
shouted:
Have you seen anything of a runaway
Niger h~ereab6uts?"
Frightened out of my wits 1 ran into the
bedroom and shut the door, while Dena
dropped into a chair and began to cry.
Mother was busy in the pantry, but hear
ing the voice she came out and went to
the door herself, where she saw two we'll
mounted men accompanied by two dogs,
which they held in leash:
Were looking for a runaway niger
ma'am,'' said one of them. "and we have
reason to believe that he's hereabouts, and
if he is we're goin' to have him, by -"
Il heard to-day that there was one seen
in the neighborhood, but farther than that
1 know nothing about it, was my mothers
reply.
He is a young fellow, about twenty,
weighs lU DOunUS, NAM L very OIdCh, might
pass for white; has the letter M branded
on his right cheek, reads and writes. Name
is Jim Madsen. and was owned on the next
place to where your gal come from; so
faint no use for you to hide him if he is
here, cause we're shuah of him now he
added threateningly.
Il told you that / know nothing about
him" mother replied shutting the door in
their faces, and coming back to the kitchen
where Dena and l were crying.
'Dena, my girl" she said kindly, was
this fellow your lover. and have you heard
from him since you were here?"
Yes, Missus, he was" sobbed Dena, IAN
Use heard from him some. Ma'sr Hal and
Miss Nelly knowed all about it sho' huff,
but the last lettah Use had was in Mach,
when he said he was done goin' to run
away and come Norf. But O, Lawd, LaWd;
deyll git him now, / reckon" she walled.
Mother did not question her any more, to
our great relief, but chided me for giving
way to my feelings in such a manner, while
she Soothed and pltled Dena, comforting her
with hope that he might yet evade them.
The men rode down TO the field, and soon
came up with father and the help. Leaving
them outside, father came in and taking
mother to one side told her that he had
agreed to let the men board at our place
while searching for the fugitive; also to let
them thoroughly search the house and
place. He said that he did this in order to
divert any suspicion from us on Dena's
account. Mother listened TO his lame ex-
cuses silently, knowing full well that he
was actuated by the hope of being well
paid for their board. She only stipulated
that they would not talk of their infamous
traffic in the house, and to say nothing to
Dena about it.
Mother came back to us as pale as death.
"Oh. the misery of it all" she said. ''Thank
God. you are free. Dena. The men are going
to search the premises tonight, and Will
board here while searching the neighbour
hood
Search the premises we both ex-
claimed, with difficulty keeping our eyes
from the brick oven. while Dena burst into
an hysterical fit of weeping, which mother
silenced at once by sternly ordering her to
be more composed as she would only excite
the suspicion of the men.
With a feeling that the earth was slipping
AVA from us, l cornered Hal in the sink
room TO learn what he intended to do.
They won't find him, - he said confidently.
IF only you and Dena act as if nothing had
happened. They'll never think of the oven,
front Of it, and I've rubbed whisky on the
dogs noses to destroy their SCENT; the men
have so much aboard themselves that they
low, all will be right"
AT the table the men were very quiet. but
as soon as supper was over they thoroughly
searched the house and pI emises. with the
sole exception of the brick oven, and that
they never thought of.
You might as well have saved your
legs" said father, when they had finished
their search. Il told you that the fellow
could not have been on this place and we
not know it."
THAT scamp can't get anywhere, and we
amt goin' to let him get away from us this
time" said the men, land we're dead sure
that he's somewhat here on your nigger's
You must be a fool blurted Hal, ito
think that he'd come here with you after
him; and also to think that he could be in
this house and we not know it. 1 hope that
you looked under the carpet and behind the
pictures"
Perhaps you know something about him.
young man. growled one Of the men,
glancing furtively at Hal, who replied an
grily that if he did they shouldn't know
anything about it.
You hain't got no right to help him or
for you if you do, young fellah. We're goin'
to git that niger this time, dead or alive,
1 reckon"
First find your bird before you threaten
what you'll do" rejoined the boy con-
temptuously. III tell you, though, that if
l was master here | wouldn't have you mig
ger drivers on this farm
Father interfered at this and Hal said no
more. but from that time on the men
knew more about the matter than he chose
to tell.
After the house became quiet for the
night, Hal emerged from his bedroom and
administered to the comfort of the refugee.
whose feelings during the day can better be
imagined than described.
The next day and the one following the
men searched diligently over our farm and
through the neighborhood, but as to be eX-
pected. they found no trace of the
and during the Sweltering heat of those
days poor Jim lay in the oven hardly dar-
ing to breathe and dependent for his food
ana water on the little assistance which
Hal dared to render him at night.
His bliStered feet were healing and we
waited impatiently for the men to leave the
neighborhood, when we could start him on
his northward journey. Those were days of
great anxiety to Dena and me-, and in look
ing, back now l wonder how two such young
girls as We could have endured that severe
mental strain, and have made no sign. Out
or sympathy for Dena, mother said but
very little about it to us, and that was a
great relief, for if | had talked about il 7
know that | should have been indiscreet.
During this time father was making prep
a%fations to raise his new barn on Satur-
ing mother said to me: Nellie. / wish
you would tell Hal to get me a supply of
fine wood, as | shall do most of the baking
to-day in the brick oven"
nation, dropping the coffee pot from my
trembling fingers, spilling the dark LIQUID
over the clean floor.
Yes. the brick oven. How careless you
are. Nellie! What is there strange about
that?'
Nothing. only-only I thought that YOU
never used it." l stammered.
What of it? 1t hasn't been used in
years, | know, but there is so much baking
TO be done for the men tomorrow that we
never shall get through if we depend on
the stove oven alone. Tell Hal to get the
wood at once"
I started for the door. and mother went
to the pantry to skim the cream while
Dena. as much confused as | by the turn
affairs had taken, nervously wiped up the
coffee from the floor.
The men had all gone to the fields but
Hal, who always turned the cows out after
breakfast, and. going to the barn, 1 quickly
told him of this new dilemma, and asked
him what we should do next.
"Jpmim9 ~ he N'hiStlad THAT is a cork