The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1897-10-15
CHAPTER XIV.

.CHAPIER XIV.
Although surprised aud confounded
by the sudden turn of events, Uncle Ben
did not entirely lose his head. When
he heard the men crying out for revenge
and looked into their pitiless faces, he
felt that his last hour had come And
yet the devotion of the old slave was
never better illustrated than in what
followed. AS portion of the crowd
started for the house, no doubt fully ex-
pecting to find Kenton there, the old
man shouted at the top of his voice:
Cum back yere-cum back! Yo'
kin kill me if yo' wants to, but fur
Gods sake doan' put yo'r feet in dat
house!'
What's the matter?". asked one as
| the gang came to halt.
De ole missus am lyin in dar dead
an all alone, an it hain't fitten dat yo'
should go in!''
'Whar's that Yankee? Whar's the
gal? Whar's Steve Brayton?' was
shouted at him.
:: Dun gone-all dun gone!'' he an
swered. Its jest like I tole yo'-no-
body in dar but de dead missus!''
r.:'Go on, go onf',yelled Ike Baxter,
but look out fur 20 oseIves! The hull
crowd of 'em ar in thar, and they'll
likely make fight fur itl''
The men cautiously entered the house,
firearms held ready for instant use, but
at the end of seven or eight minutes
they came out to report that the cussed
old niger" had told the truth.
Dead, eh?" exclaimed Ike Baxter as
they told of the corpse en- the bed.
WAL, I'm goin to burn the house jest
the same. though mebbe some of yo'
uns will lug the body outdoors fust.
Time huff fur that after we git through
with this old niger. Run he un up to
that postl Now, then, chain him there!
Yo' old black devil, but I'll make yo'
suffer fur the rap yo' civ me last night
I'm go1n to begin at yo'r chin and skin
yo' cl'ar down to yo'r. heels! After,
yo've bin skun we'll build a fire around
yo' and roast what t's 1eftp'
He went to his saddle, for rawhide,
one he had seemingly brought along for
the occasion. When he returned with it,
Uncle Ben was stripped or coat and vest |
and his shirt torn away from his shoul- |
ders. They We're going to take his life,
not mercifully, as one kills savage /
beast by bullet through the heart or
brain, but they would torture him for
hours perhaps. Hecould not fail to re-
allze this, but he did not beg for mercy.
He simply shut his eyes and prayed God
toSgive him strength to endure every
thing for the sake of those in hiding
down the road. He would be asked to
f1n,,, i
other tortures, but he would refuse.
Now, then, yo' black hound, whar
ar the rest of the folks2" demanded
Ike Baxter as he walked up to Uncle
Ben and flourished the cruel whip.
Aye. he knows the exact spot whar
they ar hidin, and he's got to tell!''
shouted two or three in the crowd.
"Of co'se he knows, and I'll hev it
outer he un mighty quick!" replied Ike.
'Imsgoin to give yo' powerful lickin,
ole man, fur the way yo' banged me last
night, but I'll make it leetle easier if d
yo'll tell whar they all is hid away
has nuthin to say" quietly re-
piled the old man as he looked about
him.
What! Yo' won't tell me?''
Give it to- him! Cut his hide into
strings!' yelled the crowd.
Ike responded by striking Uncle Ben
about 30 blows across the bare back.
Each blow raised welt, and as each
one fell the victim strained and tugged I,
at his lashings. Uncle Ben had been
whipped the night before, but that was
more in the nature of an assault or an
attack by armed men. For the first
time in his life he had been tied up and
mis- back barred. He felt the shame and
lndignity almost as much as the blows.
Yo' kin see what brung on this yere
war, said Ike as he paused for breath.
Them air Yankees was tellin our mig
gers that they was jest as good as thar ,
masters. Yere's case of it right yere. '
If he'd bin my niger, he'd hev bin as
humble as pumpkin pie, but the Percys,
who hev allus bin half Yankee them :
selves, brung him up to think he un was
rs good as anybody!''
Hurry up. Give he un some more!',
relied the crowd.
Thar hain't no rush about it," re-
Piled Ike as he hourished the whip. II !.
want to make it last as long as kim
It's dod -gasted pity we hahn got 5
II 20 other niggers yere to look on and {
AXE warnin by his fate. I've allus J
tched to lick a niger, but never had q
ne chance befo'. Ar yo' goin to tell y
ne. yo' internal old imp, whar that 7
Yankee is hidin out?" Uncle Ben SIM
,ly shook his head. "Yo' hahn t, eh?" t
creamed Ike. Then everybody stand e
Jack, fur I'm goin-I'm goin to make a
he blood fly all over the yard!'' f
:" Stop!" 8
CTo be ContinuedJ
An Extraord;r,rv E-u.<:a T.