The morning times., 1897-03-07
AARON IN THE WILD WOODS
THE STORY OF A SOUTH
ERN SWAMP
By JOEL CHANDLER HARRIS
Copyright 1897: by Joel Chandler Harriso
TIE HUNT BEGINS.

Sossett's he went rapidly through the
woods until he came TO the old fields
that had once been cultivated, but were
now neglected for newer ana richer soil.
These deserted fields had been dismally
naked of vegetation for years, and where
they uEdulated into hills the storms aid
cut deep red gashes. But these wounds
were now gradually healing A few years
before a company of travellers had camped
out one night at CuTtwrigllt'S factory, not
many miles away, and where they ted
their horses grass new to that region
new, in fact, TO this country made its
appearance. IL grew and spread for miles
around and covered the red hills with the
most beautiful mantle that the Southern
summers had ever seen. 1t refused to
withcr and parch under the hot sun, but
flourishcd instead
il bad cTcpt from Curtwright's factory
and had already begun TO carpet the dis
carded lands through which Aaron was now
passing, and the turf felt as soft as
velvet under his feet. The touch Of it
seemed to inspire his movements, for he
began 10 trot, and be trotted until at the
end Of half an hour he struck into the
plantation road leading to the Oconee.
Aaron was making for the river Having
received fair warning, and guessing some
thing OF the character OF Mr.. Simmons,
be had made up his mind that the best
plan would be to get away from the dogs
il possible.
he hoped To find one of the Ward negroes
at the river landing, and in this he was not
disappointed. Old Uncle Andy, who was
almost oa the retired list on account of his
age and faithfulness. although he was still
strong and vigorous, was just preparing TO
visit his set hooks which were down the
river He was aboIt to shove the boat into
deep water aud jumpin, when Aaron called
him.
..Ah-yi.' he answered in Il tone almost
gay, for he had a good master, and he had
no trouble except the few that age had
brought on him.
up or down." inquired Aaron.
Down. honey, down All de time down.
Den I'll lef' um down dar an let Rowan
Ward this was his master who n he talked
about SO Familiarity sen one er his triflin'
no count niggers after um wild de waggin."
II want to go up" said Aaron
Il amt henderin' you," replied old Uncle
Andy. '.Whar yo' huffsa Walk. / amt
gwine pull you in dis boat No. l won't
pail Rowan Ward yit, abe knowit. Iwont
pull nobody up stream in dis boat less'nit's
Sally Ward (his mistressl, zen she'd 90
ez mach fer me. Whatyo' name, honey?"
Aaron, I'm called"
"Ah, viz exclaimed old Uncle Andy
under his breath. "Dey are after you.
on. yes. En- what's mo dey'll git you.
Enmo' dan dat. dey oughter git you! Dem
Gossett's is rank pizen. en- der niggers is
r,fs- -Iaaf nh hpf or
sense dan ter b'long ter po' white trash
amt got no business ter git good treatment
Look at me, Dey amt nobody dast ter
lay de weight er der han on me Ef dey
do. dey got TO whip Sally Ward en- Rowan
Ward. You amt bad ez dem yuther Cos
sett nggers. kaze YOU been in de woods en-
you er dar yit Kensecontly you got one
chance, en- its de onliest chance. Cross
dis river en- go up dar ter de house. en-
wake up Sally Ward en- tell 'er dat ole
Andy say she mus buy you. Eff she hum
en- haw, des put yo' foot down en- tell her
dat ole Andy say she des got ter buy you
She'll do it. She'll know better'n not ter
do it. Ab-h-h-h!'
Aaron W ould have laughed at this display
of selGimportance, but he knew that to
laugh would be to defeat the object he had
HI Ni1N f-p MS ANlAs Hae III StllCAS-
shes good,'' cried old Uncle Andy.
"Dey's er heap er good wimInen, but dey
amt DO oman like Sally Ward-I don't
keer ef she is got er temper. Er folks is
made out n dus', dey wuz des nuff er dc kin
she wuz made out fer ter make her. Dey
wuz de creates plenty fer ter make her,
but dey want pinch lef' over. How come
you got ter go up de river?"
Wait a little while, and Simmons
dog'll tell you,' replied Aaron.
Jim Simmons? / wish / had Rowan
Ward here ter do my cussinT' exclaimed
old Uncle Andy, striking the edge OF the
bateau Niciously. kin you handle dish
yer paddle? Git in dis boat, denl Jim
Simmons! Much he look ike ketchin' any
body! Git in dis boat, tell you! En- take
dis paddle en- hep me pull ef you want TO
go up de river"
Aaron lost no time in getting In the
bateau. Instead OF sitting down he re-
manned standing. and braced himself by
placing one foot in advance of the other.
in this position he leaned first on one
side and then on the other as he swept the
long. wide oar through the water. few
strokes carried him into the middle OF the
Oconee and nearly across. Then, out of
headed the boat upstream. 1t was long,
heavy, unwieldy affair, built for carrying
the field hands and the fruits of the har-
vest across the river, for the Ward planta-
ton lay on both sides OF the Oconee. The
bateau was unwieldy, but propelled by
Aaron's strong arms il moved swift and
steadily up the stream. Old Uncle Andy
hadintended tohelp row he boat. but when
he saw how easily Aaron managed it, lie
made himself comfortable by holding his
oar across his lap and talking.
Il done year tell er you he said. Some
folks say you er niger, en- some say you
amt no niger. I'm wild dem who say
you amt no Niger, kaze you don't do like
er niger, en- dey ain t no niger in de roun
wori what kin stan up in dis boat an
shove it long like you doin'. Dey all
weak-kneed en- wobbly WHEN dey git on
de water. Iwish Sally Ward could see you
now Shed buy You terreclIy. Don't
you want ter b1ong ter Sally Ward?''
mo. Abercrombie,' replied Aaron
"Yo' she fly high" remarked old Uncle
Andy. "Dey er good folks, dem Abercrom-
bies. Ef days anybody anywheres 'roun
OATS mos ez good ez Sally Ward en-
Rowan Ward, it's de Abercrombies I'll
say dat much and not begrudge it, spesh-
ally dat are cripple boy. Dey tells me dat
dat chill don't never git tired er doin' good.
En- dat's a mighty bad sign; it's de wust
kinder sign. You watch De Lord done
put his han on dat chill, en- he gwine take
i'm back Gp dar whar he b1ongs at When
folks git good like dey say dat chill is, dey
er done ripe"
To 10,