Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1898-12-16
r REMEMBER that multltudes of
binds yuora Gin p0in0 buttoro,1pc ond

at one breath for luck. So it must have
been on a June morning, in the year
1856, that l went over to play with
the Sherman boys, and thereby met
with a memorable adventure.
Finding the boys at leisure, game of
"I-spy'-or as we had it, perhaps by
Inheritance from our English ances-
tors "hi-spy"-was presently arranged.
We were Counted out" by our favorite
formula, "Wire, brier, timber lock, six
geese in a flock" and it fell to Toms
lot to blind.
Before his loud announcement of the
first ten of the hundred-which he was
so rapidly counting that there was but
continuous humble between the tens
Jim, Billy and l scattered in search
of hiding-places. l was at no loss to
find one, for l knew every nook and
corner of the premises; and as neither
of the others went that way, tiptoed
up the stairs that led to the hayloft
over the stable. This place afforded
good outlook to the "gool," as well as
good hiding place.
AS | waded through the nay 10 the
darkest corner, the figure of man
started up before me, nearly taking the
breath out of me, so sudden and uneX-
pected was the apDarition. He seemed
no less startled than l, and when, in
the dim light, made him out to be a
negro, | guessed that he was a fugitive
slave before his dialect made it appar-
ent, as he whispered, anXiously, Say,
chile, is dis yere Mars Album Thornes
placer
That was the name Of my father
who was a jealous abolitionist, and
whose house was well known by
friends of the cause" and suspected
by enemies, to be n station of the I'm
derground Railroad, concerning whose
dusky passengers, often seen by us be-
tween their mysterious coming and GO
ing, my sister and l early learned to
keep our own counsel.
1t struck me at once that this fugitive
could scarcely have made greater mis-
take than in coming to the Sherman
barn. Only a little while before | had
heard neighbor Sherman declare to my
father that it was as clearly his duty
to give up runaway slave as to deliver
u stray horse to its owner.
SO | answered my interlocutor in n
tone as cautious and more alarmed
than his own, "No, no. It's the next
house. But thee can't go there now!
Sherman6 folks'll see thee! Thee must
lie down an let me cover thee up with
hay, an don't stir till | come for thee
after dark Pm Abraham Thornes
boy" | said, seeing that he hesitated a
little.
Thereupon he lay down, saying as he
did So Use willin' 'nough to rest, but
T6e powerful hongry, chile"
l carefully covered him with hay,
hoping there was good chance of his
being safe from further discovery, for
the horses were turned out to grass,
and no one was likely to visit the loft
for hay.
/ had barely time to smooth off the
covering before Tom Sherman sang
out, "One hun-derdv' and the warning,
"One, two, three, look out for me!'
/ slowed myself where he would be
sure to find me before he could stumble
on the hidng-place of the negro. Tom
spied the other boys, and l got n safe
run to the "gool," so that he had no oc.
casion TO search the loft. Hence | felt
easy concerning the man for the pres
ent, except that | was at my wits end
for means to relieve his hunger, and
grew so abstracted over the problem
that | attracted the attention of my
companions.
"What makes you look so down In the
mouth, Tommy Bill Sherman asked
"Oh, nothln'," / answered, evasively
and then a happy thought struck me
'Only I'm so hungry, | b'lieve I've got
to go home and get something to eat
/ guess l didn't eat as much breakfast
as I'd ought to this morning"
The explanation might pass with
those who had not witnessed my per
formance, but 1t was not needed by my
playmates for at the suggestion OF
hunger each became aware of his OWL
pangs-it being now near 10 O'clock.
"Hurrah for something teatw cried
Tom. "Come on" and he led the way
TO the kitchen door, where an appeal
for relief was promptly responded tc
by good, motherly Mrs. Sherman, with
n double slice of bread and butter and
doughnut for each of us.
made pretense of eating, not with
out an effort refraining from the real
ity, till Jim Sherman began TO count
and the rest of us to scatter to cover
Then / crept noiselessly up the stairs
and gave all my lunch to the negro. II
made me hungry to see him eat, and
felt that l was making great sacrifice
1. 4 IL. l.