The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1898-05-19

at this 81 never got over it. / never encour
aged him TO- / woulddent feel satisfied with
myself if he wuzzent mad at me. l could
dent. change my opinion even when he tried
to steal into responsibility by goin into the
army. / knowed he'd do anything but fife,
& woulddent've bin supprized any day by
hearing that him and all the mules in camp
had disappeared together.
Presently Billings he cum up very corjil,
like, & says:
Howdy, Deacon. I hope you air very
we'll
/ told him I wuz tollable peart, and he
says:
81 see man in the third car forward that
wuz inquiring for you, and wanted to see you
powerful bad"
"That SOP" says /. unconcerned like.
eyes" says he "He wuz awful anxious
to see you, and / said I'd send you to him, il
/ cum acrost you"
Somehow, dropped onto it in minnit
that he wuz schemin' to git me away from
Abraham Lincoln.
''Well," says l. otis about ez fur for me
forward to him, as it is for him back here to
me- / don't know as l want to see him at
cum back here"
Billings, sort ov impatient-like. "You'll
have no trouble finding him. He's in the
third car from here, upat the front end, right
hand side, next to the water-coOler He in
quired most partickerlerly for you"
Probably wants borry money!" says I,
without stirrin' ''Men that want patrick
erlery 2 see you always do. Well, haint
got none 2 lend-haint got no more'n'll talk
me hOam."
"You'd better 90 forward & see him." he
said, very bossy like, as if he was orderin'
me-
cpd better stay right here, & Pm a-goin'
to stay" says |, so decided that Billings see
that it was no use.
His patience gave clean away.
"LOok here, Klegg," said he, mad as
hornet, "Pm after that ere niger you're
trying to steal away into Injianny, and by
the holy poker Pm goin' to have him!
Come along here, you black ape" and he
laid his hand on Abe Lincoln's collar. Abe
showed the white ov his ICES as big as buck
eyes, put his arm around the piece betwixt
the winders and held on for deer life. I see
by the grip he TUX that the only way git
him wuz tear out the side of the car, and
thought I'd let them tussle it out for min
nit or 2.
The others in the car, who thought it CRATE
fun to see Lieutenant urnel wrastlin' with
q niger, LATED and yelled:
$50 it, niger"
"Go it, Kurnel"
"Grab root"
''I'le bet on the niger if the car is stout
enuf," and sich. Jest then Grounding cum
runnin' up to help Billings, and reached over
and ketched Abe, but hit him good biff
with the musket that changed his mind.
Billings turned on me, and called out to the
others:
- Men, / order you to arrest this man, and
tie him up"
Sum ov them seemed mind to obey, but 1
sung out:
Feller-citizens, he amt no officer-no
more'n l am. He amt got no right to wear
shoulder straps, and he knows it as well as I
dOn
At this they all turned agin him, & begun
yellin at him 2 put his head in a bag He
turned 2 me savage as a meat-ax, but 1
ketched him by the throat, & bent him back
over the seat The Provo-Guard cum up, &
/ explained it them, & showed my passes
for me & Abe. So they made us all sit down
& keep quiet.
Bineby we got 2 Nashville. Abe Lincoln
wuz hungry, & l stopped 2 git him some
thing eat. My gracious, the lot ov ham &
aigs at so cents plate & sandwiches at %
cents piece that cOntraband kin eat. He
never seemed 2 git full. He looked longing
ly at the pies but let him look. Iwazzsnt
runnin no AstOr House in connexiOn with
the Freedmen's burO.
We walked through the city, crost on the
ferry, and wuz jest gittin in the cars which
wuz about ready 2 start, when up comes
Oth MOS, oft
zen's cloze. One ov these caps his hand on
my shoulder & says:
!" Pm a Constable, & arrest you in the
name Ov the State ov Tennessee for abductin
a slave. Make no trubble, but come along
with me.n
LEST shook him of, s. clumb onto the