Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1899-01-07
r REMEMBER that multitudes of

SeCu-tOr l picked SoIue 10 dow away
at one breath for luck. SO it must have
been on June morning, in the wear
1856, that | went over to play with
the Sherman boys, and thereby met
with a memorable adventure.
Finding the boys at leisure, a game of
'T-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 fayorite
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
a continuous humble between the tens
Jim, Billy and l scattered in search
of hiding-places. l was at no loss to
find one, for | knew every NOOK ana
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 we'll as a
good hiding place.
AS | waded through the hay to the
darkest corner. the figure of a man
started up before me, nearly taking the
breath out of me, so sudden and unex-
pected was the apparitiOn. He seemed
no less startled than |, 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
place."
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 a station of the Tn
foreground Railroad, concerning whose
dusky passengers, often seen by us be
i tween their mystel ious coming and go
! ing, my sister AMI | early learned to
keep our own counsel
! 1t struck me at once that this fugitive
! could scarcely have made z elter mis-
take than in coming to the Sherman
barn. Only little while before | had
+ heard ne. ghbOr Sherman declare to my
father that it was as clearly his duty
to give up a runaway slave as TO deliver
q stray horse to its owner.
! So l answered n9ys-SDteYlocutor IN Z
tone as cautious and more alarmed
than his own, mo, no! It's the next
house. But thee cant go there now
Sherman fo.kS'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. I'm Abraham ThOrne's
boy" said, seeing that he hesitated a
little.
Thereupon he lay down, saying as he
did so, Use willin' 'nough to rest, but
Use powerful hongry, chile"
! carefully covered him with hav
hoping there was a good chance of rs
being safe from further discovery. for
the horses were turned out to grass.
and no one was likely TO visit the loft
for hay.
l had barely time to smooth off the
covering before Tom Sherman sang
out. zone hun-der0w and the warning.
zone, two, three, look out for mer'
/ slowed myself where he would he
sure to find me before he could stumble
on the hiding-place of the negro. Tom
spied the other boys, and | got a safe
run to the COOL" so that he had no 0c-
casion to search the loft. Hence I felt
easy concerning the man for the pres
ent, except that l was at my wits end
for means to relieve his hunger, and
grew so distracted over the problem
that | attracted the attention of nv
companions.
What makes you look so down IN tbe
mouth, Tommy Bill Sherman asked
ION, nOthin',' | answered, evasjveIv.
and then happy thought struck me
only I'm so hungry, bl!eye I've got
10 go nome and get something to eat.
/ guess | didn't eat as much breakfast
as Id ought to this morning."
The explanation might nass with
those who had not witnessed nv nor.
Torrance, but it was not needed Inv nv
playmates, for at the Suggestion of
hunger each became aware of his own
pangs-it being now near 10 O'clock
"Hurrah for something teatr' criad
Tom. Come On!' and he led the u,ov
TO the kitchen door, where an annaaI
for relief was promptly responded TO
by good motherly Mrs. Sherman. with
double slice of bread and butter and
doughnut for each of us
made pretense of eating, not with
out an effort refrainlng from the real
ity. till Jim Sherman began to count
and the rest of us to scatter to cover.
Then crept nolselessly up the stairs
ana gave all my lunch to the negro. II /
made me hungry to see him eat. and