The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-04-09

stay" said Buster John. Grandfather
says he is nightly glad the black folks
across the creek are free"
"Dey been prayin fer il long nuff, re-
marked Big Sal
we all IS fee huff" said Johnny Bap-
ter, but who gwine ter feed us?"
"Dat is so; dat is sho' one way ter look
at it," exclaimed Fountain, uneasiy
We'll" exclaimed JENNY II know one
ting an dat amt two; I'd ruther starve
right here whar / been born az dan
starve way of in dc woods whar nobody
don't know me-"
A shadow darkened the door. and there
stood Aaron, his right hand raised. wen,
wei. What's all this? Everything to do.
and nobody TO do ir He whistled low
under his breath. Horses and mules 10
feed, hogs 10 call, sheep TO salt. calves 20
take away from the cows. Well wcAl l
hear calls for meal meat. syrup"
Hts fac assentcd Fountain.
70 hear my min worl1in" said john
ny Bapter Make me a boss ouen meal.
meat an syrup, an 7 n eat i'm 10 TO yo'
| eyes. He rose, stretched himself. let one
side of his face drop with affected sor-
row, while the other side was laughing,
winked at the children and darted out into
the mist and rain. Presently the children
heard Inn calling, first the hogs, and then
the sheep.
Aaron and Fountain followed more Sc
date'y, and in the course Of half an hour
the horses and mules could be heard tear
ing he fodGer from the racks and inuneh-
iHs tie cars Of corn. By dinner time, ac-
cofdlnS 20 Aarons report. there was but
one hnud missing from the place: and as
he had BEEN hired from the Myrick estate.
II was not expected that he would take I'D
mis- abCFp an tba Aber0rap,f,fa
The fact that ali the men, women and
children came back after taking q short
/ holiday, would have been. somewhat puz-
cling 10 the children's father II he had
been at home; he had imbibed some OF the
modern ideas of business. 1t would cost
something TO clothe ard feed them during
the winter months and all this would be
clear loss since their labor would not be
profitable until the planting season began.
But there was no problem On il for the
white-haired master. the children's grand
father. lie looked forward 20 a period of
chaos and confusion, when labor would be
hard to secure. Besides as he said, the ne
grOes had helped TO make the ample SUD-
ply Of provisions with which the smoke
house was stocked, and they were entitled
10 share of il. especially IL they were
wiling to remain. Moreover, nearly an
were born at the place and knew no other
home
And the plantation seemed TO be very
lucky In all respects. There were 20 bales
Of cotton stored under the Clubhouse shed,
and before Christmas day were sold at an
average Of $3.50 aplece-cotton was high d.
rectly after the war This put 5000 in
green5acks IN the plantation treasury: and
In that, as in other things. the Abercrombie
place was more fortunate than any Of the
other plantations for miles and miles
around.
But Buster John and Sweetest Susan
didn't think so Everybody was 10 busy
even Johnny Bapter. who used 10 laugh
and loaf every chance he had--that the
children were driven back upon thense ives.
They could talk 10 the other animals on
the place but that sort OF thing ceased 10
be interesting when you have nothing else
10 do. They made signals to Mrs Mead
ows and waited patiently about the spring.
hoping 10 catch glimpse Of Litilc Mr..
Thimblehnger. But all 10 40 purpose. Bus