Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-08-03

EAAssssi y,ssS{igssy 49, marked:
sasS-1 sssss.1s%sss ~ - 49," Jim Williams
SSZlNNTNlVS told me to-day that
he's had about four
hundred pounds of cotton stolen. Our
wagon is in a pretty good place to be
robbed, away up there at the back of
the field"
My brother Dape suggested that he
and sleep in the wagon, as we had
often done earlier in the season, just
because we liked it; but this evening
norther was blowing, and we ex-
pected night of rain and storm. We
could, however, be comfortable enough
by covering ourselves with cotton.
"That's good idea," said my father.
But mother laughingly remarked,
''Thieves could steal half the load
right out from under you two sleepy
heads, and you wouldn't know it,"
"No matter how sound they sleep, :"
said father. ''Sneak thieves would
skedaddle the instant they found some
body there"
So, not long after supper, Dape and
L went back to the wagon. We found
it just as we had left it, packed full of
seed-cotton ready to be hauled to the
gin, and covered with the white can
vas sheet, which was spread over bows
and fastened along the sides Of the
box, and tied down over the end
boards. The two end bows Of the
cover were missing, and the sheet,
there unsupported, slanted down in
front and behind.
The night was dark. While not Sc
yerely cold, the wind, like all Texas
northers, had penetrating chill that
made our teeth chatter.
Standing on the brake, [ united the
sheet at the side, then put my head
under it and climbed upon the cotton.
Dape crawled up after me, after tying
thu sheet again.
Taking off our boots and outer
clothes, we put them in the fore end.
Then we crawled back and began to
hollow out bed, piling the cotton
forward. When the bed was deep
enough, we got into it side by side,
and raked the cotton back upon our
selves. Lastly, we worked our arms
under, and were ready to sleep.
By this time the wind was driving
rain drops against the wagon-sheet,
and soon there was constant patter-
ing over us. This meant no cotton
picking the next day, and Dape and l
felt free to lie awake till late, talking
The last thing L heard was the wind
and rain, which dashed against the
wagon so violently that it rocked and
ratified as if in motion.
For hours L slept as only healthy
boy can, who has worked from day
light till dark; but again l became
vaguely aware of that rocking and
rattling of the wagon. The wind must
be violent now; wasn't it lifting the
wagon off the ground? I could feel
the jolts as the wheels came down.
Drowsily l conceived that the wagon
might be blown over, and rose up on
my elbow, still half-asleop. was in
absolute darkness. All L could hear
was the beating of the rain and the
tapping of the sheet.
Just then came a jolt-anotherl
Then 1 knew. The wind did not cause
the iolting The wagon was moving
travelling
Startled, 1 sat up, wide awake and
frightened. What could it mean?
Strange tales came back to me, and /
seemed to be in the midst of one
stranger than any. Who had ever
heard of a wagon starting off across
country of its own accord-pulling it.
self?
In great wonder I began to investi-
gate. Untying the sheet at one side,
raised it and put my head out in the
rain. There was little light from a
clouded moon, and L could see that
the wagon was not an automobile.
One horse was in view, and 1 knew
there must be another. The driver
but were there not two? 1 heard one
mans voice, though not his words.
Hastily I drew in my head, and
wiped the cold water from my face and
neck. Who were these thieves that
had put their horses to my fathers
wagon and cotton? I had heard of a
similar case in an adjoining county.
A wagon loaded with cotton had dis
appeared in the night, and the owner,
after tracking it many miles, had at
last found it at the home of the thief.
This stormy night was the cery time
for such theft; the rain would wash
out the wagon tracks. OF course ii
had not occurred to the thieves that
two boys might be asleep under the
sheet.
Greatly alarmed, I began to shake
Dape, who was still sleeping peace
fully. We must do something He
uttered an inarticulate cry of protest
as being disturbed l ceased to shake
him, fearful that the thieves had heard
him.
For perhaps an hour I sat there in
the dark, rejecting on our strange
situation, and wondering what could
do Where were those fellows taking
us? How long had we been travelling,
and where We're we now?
raised the sheet again The wagon
was going through fiat woods. Now
al -