The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-04-09

NE. retileu Jenny kho" u so'hepou'
ID thought So" said, the child The bis
it was some time before JENNY said any
thing. She rose and pushed the child from
her. remarking; 81 dunno what come over me
know myos,I CT up FUN dor. DrnTiIl'' fo'l
Before Drusilla could make any preparation
to rise there anne a loud rap on tho door
Nobody but old Fountain" said the new;
comer: 'oIi Fountain. as muddy as a hog and
H"rmIcss or not. no was certainly muddy.
Iing together sounded a.. II they we're made q
leather. His. coat was full OF, red mud and
mud was on his coat and IN Ms hair
"Whar Is YOU Deeny' asked JENNY.
"rgr enough to 20 no dinu5 Tderi" r resEGnGG: .nt G, ID
freedom. De kin, foun' will las mo "a whet'
: you don't tell me-" exclaimed johnny,
II does said Fountain; an | could tell you
,ots mo dan dat ef | had time. Dey sot me ter
work liftin' Vaughn wheels out er de qnaGmire
well. YOU see me here. don't YOU IN ef
We re bofe alive youlls Sc me here ter'morrer
An dey want no freedom dar.'' questioned
JENNY. She SPOKE under her breath. as II
wi wont say that. r-nlied Fountain. Fer
dem dat like dc Kin 'twuz OAR. some monGht
what / seed. nut | seed 'nuff. ! went an |
come u ort,A.
'Nhynt yOl ST ~ an WASH de mud on IN de
branch?' JENNY asked presently.
NO, not me. Fountain replied, still shaking
his head Ter stop. wih ter STAY, know'd
dev. wuH q branch at home an, mo dan dat. u
spring. De lee wuH ter hurry hack an see
iii ELI!%yr ySqp y! sighed JENNY. q come
You'd a-bcen sorry" exclaimed Fountain:
you'd a.becn. sorry plum ter 70 dyin, day.
well. | been dar. I been right wild UNI. lo'
cant cal! IL freedom after 20 wade through
some one else came to the door. AN eyes
OPEN" cried the newcomer, 1t was The, re-
frain OF hide-and.scek. and the children
i EmiIa Of T .Jonnn VIZ liar 'isaf' !a.iill ev Hss; OPEN; he he
persisted I'm i; Ten. ten; dio2uble-'en. for
With that Johnny lIapter walked in. He
was a thin. looking negro. with IA long face and
y mouth that was always laughing. lie, would
ragged slightly. hut lie was nimble as a SOUR.
muddy ii" hit his, wool hat against the side
OF the chimney. and it left its damp print. He
looked af the children mnd point bo to me eo yet
nv Banter had once lived IN town, and his ad;
ventures there. as he, made them out. would
have filed a book and. at times. they we're in
~ hone YOU all been well. said John Bapter.
I'm sorter mlldlin, r"nrt, musef.'
"Whar yo' been? asked JeminS
Kinder see..awin' 'roun'. follerin' de bans
an keepin' or de boosers,'
"lo, didn't go wild mn"
COM nN so nH' not No! a me; a,t, Te sscd fe mm G a. Of ple %n5
hurt UNI. maybe dry'd git long all right. Dcy
take keer un nm. "Iwuz oyer iar at Dc Camps
las night. an see %niEgers. ilGhtm' over srrnps
an, / hea rhtIlun cryin,, fer bread after de
Howdy and good 10y. an l wish yo' mighty
vel! What mo kin a niger do,
an"c err our folks"
on. dGy'll come back in de due lime" said
at one branch. an one at anudier; an dem
What don turn back at de branch will sho' turn
back at de river. Devil all be homo TO do
Buster John and Sweetest Susan listened to
all this. but said nothing. Their minds hardly
were wrestling. They were free If they went
away, Would they be free if they STAYED; 1t
was n very serious matter.
What dev gwine do when dey come hack?"
Work! exclaimed Fountain. Yes, Lord!
work from Sunup To shutdown
An dey free. too, suggested Jenny. She
whar j stayed de free white folks work harder
dan uiggers, DE clerks in dc sto' come rush!n'
ter dinner. an Ming der hats on a chair. sna.rh
oyerseer WIZ %hollerin' At um
Is dat So REPLIED Jenny,
I've looked at it w and down. remarked
Fountain. an it's di. away-de man what
eats honest brcitl is GOT Ter WOrk. l'at what
de Bible say; maybe not in dem words.'
loughtnG. Fri ~ work ISi ali DAY an T'i naIf de ' nisHF..
but | don't wanter hear no bugleS blow.
Just then Big Sal. who had fixed up her hair
and vas quite presentnhle' having cut on her
sunday clothes, came into the cabin and stood
over arainst the fireplace.
"Wuz dey many e" veal wild dem ar white
folks she asked.
"Welum. | should sesso," exclaimed Foun-
tain too many. lots too many: more den deyll
lind ~rashuns iur cf | amt mighty much mis-
What dey all Gwine long fur?" asked Big
Sal .
be free. Now how bout dat:' suggested
Fountain.
why. grandfather and pap both say the
said Buster John. 'Grandfather saws he is
mighty glad the black folks across the creek
hey, been prayin' fer it long num-" re-
marked Big Sal.
We All is free 'nlfr,,, said Johnny Bapter.
Dat is So: dat is sho' one way fer ter look at
it,. exclaimed Fountain, unenSiiy.
an DAT Amt two: I'd ruther starve right here.
whar | been born at, dan ,starye way OF in de
shadow darEened the door ana there stood
Aaron. his right hand raised. Nv oil. well.
What's all thus: EyerythinG to DO and nobody
To do It. lie whistied low under his breath.
Horses and mutes 10 feed. hogs to call. sheep
70 salt, calves, I" take away from the COWS.
Well. well! 1 hear calls for meal, meat.
Hits a fac" asscnted Fountain.
"lo' hear nv min workin'.' said Johnny
Banter, Make me . boss oMt'.n meal, meat an
syrup. an III eat I'm up 10 yu' eyes, he
rose. stretched himself. left one side of his
iuve drOp with affected sorrow. while the other
side was laughing, w.nked at the children and
dartel out into the mist and rain. Presently
the children heard him calling. first the hogs
and then the sheep.
Aaron and Fountain followed more sedately.
end III the course Of half an hour the horses
and mules could lie heard tearing the fodder
from the racks and munching the ears of corn.
ly dinner time, according to Anron's report.
there was lut one hand missing from the
pluce: and ~ he had been hired from the Nv
rick estate, II was not expected that he would
take M his abode on the AbcrcromDie plan
tatiOn.
The fact that AL the men. women AMI chill
drcu came back after taking Il short holiday
would have been somewhat pulling 10 the
chlldrcn'S father II h. had been at home: he
mad imbihel some of the modern ideas of bust
ness, 1t would cost something to clothe and
iced them during the winter months. and all
thIslwould be clear loss. since their labor would
not lie profitable until the planting season be-
gan. Bat there was no problem in It tor the
whiIe-haired master. the chlldvcn's gran l.
father. He cooked forward to a Ieriol oil chaos
and confusiun. when labor would b. hard n
secure. BESIDES. as he said. the negroes had