Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1899-09-15

NAaAH N aH'Af - Y = 49,.
"Gunr. honey; ii" Lori knows whar
gone: honey. dc Lord knows how"
Shr turned as she spoke. and her
hair hristlin. out gave her counie-
nance such :: wild aspect that the call
drcu lnvuluu'arily Shrauk hack. They
had never seen her with her hair down
before
She raised her hands Re afcarl or
any an cy'budy, honey. hut don't be-
afrarl cr me. Dodge frum one an all.
hut don't dodge frum mc-not frum
me. No. my Lord
ARE they all gomez asked buster
John.
Mighty nigh all, honey; mighty nigh
all IN um. Dem whut wcat wuZ big
fools. an dem whut Staid may hr bigger
ones fer all know. I'll a he"n zone
myself. but Event rom yandcr Ia the
graveyard where dcy put dat cripple
chile an Sump'in hclt me. ! couldn't
go way nm leave I'm" She was speak
Ing of Little CrotChctt. who hal been
dead and buried these many ions years.
why did they Coz Inquired Sweet
est Susan.
"IIuutin freedom" responded III:
sal Yes. Lord, huntiu freedom
hope dryn fin IT. dat | does.
Papa says all the negroes are free
now" said Sweetest Susan.
Did he say dat: hid he say lat wild
his own mouf? Well. thank my stars!
I'm free. dcu-nc an all de balance"
$50 papa says" remarked Eust'r
John
We'll" said Rig sal "cf I'm free
better git m frum here m 20 ter Wort.
What does marStcr want Us ter d.?
I'm -wluc up dar IN aX i'm"
The children Went 10 the other cabins
ana found them empty, hut in Jennings
house they found pruSilla crying. VOW
may imagine Sweetest SuSan'~ grief
when she made this discovery. Du-
silla was ready with her tale Of woe.
"Maumy walIoped me kase l won't
60 OF wild de balance w UNI Sohhcd
pyu~illa. she say If | stay here she
got ter stay. | tell her do anything
but dat. III tell lies, I'll steal. hut |
don't - fun here: dCy rot To Kill me
dead an tote me. An den nanny wal
loprd me"
/ You needn't to b'lieye word cr
/ dat" cried Jcmiuy. who came in NJ
/ that moment Il toll dat gal it would
4 be better for we all ter go rf We
wantrr be- free sho' 'nuf, an wild dat
she fell on de flo an gun to waller an
/ boiler till | 'blcrCc to paddle her. |
don't wantcr 60 no wuSSn she do but
dey say dat ii we don't 20 way from
whar we blonG ut we lever is ter be
free. Dat what de nicgcrs on de- mex
plantation say. | wu2 born here, an Of
dis amt my home | dunno whar in de
roun' worl' got any
There was break in jennings voice
as she said this. Buster John paid no
attention to il, hut Sweetest Susan
went close to her and leaned against
her, and the negro woman put an arm
around the child. Ii was as if Il tramp
steamer had thrown out an anchor
within sight of the lights Of home.
"Who cooked breakfast this morn
ing asked Sweetest SCSan.
Me" replied JENNY. II knowd
somebody had ter CoOE.'
Il thought so" said the child The
biscuits were mighty good
1t was some time before JENNY said
anything She rose and pushed the
child from her, rcmarking: Il dunno
1,.l,n NIX II np 7 ~ hn1.,,
wild my arm 'roun' You an you talkn
dat way I'll be boOhooing 10 | know
myself Git up fun dar Drusilla, 70
l break yo' neck"
Before Drusilla could make any
preparation to rise there came II loud
rap on the door facing.
Nobody but old Fountain" said the
newcomer. "Old Fountain, as muddy
as hog and harmless as dove"
Harmless or not. he was certainly
muddy. As he came in the legs Of his
pantaloons rubbing together sounded
as if they were made of leather. His
coat was full Of red mud and mud
was on his coat and in his hair.
"Whar is you been" asked JENNY.
Fur enough tn 60 no furdcr." re-
spOnded old Fountain. shaking his
head. II went n hunting freedom. De
kin foun' will las me whct, |
promise you dat"
You don't tell me" exclaimed Je
miny.
81 does" said Fountain, IAN l could
tell you lots mo- dan dat ef had time
Dey sot me ter work liftin waEgir
driver rap jacketcd me wild his whip
well, you see me here, don't you? Ar
eff were bofc alive you'll see me here
, termorrer an de day after"
"An dey want no freedom darT
, questioned JENNY. She spoke under
, her breath, as if afraid to hear the an
I swer
, Il won't say that" replied Foun
, tain, Fer dem cat like de kin 'twul
dar. Some mought like de change. hui
; not me. | bless God fer what seed
, but seed huff. l went an l come"
, "Whyn't you stop an wash de muC
off In de branch" JENNY asked pres
, emily.
, "No; not me-" Fountain replied, still
shaking his head. Ter stop wuz tel
, stay | know'd dey wuz a branch a
, home, an, mo- dan dat, spring. d.
, Idee wuz ter hurry back an see ef d.
natchel groun had been left!'
=. 81 b'lleve your sighed JENNY. &c,
come mighty nigh gwine myself"
!, You'd been sorry" eXclaime.
: Fountain. YOU'D been sorry plum
ter yo dyin day. You see me?" Jcmi
. ny nodded her head. "Wcll been daI
| been right wild UNI. Yo' can't call
p freedom after go wade through da
mud an water"
o Some one else came to the door. AL
:. eyes open" cried the newcomer.
was the refrain Of hide and seek an,
G the children laughed when they hear,
@ 1t. They knew the voice of Johnn
R0ntpv ;rt,> 81