The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-08-02
and trouble with it she was we'll pre-.

Gone, honey: Qe 1AOrG knO"S " LII
gone: honey. dc Lord knows how"
SIN. turned as she spoke, and her
hair bristling out gave her counte-
nance such =, wild aspect that the chill
dren inyoluntarily shrank back. They
had never seen her with her hair down
before.
She raised her hands. "Be afeard er
any an ey'body, honey, but don't be
afeard er me! Dodge frlm one an all,
but don't dodge frum me-not frum
me. No, my Lord
care they all gone" asked Buster
John.
"Mighty nigh all, honey; mighty nigh
all nm um. Dem whit went wuz Dig
fools, an dem whut staid may be bigger
ones fer all know. I'd "a been gone
myse'f, but went roun yander IN the
graveyard where dey put dat cripple
chile an sump'in helt me. couldn't
90 'way an leave i'm" She was speak
ing of Little Crotchett, who had been
dead and buried these many long years.
"Why did they go:" inquired Sweet
est Susan.
"Hrntin freedom" responded Big
Sal. eyes, Lord, huntin freedom.
hope dey'n fin it, dat does
.Papa says all the negroes are free
now" said Sweetest Susan.
"Did he say dat? Did he say dat wid
his own mouf: Well, thank my stars.
I'm free, den-me an all dc balance"
$50 papa says remarked Buster
John.
"Well," said Big Sal, "ef I'm free I
better git up frum here an go ter work
What does marster want us ter DO:
Pm gwine up dar an Ak i'm"
The children went to the other cabins
and found them empty, but in jennings
house they found Drusilla crying. You
NAV imagine Sweetest Susan's grief
when she made this discovery. Dru-
silla was ready with her tale of woe.
"AIammy walloped me kase l won't
20 of wild de balance Nv um," sobbed
Drusilla. "She say eff / stay here She
got ter stay. I. tell her do anything
but dat; I'll tell lies, I'll steal, but I
don't go fun here; dey got to kill me
dead an tote me. An den nanny wal
loped me-"
"You needn't to b'lieye a word er
dat" cried JENNY, who came in at
that moment. II top dat gal it would
be better for we all ter go ef we
wanter be free sho' 'nuff, an wild dat
she fell on de flo' an gun to waller an
holler till I 'bleege to paddle her. l
don't wanter 90 no wuss'n she do, but
dey say dat If we don't go way from
whar we b'long at we never is ter be
free. Dat what de niggers on de mex
plantation say. wuz born here, an ef
| 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 it, but Sweetest Susan
went close to her and leaned against
her, ard the negro woman put an arm
around the child. 1t was as if tramp
steamer had thrown out an anchor
within sight Of the lights of home.
"Who cooked breakfast this morn
| ingy' asked Sweetest Susan.
"Me," replied JENNY. Il know q
somebody had ter cook"
ST 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, remarking: II dunno
what come over me, but eff I set here
wild my arm 'roun' you an you talkin
dat way I'll be boohooing 10 1 know
myse'f. Git up fun dar. Drusilla. TO
break 20 neck"
Before Drusilla could make any
preparation to rise there came q loud
rap on the door facing.
I 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 bis
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 beenT asked JENNY.
eur enough to go 40 furder," re-
sponded old Fountain, shaking his
head. 81 went hunting freedom. Dc
kim I foun' will las me whet.
promise you dat"
"You don't tell mew exclaimed Je
miny.
"I does" said Fountain, IAN I cOu!t
tell YOU lots mo- dan dat ef had time
Dey sot me ter work iftin waggir
wheels out er de quagmire an den
driver rap jacketed me wild his whip
well, YOU see me here, don't you? Al
ef we're bofe alive you'll see me here
termorrer an de day AFTER"
can dey want no freedom dar:'
questioned JENNY. She spoke unde
her breath, as if afraid to hear the an
swer.
81 won't say that" replied Foun
tain. "Fer dem cat like de kin 'twu;
dar. Some mought like de change, bu
not me. 1 bless God fer what | seed
but I seed 'nuff. I went an come"
"Whyn't you stop an wash de mut
off in de brancn?" JENNY asked pres
emily.
"No; not me-" Fountain replied, still
shaking his head. "Ter stop wuz te
stay. | know'd dey wuz a branch u
home, an, mo- dan dat, spring. D.
idec wuz ter hurry back an see eff d
natchel groun had been lett"
81 h'lieve you!' sighed JENNY. =