Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-04-28

in less than three hours it would be day
break.
II slipped off my horse helped Lucy to
the saddle, tucked old Moses two small
| children on behind, and taking the lead
started off at a dogtrot. Lucy came next
while the rest followed, sometimes running
and then falling along they stumbled
over roots and fell into the ruts of the old
bayou road. Old Nose must have crawled
the last mile before we left the wood
Bradley, those were moments of intense
anxiety.
Il was on a public highway, but seldom
used, 1t is true, yet some benighted tndivid-
ual might come that way. 1 started into a
sharp run and kept short distance ahead
of the party, straning my eyes in the vain
endeavor to pierce the condensed darkness
and listening for the slightest indication
that would give notice of the approach of
strangers
Il verify believe every dog in the parish
barked and every mule prayed, for there
bowling and braying. and to add to our
peril, beside the road and not over three
rods distant. was the shanty of a free
negro, who, like most of his kind, keeps a
legion of dogs, that either hearing or
seeming us, cleared their threats and set
up their wolfish and unearthly howl.
Il knew there was no danger, for nothing
save an earthquake or chicken-stealing
expedition will turn a niger out in the
night. Yet l could but feel alarmed at the
Internal din, especially we were not
above a mile away from where We left the
ACdu IOT tHe SWAMP. f1dQ any man at
tempted to stop us it would have cost him
his life.
Much to my relief, we reached the
place without Interruption, and at day
break were a mile from the old road and
ankle deep in the waters of the swamp. /
kept on about a mile. and at sunrise halted
on knoll that rose a few feet above the
waters of the surrounding country and was
comparatively dry. Slowly the poor tired
creatures came struggling in and threw
themselves at full length upon the moss
and leaves.
II dared not build a fire. for the day
was still. and the tell-tale smoke might
betray our whereabouts to eyes that I well
knew must be watching for us ere this,
but whom 1 trusted 1 had thrown off the
scent by the ruse of the mule stampede,
and I have since learned that 1 did
Il have forgotten to tell you that I
turned a dozen Of the old mans mules
loose and sent them scampering in another
direction just the opposite of ours.
In the morning l told my fugitives to
take a bite at their luncheons, and gave
each of them good horn of corn whisky
This temperance beverage revived their
courage amazingly.
I'VE rested here perhaps two or three
hours. and as the sun gradually mounted
higher and the abr grew warmer the
party were more cheerful, having already
begun TO build air castles as to what they
We're going to do In de Norf.
Again We started. took the lead with
Lucy. Next came old Nose, then his wife,
then Bin, Tom, Jack and Pharo came next
| while Lemuel Mason brought up in the
rear. The two children were carried in
turn by the men; they're only little bits
one, two and three years old
"Lemuel Mason, AZ the boys all call him
is very smart bright man, a mulatto: he
can read little. and is going to be of
great help In getting the party through.
I have left him in charge of the crowd AT
our camp.
1.-THE water In the swamp is now about
six inches to & foot in depth, with now
and then a hunnnock where it is quite dry.
these I avoided as much as possible for /
was careful to leave no trace or trail for
a dog to follow. know a bloodhound
we'll
However, to make an end Of nv story.
We arrived safe and unpursued at our rem
devious about noon. 1t was slow walking
and tresome.
Brad, you should have heard their ex-
CARNATIONS of delight at the sight of the
cabin we had built. 1 never knew a negro
had much feeling-that is, 1 suppose I
knew-but never realized the fact before
II was known to them only as strange
niger, and they had a notion In their heads
| that 1 was from the north They couid not
conceive how I got there but while thew
| felt that was one of them, they Well knew
| they were lost without me- so after dinnar
when called Mason I'D to me and mt him
| in charge Of the place they accepted the
position without a word
1.-THE disguise of negro will not do for
us when We have our convoy in a difficult
or dangerous position. 1t does NOT carry
with it that idea of obedience we must ex
act of these people to get them through the
perils Of our swamp and night journeys,