The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-05-29

into the fighting almost purely from
love Of fighting.
They cumber us-tnese Blacks"
he said often. They ruin discipline.
too. Then how shall you keep army
secrets when they go in and out like
the air." But low ever he had taken
one into his service. 1t had happened
in this wise. Three days earlier he
had been recOnnOitering when his de
tachment was charged upon by a
SINGLE mounted man, riding at full
speed. and crOuching low over the
neck Of the horse. The reason was
plain. Behind came half a dozen
men in gray, also mounted, squirting
as for, life and shooting as they rode.
1t seemed a miracle hat some bullet
did not touch the fugitive. The Fed
eral cavalry parted to let him through
as soon as they saw his face. He was
a mulatto. evidently a camp servant
making Il dash for liberty, since he
core over his jean trousers a cast-off
gray OvercOat.
Shoot me please! Don't send me
back" he said. riding straight up to
the colonel. Flowtow eyed him a
minute. then asked gruffly: Why
did YOU run aWay??'
~Foraanswer the mulatto flung off
his coat and barred his back. 1t was
marked all over with cruel crimson
wclts.r Nobody ever dared to touch
me bcfo'," he said: Il was a house
nigger- and | don't belong to the man
that lone it,"
How came YOU in the army?:"
Flowtow asked suspiciOusIy. The ne
GRO looked full i'm his ewes and said:
81 went tn talo keen. Of ~ p,,,c+or,c
son. IIe-he's dead now. | wanted
to 90 and they tried to make me
stay
Hump. Who is your mastery"
FIOwtOW asked.
Major ililliard-that is, he used to
be major. He's colonel now under
old Mister Forres'. II he had been
there, nobody wouldn't a-dared to
touch me-" the negro said. That's
how come | to know all this country
so we'll. | used to live at Wake For
eS'.'
so" The exclamation was one of
pleasure. Then YOU may be worth
keeping-if YOU will be a true guide"
FioWtow said. pursuing his lips, then
brutality: This maiOr-he is your
father, too. eh?'
Il hears en- say So" the negro
said. looking down. please. sir take
me to wait on YOU. | can cook
Il may have better use for. Won"
Fiowtow interrupted. Ride YOU here
beside me % little. If YOU serve me
we'll YOU shall have money and free
dom. If" with a stern look. you try
to trap me-then | will cut yOu.a alive.
into little teeny bits.
Il don't want money. ONLY TO be
free and to lp1t1, rao1i,, c,J ,.,:4..,
the negro said. AS to trappin' YOU
no ni9ger CANT do that. You are
too snar for even our white folks"
SO yellow Ned came to be free OF
F~1owtow's quarters. following the col
Onel like a dog wherever he went.
croucnlng patiently beside the hearth
while FioNtow wrote or talked. alert
for any service. but seemingly heed
less Of all he heard. He had found
an Old note book and stub of pencil.
The sentry at the dOOr had set him
copies OF letters and figures. These
he Reproduced in a thousand unheard
of combinations. The sentries. as
they changed, were much amused at
his efforts. and said one to another
yellow Ned must be crazy-vou simp-
~ could not teach him tina two and
TWO mace our. or that a was not T..
1t was mo May. fOur years from
the month when Col. billiard had
sent the H.ntons away Old Nat had
come back very soon after the Fed |
eral victory. He claimed, indeed. to |
have a mysterious connection with |
those IN authority. and staggered |
among the other fisher folk as to the |
vengeance he meant to take on the !
s~lave-holding a~ristocrats. who had |
formerly so oppressed him. A year of |
riotous living had wasted the billiard |
money. Luce and Prude now chose IN |
go their own way. but Swan came /
with her father because her mother |
came perforce.
With the wreck and remnant of ]