The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-05-27

unteered TO assist them, and coolly walked to the
creek and helped TO lay me podlee ~ one Of the
embarked i'm the other and the melancholy
cortege passed out of sight AS they, lett one
of them arose in the canoe ana, saVIn. MS hand.
one of YOU will see the free states, ! am done
chasing runaway ~nigeers. In 2 rev moments
the sound of their paddles was iost IN the dis
lance.
The remainder of the forenoon was passed
in watching for the return OF the p%ursuers, but
they were evidently satisfied that there was
an easier and more lncrative nus' heSso .nah ca,cn,
ing negroes, So had returned nome 70 report
that eight white men and twenty dogs had been
beaten back, half their lumber and all their
dogs killed, by four. runaway neRIoes' u
There was a Joyful greeting when Wesner
and his men returned not unharmed, Tor
lem had a bullet through his arm. but said
nothing AT the time,
hanks OF the creek 10 rest before trying the
passage Of the Arkansas
CHAPTER XIX.
That nipbt after supper Wesner pressed EN-
TO finish Inc story he had begun in the morning
before the fight. u.,-
knows T. have tolled ior yearS ~ did l nVsf for
but since you and Mr.. Edwards nave gwen m"
my freedom and risked your lives Tor me- VIII
4 had Just told you about my father. Five
hundred niggers - sounds like q big bra9 Tor
me, a slave. can remember ms pa,uhR me
on the head and calling me his mulatto oapy.
must have been four or five years ola men, l
was only seven when he was brought, into the
house with a bullet in his brain, mat renieh,-
Der we'll. My mother. you ASK II she were plack,
Yes. she was a Felah. born in Africa; my iather
bought her of a Congo chief. who was about 10
behead her To satisfy some god or other that
he fancied he was angry with or was angry WIN
him in Africa. where he had been for many years
and was getting homesick. He left. came to
Louisiana. bought a plantation and sent i"r hWrr.
She came with my brother ana Inyse,, SMhna
father had taught her to read and write She
was n black lady: her father was a great chiel,
Il do not think. my father had many irlends
among his neiehbors; he had been lons ~ .ne
African slave trade. and was a Wild devil at best
but was always good 10 my mother. remem-
her once. she was very sick, he rode thirty
miles for a, physician. and never LETT hTr
"a, with her hand in his while the doctor was
there. know what a shock IL must have. been
10 that physician, reared in q lonlsiana
atmosphere. TO witness n wealthy planter caress-
ing the ebony hand of a black woman. butthe
whole Pelican State could not have influenced
The physician. made some light remark
regarding It. My how the old mans eyes
doctor said he, I put in fifteen wears
on the coast Of Senegambia, ! am A graduate
Of Yale College; | have seen white ladies IN
my Younger DAYS, but that woman j. dearerr
TO me than AL else in America, Save her II
YOU can, and name your price-hut tins plan
tation is mine. my domestic relations are mine
only my neiehbors. may, come here II they
choose. or give me the cold shoulder ] do not
want their friendship. neither do fear them
| have probably in my day shot twenty men
hut am to be- left alone. That woman was
my wife in Africa, she il SO here, as near A.
Louisiana law will allow She has free paIfrS
recorded aud her children are, free, that's the
best can do with them here
NO man ever Came 10 -" my father except
by accident. lie kept open house for travellers
If they were respectable he took them 10 MS
own table, If they we're not, they were given
accommodations In the servants quarters As
my mother always sat AZ my fathers table.
and was waited upon ~ a lady. you can Judge
Of the WY face, Mat wers often seer. out 70
man ever dared to show her dlsreSpect. The
old cep,ain was too ready with his pistol.
"One bright day he was brought home dead,
shot by some unknown assassin lie mao
"A brother whom | always mlstrlsted "a being
the instlgator ~ the deed. This man, VINO
had recently come on IA visit 10 my father,
was the only heir. and came into possession
of the property
My mother was n heather, a believer IN
Voodou. st. drove a knife into her heart ana
died on my fathers grave II
My uncle sold me and the other two hill
dren in tSenty-;our hours after the estate was
in his hands
Where Is h" now.
dead before We started on this expedition.
! was afraid might not tome back, and dla i"t
want Ia leave any unpaid bills IN N" SCUM
Poor lemuel- story ended here of brother.
or sisters he knew nothing, except thh,, u
living they we're wearing their lives out in
some cotton ar cane field The uncle from
connecticut. he had located where he would
remain safe until the resurrection day.
The next morning early they were across
the Arkansas and up the White River chute.
and in two weeks. without further adventure
were resting their tired limbs at Bradleys.
ward. from hence To Cairo and safe at tHllotts,
Here Mr.. tntwi>sle took charge of them, paid
over the money and Wrsner departed for New
NOrh.