The National tribune., 1900-06-14

"LAwD BREss Me-" SHE EXCLAIMED
lack desc udder fool niggers wat
want ter preach. Yo's alters seen'
t'ings an hearin' voices in de woods dat
ncbber was in de airth, in de hcabens
above. nur de waters under the airth.
Eff yo've done foun' anybody out hyah hits
| a passel oh dem sneakin' layers-out D'yo
SpOse I'm a-gwine ter fry myself down
ter skin an bone dis brilih' wedder bakm'
corn-pOne fer dat dar trash: Dyo spose
I'm ter tote dem de buttermilk missus
done glib me fer dem lubly leetle pigs!
Anime walkin' froo de woods in de dark,
a-wearin' off my laigs, wen | should be
in bald, gttin' my nacherul sleep, ter tote
hit ter dem. An gwine right up dar, too,
whar dem harnts an ghOstses is ticker
dan ileas on q hound, an ready ter snatch
| me up an fly away wild me, or glib me jan
dcrs or rheumatic, same as dey did Sister
Po.iXeny. ., Lord sabe US, dar's one
now"
The poor woman dropped on her knees
in the dust, and began mumblng pray
CTS, because n wildcat screamed yicIously
up in the woods, at the same time that
flash of heat lightning showed q white
stump with startling distinctness.
Great Scott. Aunty, you split some o
the buttcrmiik," said 81, coming forward
and picking up the cedar pail, which the
woman had dropped to the ground. Don't
be scared. No harnts II bother you as
long as there's Yankee sOljers around. We
don't a!!cI" harnts to do business where
we are. They're all rebels"
NO harnt shall come within 40 rows
o apple tree of you, Aunty, as long rs
I'm around" Shorty assured her. I'm a
boss -conjurer myself. l. kin conjure all
around all the wise men in Georgy. |
know spells thatll just bust any o them
wide open. Harnts won't come within a
mile o me. when they know I'm about.
Get up, Aunty, and let me see what
you've got in that there poke. We're all
a-Starving."
"Yo' is Yankees, I do belieb," said MI
ncrva Ann, as Shorty helped her to her
feet. Il nebber seed none, but l nebber
| hcared sich voices afore. Dey sounds
sweet, jist like angels
Thanks for the compliment" said
| Shorty, as lie took the bag from her and
| began exploring it. Ladies have before re-
marked upon my musical voice, but |
don't recall having ever received so high
compliment before from q lady of your
excellent taste and ability, as shown by
| these cOrn-dOdgers. which seem to be
away up in G.. Here, Pete" he contin-
ued. breaking one in two, and handing the
boy half, with the other portion to Sandy,
remember your manners, boys. Eat very
slowly now. It's awful vulgar to gorge.
AVhat've you got to drink this buttermilk
out of, Aunty? A cup o some kind? o,
yes, a gourd-Georgy china. l forgot.
| Well, there is nothin' that buttermilk
tastes so good out of as a gourd. Don't
wonder that crockery stores don't flourish
! i'll the South"
Each of them took a half of a corn
| dodger, and washed it down with gourd
| full of buttermilk.
'Jewhilikins. / can feel that splash
| against my toe-nails," remarked Gid
Mackall, as he drained the gourd. and
handed it over to Harry Joslyn. I'm as
holler as an elder gum"
There We're two pals of the buttermilk
| and corn-dOdger for each of them.
| Though they could have readily eaten ten
! times as much, this was enough to stay
| their stomachs for awhile and put fresh
| life into thcr.i.
As they ate and talked the two negroes,
sitting on a log, devoured them with their
eyes, only interrupted by frightened
start. Shrek and n convulsion every time
Il vivid fash of lightning came or cata-
mounts yell from the home of the
| ''harnts"
They We're Gained, and their admira-
tion for the Yankees rose to high pitch
ut seeing the avidity with which the boys
went on eating and drinking aud even
laughing, with entire Indifference to the
Swarmng horrors in the place where they
proposed TO spend the night.
An is yo' all gwine right up dar inter
dat dar erbomnable nest OBJ harnts ter
| lay ali nlght! :! asked the ncEreSS, with
shudder and showing all the white in her
great eyes.
That's the intention, Aunty," answered
| ST. with his mouth full of corn-cake.
yankees amt afraid O. harnts. Harnt's
afraid O. Yankees. They'd better keep
out o our way if they know what's good
| for EN-"
"An' lay right out in de brush, widdout
no roof ober yo' all, no fab, no muffin ter
| keep away de sperritsp
Exactly so, Aunty," replied Shorty,
| unless we should find the harnts in good
quarters, when well turn 'em out, and
take their quarters ourselves"
"Fo' de Lawd's sake" Sasped Uncle
| Ephraim. "De Yankees air de beatines'
people,
Aunt Minerva AIMS eyes fixed them
selves on Pete, who came forward for an
other gourd of buttermilk. 'Lawd bress
me-" she exclaimed, "dar's leetle teeny
Yankee. Does yo' Yankees hab leetle
boys an gals, lack udder people?"
Certainly" answered ST, much amused.
GLOW else could it be?"
| Il fought mebbe 20 all done come inter
de world, all growed up, and sabed de
trouble oh raisin'. I've done raised fo'teen,
an | know all about hit. o, yo' cunnin'
| leetle teenty feller. Yo' air jist too cum
MIN ter lib minnit. / wish l could take
yo' home ter show Missus."
"Go along with her, Pete said Shorty,
| laughingly. you'll git plenty TO eat and
a good bed. and not have to sleep with the
wildcats and the harnts."
But Pete was MS indignant as he could
be and still be tired to death at the same
time, at this innuendo on his soldiership,