The National tribune., 1900-04-05

belongs ter me. / wouldn't go with they
'uns when they said thar warn't gwine ter
be no foutin'-the Yankees wouldn't fout-
they 'uns was Jest gwine ter have a little
funny jamboree, an all cum back soon.
Dinged II I'm a-gWlne now, when the
Yankees air KILN 'em off by millions
every day-wuss n cholera times. No,
sir-r-rec."
you spoke about the conscripters. Are
they raidin' around here?"
Il should say they WIZ. Ole Sherman's
bin KILN off sch gobs and slathers that
they uns is jest rakin' the country with a
fine-tooth comb ter find men ter fill up the
ranks. They're takin' everything that
kin toddle. They're takin' men that air
so sick they die afore they kin git 'em ter
Atianty. They're sweepin' the pen clear
o. every runt in hit"
Say, Mister, do you know where we can
get something to eat?" piped up Pete, who
was far more interested in breakfast than
any general discussion of the condition of
the country.
sardonically. You'll find that monty
skeerce in these hyah parts, sonny. We
'uns don't raise much around hyah but
sand-fieas and yaller dogs. L hain't bin
able ter put in no crap this year, on account
o dodgin' the conscripters. L never wuz
no great hand at farming nohow, and my
ole woman an young 'unS 8 gone back ter
live with her dad. over in Dooly County,
leavin' me ter shift fer myself Hits bin
purity slim pickln' fer me, with no woman
ter help, but I've managed ter git erlong
somehow. though the neighbors do COM
plain. Iheyuns's alters complainin'. any
how, SOS hit don't matter. When hit
hain't me hits the niggers, an expect I've
got erbout as good right ter decent
Twin as the niggers has. The world
owes me Twin, an I'm bound ter collect
hit often somebody. Yesterday 1 had
on shoat that'd got away from the rest,
and wuz rootin' round in the ma Sh. l
sneaked up on him an brung him down,
which wuz monty slick work, for the hogs
around hyah kin outrun quarter-hoss, an
air skeerier'n deer, on account o bein'
and the layers-out The country'S in a
bad way on account o. the war, an po'
man has harder time'n ever gittin' a
liYin'. But | got him, as l done tole yo'
and last night L had a good supper often
him. That wuz what made me sleep so
hung up what didn't eat fer breakfast, an
| 81 pose hits thar yit, if some blamed nigger
hain't found hit Niggers's the cuss o
this country. They'uns s alters snatchin'
the bread outen the mouth o the po' man.
If yo'n go down with me ter my kitchen
We'll see if hits thar yit, an yo'uns kin
have what yo' want"
You're sure the conscripters won't see
llS?' Queried ST.
You foller me. an no conscripterll
ketch sight o yo', answered Gabe, care
fully parting the weeds behind him. Come
on"
They followed him through the high
brush and weeds to point where the island
neared the opposite shore, and Waded
across the Intervening arm of the creek.
Then appeared rift in the canes which
looked as if made by hogs coming down to
th.a Sfnnnn1 md s.T,t.. II
this almost on all-fours. Sometimes he
craWled along this way, and sometimes
was able TO walk upright At length he
came out to a little opening which proved to
be Il mound which had risen in the swamp,
and was almost covered by the roots of a
tirciy surrounded and cut off from view in
every direction by the dense growth of
canes, briars and brush in the fertile soil
washed down from the adjoining slope.
The sycamore was hollow, and in its
great cavern q small fire Smoldered. the
smoke from which made its way through
apertures high up in the trunk in such a
way as not likely 10 attract notice.
Hanging from a sapling by a piece of
grapevine was the greater part of the car
caSS of the Shoat which BoneSet had killed. |
Though nearly fullgrown, the raZor-back
pig W;lS so small and thin, that BOneset
had apparently not made a very big meal
in eating the whole of the ham that was
missing.
There, gentlemen" said Boneset. taking
the carcass down and proceeding to finish
skinnng it, lis breakfast for you. Hits
good as fur as hit goes, an thars enough
OF hit sich as hit is. Kick them chunks
together, an each man kin brile his share.
Sorry | hain't got no bread nor salt ter offer
yo' with hit, but hits powerful hard fer "A
po' man ter git erlong. nowadays, an he
must put up with what he kin git. Lay to,
an eat hearty, as long as hit lasts Wisht
| could send some o them spare-ribs over
ter my ole woman. She was alters power
full fond o fresh spare-ribs, an l alters got
em fer her, whenever could find a stray
hog. | allers was good pervider."
why don't you stay in here, instead of
on the island?" asked ST, as he munched his
broiled piece of shoulder and looked around
at the spacious interior of the sycamore.
This would make a good house for you,
and shelter you from the sun and rain"
$50 hit would, stranger; so hit would.
Only hit hain't dog proof. like the island is.
Sence the uonscripters has got ter runnin'
down volunteers for the Confederit army
with hounds hits best fer me Ter only go
ter sleep in SOME place whar the dogs can't
trail me-"
."Then. why in the world don't YOU leave