Gardnerville record. (Gardnerville, Nev.) 1898-1902, 1901-12-20
THE RUNAWAYS
A Story of Antsbellum
Days.
BY ANNA LAURA GRAVES,

fifth year that negro has run away. I'll
see about this" And. catching up his
cane and panama hat. he strobe down
the ayenue toward the negro quarters.
lie stopped before the cabin of Aunt
Dnah, the wife of the reereant. and
she met him by answering his unspo-
ken question.
"Yes. sab, he done run away ag'in,
sah When | git up dis mawnin' he
done gone. It's pow'ful eu'ous. sab.
He'll come back. You know. lie allus
does. Gawd knows | sho' Is toah up
In my mind about 1t. He knows what
a kind massa he got. and 'peahs lax
when he come back he pow'ful shame
O. hisself; but he done gone ag'in.'
As was always the case with him.
the coloners wrath had subsidized by
the time he had reached Uncle Ephra-
| inns cabin, and after hearing Aunt
Dinah's explanation he said thought
| fully:
well tell Eph to come and see me
when he comes back, and we'll not
search for him this time Then he
walked slowly back to the house.
| At dinner that day the family dis
cussed the runaway. He had been
| born on the plantation and was great
favorite with them ali. He was only
few days older than the colonel
They had been boys together. and the
| slave had been devoted to his white
folks But every October for five
years Eph had mysterlously disappear
ed, TO appear agnin In about two
weeks. little shamefaeed. and his
only explanation TO the darkies had
beer that he les had to GO
The colonel had maintained Il dis
Greet silence. He remembered the long
years of unbroken loyalty and devo-
tion Of Ephralm. and waited for him
to explain his disappearance. but the
explanation had never come This
time the colonel had determined to ask
for II.
About two weeks after this last Oc-
tober day a disheyeled old darky
walked into Aunt Dinah's cabin. His
clothes We're torn by brambles and coy-
cred with the mud of the swamps. He
looked tired. but happy. Uncle Ephra-
I'm had returned
He said little by way of reply TO the
upbraldings of Aunt Dinah. who gave
hlm n good tongue lashing" for his
Congratulate TO ole massa To run Off
iak a common field niggah." He
WINGED nj the last appellation, for
Uncle Eph was quite an aristocrat in
his way. having been eoaehman in the
Randolph family ever since he had ar
rived at mans estate. He said moth
Ing. however. for he was rather u ST.
lent darky.
When Aunt Dinah had had her
say" She gave him the masters mes
sage He stopped smoking. his cob
pipe went out. At last he arose, put
on his battered hat and, without
changing his mud stained garments.
walked slowly up to the big house.
Colonel Randolph solemnly surveyed
the weather beaten runaway.
well, Eph.n he said sternly. i've
never asked you before, but now |
want you to tell me why you ran
away"
Ephraln. lingering his hat and look
Ing ut his IiuuuN sHbtN, sdld
That's jus what I'm gwine TO DO,
Marse Phil. Seem lax | couldn't wait
to fix up none. | jus got To tell you
now You know, Marse Phil'' tand
Uncle Eph eoughed), tive been knowin'
one 'nuther long time. You know my
nanny wah yo' black nanny. too,
an you know we done play togedder.
Il txs.
did, an you know. Marse Phil. you
could outride anybody In dis coun-
try
THAT we could" broke In the colo
mel, forgetting himself for the moment,
unconscious OF his role as judge OF
runaway negro and remembering only
his happy boyhood.
We'll, Marse Phil. you know In de
fall. sah, when de sun shines sort o
meller lax an when de muscadines an
fox grapes an simmons am ripe an de
cbestnuts am droppin'. sab. tes' can't
stand 1t nohow. | jes' 'bleeged to run
away. 'Peahs lax l JUS recollect de
time. Marse Phil, | do, when you an
me used to 80 possum an coon huntin',
an den atterwhlle, when l take de
ehIllens-an', Lord, sich times as we
had! An now dey'G all married an
gone. sab. bet ole Eph, lie jes' have TO
take To de woods once year an KIND
o. cire.nnaeieate roun'. sab, Jes' fob
! do ole lirts, ,ah. lZe pow'ful sorry to
dlscamlrrt.. 'an. Marse Phil, but toi
dat trii how to tex keer o de
+ i.... 49, ips' has to go, MarSe