The National tribune., 1901-02-21
A scrimmage With the Jawgy Reserves and
Uncle Eph's and Aunt Mtnervy AIMS New
Relations to Society.

| Shorty, as they logged along TOWARD
Peachstone Shoals, to meet the 2oOth IND
'As matter of principle every fairly
good boss should be taken from the rebels
on sight, but are we going to have such
n circus getting rid of them after we
reach camp as we did with the cattleI Ii
| there is any prospect o that, l vote that
we shoot 'em Just before We reach camp
| and save trouble"
Never do il in the world" answered
| 81, whose farmer instincts revOlted from
the barbarity of shooting u good horse
| I'm going to give this boss o the Elders
to Col. McGillicuddy. He's better and
faster than the one he's riding. You car
| Strobe, and we'll distribute the others
around. This looks like it's going to be
march when lots o the officers ii want to
| ride, and a few eXtry hosses will be wei
come. I'm a heap more puzzled about
| Uncle Ephraim and Aunt Minerva Ann
see peck o trouble ahead over them.
| Fret not thy gizzard over them. an
swered Shorty, philosophically. "Niggers
can do n heap O taking care o themselves
| in this country, and we'll be where we
can be lending n helping hand, now and
| then"
'.Say-Mas'r-big Mas'r Yank," called
! out Uncle Ephraim.
Uncle Ephraim," said 81, in a tone of
mild reproof, you mustn't call me mas
| ter. You mustn't call anybody master
now. You're a free man, and have no
master any more. Drop. the word
No masr nowhar?" queried Uncle
| Ephraim, looking bewildered; Il fought
you'S t be my new maSr now.
No, no; there are no masters any.
where. any more. I'm nobody's master:
'You's nobody's mas'r," echoed Uncle
Ephraim, still more bewildered. 1ous
n0body's mas'r? Why, l done fought
from de way you went on, dat you's de
| l. 5of 7 aIhar done When
ebber you done speak to- desc udder Yam,
| KEGS. dey jump, an dy keep on Jumpin
| till dey's done what you tole dem: An
| what dey says t de white folks round
hyah is done in hurry, tell you. Tink
| OBJ burnin' de Jail an de ole Stailin's gro
cery, an you amt de big mas'r."
No: I'm no master, of anybody.
AN a-Iickin' Tim Scads, an Tite
| Brown, an Jerry Lumpkin, an Tod BIN
kins, an de rest oh dose ole whisky-tar-
riers in an inch of DER lives, an you no
| mas'r."
No, indeed"
AN maxim ole Elder. Hornblower,
who's done bin whoppin' an hollerin' froo
desc woods for fer de Lord knows how
long, an a-runnin' t'ings t suit hisself. git
down on his marrer-boness, an beg fer
marcy, an you no big mas'r."
mo, Uncle Ephraim. IN no master or
anybody. There amt no more masters
in this country. except in the Southern
Confederacy and we're busting them up as
fast as we can get at them"
well, if you isn't a big mas,r, den de
good Lord nebber made one. 1ous my
mas'r, an Merry AIMS, now an forebber
more-kingdom come.
..Yes, indeed you is, echoed Aunt Mi
nerya Ann, in her regular amen lntona-
Now, look here, Uncle Ephraim, Aunt
Minerva, and all the rest of you, sald 81,
impressiyely. i..Stop that. I'm not your
master, nor is anybody else, any more.
You're free-absolutely free, do yoq un-
dcrstand. Free as anybody-free as am
Freer than am, just now, for I'm sol
dier under orders, which you are not
You're as free as the stopped to think
about some comparison that would make
the matter clear to the negroes compre-
hensionl as free-as-as-Tim Scads, Tite
Brown, or Elder HornblOwer."
sI.ans sake" calculated Aunt Minerva
Ann, "we uns don't want t be lack dat
pore white trash, in no shape ner manner.
Dey'uns's wives an chilluns alters hon.
pry fer bread an meat, an haint cloze t
cover DER nakedness. An if l fought dat
Enid 20 beIIerin' bout de country lack
Elder Hornblower. an leabin' me t hoe
de grass outen de Gotten, I'd take water
elm club an break his fool neck-so L
would. You hear dat. Eph"
"Yes. 'Neryy," meekly answered Uncle
Ephraim.
We'll, / repeat that you're free, now,
and mustn't call anybody MASTER
"Rut we don't want t be free nigSers-
dat's lower down dan de wufiess white
trash" returned Aunt Minerva Ann. "A
free nigger's like a stray dog; ebberybody
gives him Il kick, an nobody bone. We
rms want t belong t somebody. We'uns
want t belong t you an Fadder Abra-
well. YOU can't belong to neither of us.
There's no use of talking about it. That
ends it. You mustn't call me master, but
Serg't Klegg. of the 20Oth lnJianny Vol
unteers. Understand that?
They did not understand it, but their
ears were quick to catch sounds, and after
a few trials 81 got them so that they could
pronounce "Serg't Klegg." and Corporal
Elliott" and '.2O0th Injianny Volunteer
| Infantry" =.
.Dats de name oh our new mas'rs,"
said Uncle Ephraim to the rest, in tone
of authority. Now. | want you common
niggers t. Farm dat, hard an fas', an neb-
Der low me t h'ar nutting else from yer
tick lips"
Its no use, ST." interrupted Shorty;
"they'H have to learn what freedom means
otherwise than by words o mouth"
The discussion was interrupted by the
sound of two or three shots n quarter of
nllle IIpdu, tHtIl VI SINUS llpHi
some point nearer, apparently i'll reply;
then n sputter of shots, as others came up
and ioined in ST and Shorty galloped
forward. to find that Pete Skidmore and
Sandy Baker, riding ahead as an advance
guard, had come upon squad OF men pre-
pairing to burn bridge over narrow and
deep creek. These had fired on them as
soon as they icame1in sight, and their bull
LET'S had come so unpleaSantly near that
! Pete and Sandy had jumped from their
saddles and behind trees before replying.
Harry, Monty, Gid and Alf, who were
strung along back; talking with the ne
groes had come up, one by one, and
jumping from their horses had fired at the
squad of rebels. Abednego, the mule, was
entering into the spirit of the occasion, by
occupying the center of the road, regard
less of the bullets whistling back and for
ward over him. and kicking. with light
ming Swiftness and great precision Of aim.
at every horse that came within range of
his Iong-reaclIing heels. These came peril
ously near Sis head, as he leaned forward
to rpconnoiter the Scene OF action.
The sound of the guns started the emo
tional negroes behind into tumult of loud
shouting, singing and praying.
Had il not been that he thought there
was more pressing use for it, 81 would
tents of his gun.
On the high bank, where Monty, Harry.
Gid and Alf had gathered and were re-
loading. Down the slope, little to the
left. were Pete and Sandy behind trees.
He could see the bridge, 300 or 400
,i.,h 81,