The National tribune., 1901-12-12
WHO GOES THERE2
CONTINUED from first page.l
NO" said 1; then, yes, l have some

smoking tobacco.
"BatFs mighty good hitse'f; won't you
please, sa, gimme little!
/ was not a smoker, but knew that
there was q little loose tobacco in one OF
nay pockets; how it came TO be there
aThankee. mahsa: dis 'bacco makes me
bleevc you is "a Nick hesitated.
"A whatf"
"a good man." said Nick.
"Nick,''I said, Il want to go up the
wat fur you gwine up de road,
mahsaf"
81 want to see some people up there
Nick did not reply. Could he fear that
was wanting TO take him into the
Southern lines? 1t looked so.
The thought almost took away any
fear / yet had that he might betray me-
His hesitation was assuring.
| repeated, 81 want TO See-l mean L
want to look at-some people up the
road"
Dem sojers went up de road dcs' now,
DO you think they will come back
soon?"
Il dunno, mahsa; maybe dey will en-
maybe dey won't" 80.
Didn't you come from up the rOad:'
'Mahsa, how come you amt got no
This threatened to be a home-thrust;
but / managed to parry it, and to give
him as good.
"Do Southern officers carry guns?''
"You Southern officer, mahsa|
Southern officers carry swords and
pistols" said l; didn't you know that,
"Mahsa,' said Nick, very seriously.
What is it. Nick?"
"Mahsa, fo God you amt no Southern
officer"
"What makes you think so, NickF'
lease, eff you was q Southern officer
you wouldn't be a-gwine on lax yo is;
you 'ud des' say, Nick, you dam black
rascal, git back to dem breswucks en- to
dat pick en- to dat spade dam quick, or
I'll have you strung up dats wat you'd
say"
Unless Nick was Intentionally fooling
me, he was not to be feared. He was
willing for me TO believe that he had run
away from the COnfederates.
But suppose / don't care whether you
get back or not; there are enough nlggers
working on the Notifications without you.
I'd like to give you job of different
sort" said l, temptingly.
wat dat job you talkin' bout,
mahsa?''
II want you to obey my orders for one
day"
go up the road with me" said /.
Nick was silent; my demand did not
please him; yet if he wanted to betray
me to the rebels, now was his chance. l
interpreted his silence to mean that he
wanted to go down the road, that is to
say, that he wanted to make his way to
the Union army and to freedom. l felt
10 sure of this that l should not have
been surprised if he had suddenly set out
running down the road; yet l supposed |
that he was still in doubt of my character |
and feared q pistol-shot from me. He
was silent so long that 1 fully made up
my mind that l could trust him little.
"Nick," said l, look at my clothes.
am neither a Southern officer nor a North |
srn officer. | know what you want; you
want to 60 to Fortress Monroe. You shall
not go unless you serve me first; if you |
serve me well, l will help you in return. |
Go with me for one day, and I'll make it |
worth your while"
wat you want me TO go wild you fer!
Wat l hatto do?"
Guide me- said l; show me the way
to the breastworks; show me how to see
the breastworks and not be seen myself"
Den wat you gwine do fer meF'
1t amused me to see that Nick had
dropped his "mahsa." Did he think it
cut of place, now that he knew l was not
a Southern soldier?
'Nick, | will give you dollar for your
days work, then i will give you a note
to a friend of mine, and the note will
prlnS you dlOIner uOlldF anu cHdHce W
make more"
Nick considered. The dollar was tempt |
ing; as TO the note, the sequel showed that |
he did not regard it of any Importance. |
Finally he said that if l would make it
81 he would be my man. i felt in my
pockets, and found about 81, l thought,
and at once closed the bargain.
"Now, Nick" said l, "here is a dollar;
60 with me and be faithful, and l viii
give you another before dark tomorrow"
81 sho' do it, said Nick, heartily; now
wat l hatto dO?'
"Where is the first Confederate poSt?'
"You mean dem Southern sojers?"
"Yes"
'You mean dem dat's de fust a-gwine |
ep de road, or dem dat's fust a-comin'
down de road?"
THE nearest to US in this direction"
said /. pointing.
"Dey is bout half mile up dis road"
said Nick.
did you see themf'
81 seed 'em TO true, but dey didn't see
me-"
How did you keep them from seeing
yog?"
string me up
How long ago was it since you saw
themT
''Sence sundown," said Nick.
when did you leave the breastworks?'
Las night.
"And you have been a whole day and a
hight getting here"
"fn de daytime l laid up," said Nick;
"'case l dunno wen l might strak up
wild EN-"
How far have you come in all?'
Bout 'ieben or ten mile, l reckon.
laid up in de Jim Riber swamp all day."
Did you have anything to eatF'
'Yassa; but l amt got nothin' now no
mo-"
DO you know where we can get any
thing to eat tomorrow
Dat l don't; how is we a-gwine to hole
out widout sum'hm to eatY
I'VE must risk it. / hope we shall
not suffer"
Dis country amt got nothin' in it,"
said Nick; de folks is almOs' all done
gone 70 Richmon' er summers, en- l don't
know wat wes a-gwine to do, l don't
don't know wat we's a-gwine to do fer
sum'hm to eat. And l don't know wat
rs a-gwine TO do fer 'bacco nudda."
well, Nick, l can give you a little
more tobacco; but / expect you to find
something TO eat; il you can find it, will
pay for II"
We were wasting time; wanted to
make a start.
"Now. Nick" said /, "I want to 20 to
Young's Mill or as near it as / can get
without being seen"
dat all you want to DOR asked Nick.
mo; want TO do that first; then I