Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1901-11-28
THE RUNAWAYS
A Story OF Antebelluin
Days.
6y ANNA LAURA GRAVES.

run away ag'in, sab"
"WhatY thunGcred Colonel Ran,
dolph. starting TO his feet This is the
fifth year that negro has run away. III
see about this" And, catching up his
cane and panama hat, he strobe down
the avenue toward the negro quarters.
He stopped before the cabin of Aunt
Dinah. the wife of the reCreant, and
size met him by answering his unspo-
ken question.
yes, sab. he done run away ag'in,
sab. When l git up dis mawnin' he
done gone. Its pow'ful cu'ous, sab.
He'll come back. You know, he allus
does. Gawd knows l sho IS toah up
in my mind about It. He knows what
kind massa he got, and 'peahs lax
when he come back he powful shame
O hlsself; but he done gone agin."
AS was always the case with him,
the coloners wrath had subsided by
the time he had reached Uncle Ephra-
im's cabin. and after hearing Aunt
Dinah's explanation he said thought
fully;
Well, tell Eph 10 come and see me
when he comes back, and we'll not
search for him this time" Then he
walked slowly back 10 the house.
At dinner that day the family dis
cUssed the runaway He had been
born on the plantation and was a great
favorite with them all. He was only
n 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 mysteriously disappear
ed, to appear again in about two
weeks. little shamefaced and his
only explanation to the darkies had
beer that he 'Jes' had to 60"
The colonel had maintained a dis
Greet silence. He remembered the long
years of unbroken loyalty and devo-
ton OF Ephraim. and waited for him
10 explain his disappearance. but the
explanation had never come. This
time the colonel had determined TO ask
for il.
About two weeks after this last Oc-
tober day disheveed old darky
walked into Aunt Dinah'S cabin. His
clothes were torn by brambles and COW
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
upbraidings of Aunt Dinah. who gave
him good tongue lashing" for his
Congratulate 10 ole massa TO run off
lax common field nggah." He
WINGED a the last appellation. for
Uncle Eph was quite an aristocrat in
his way, having been coachman in the
Randolph family ever since he had ar
rived at mans estate. He said moth
ing. however. for he was rather a 81
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." he said sternly. I've
never asked you before but now
want you to tell me why you ran
away"
Ephraim, lingering his hat and look
Ing at his muddy shoes, said:
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" (aud
Uncle Eph coughedJ. I'VE been tnowin'
one 'nuther a long time. You know my
nanny wah yo' black nanny, TOO,
an you know we done play togedder,
we did. an we hunted togedder we
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.
well. Marse Phil, you know in de
fall. sab. when de sun shines sort o
meller lax an when de muscadines an
fox grapes an simmons am ripe an lie
Cbestnuts am droppin'. sab. jes' can't
stand it nohow. | jes' 'bleeged to run
away. 'Peaus lax jus reCollect de
time, Mars" Phil. | do. when you an
me used TO 20 possum an coon huntln',
an den atterwhile. when | take de
chilIeus-a an. Lord. sich times as We
had. An now dey'g all married an
gone. sab but ole Eph. he jes' have TO
take TO lie woods once year an kind
o. circumnavi-at 'rOuu'. sab. jeS' fch
de ole tines. sab. Ize pOw'ful sorry 10
discommode you, Marse Phil, but toll
dar trllm' Joe how 10 TEX keer O de
BOSSES. sab. an jes' has to 90, MarSe
PIN. | jes' has to
The colonel had turned and was look
Ing out OF the window. He did not
speak at once.
From the distant cabins came the
plaiutive echo of a lullaby sung by
black mammy to curly headed picka-
ninny. The gold OF evening was melt
Ing into the purple glow Of twilight.
and the mir was balmy and sweet. To
the colonel there came the memory Of
davs. long ago. when lie had seen and
felt all this so keenly. when the young
blood courscd through his veins warm
ed by the tire Of youth and when all ma
ture seemed but to be speaking words
Of welcome. inviting him TO come forth
and revpl In its beauties.
well. Eph." be finally said, Il have
one request to make of you. When you
feel like running away again, | want
you 70 tell ne. and III 20 With csa Cra,' -
right. sab, I'u tell you. sah."
The colonel turned and took VI hil
paper. Don't forget" he commanded
sI shall expect you TO tell me-" And
the interview was ended.
There were wild Tumors afoat among
the negroes as to the punishment Uncle
Eph was to receive for running away
but Uncle Eph himself maintained
diguified silence He sedately drove
the colonel and his wife to church and
through the country lanes to the houses
where they attended the big dinners
snd teas The subject was never agaiI
p,oprfopad by the two old DlaymateS