The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-02-15


HIS watch we don't low 10 pend on
cotton. Brother Chadbu'n; we make
wheat and Gavin. oats and rye and bar
ley. one crop is what we low to pay
for the Ian"
For de Lawd's sake-one crap! Dat
must be de fines Ian in de worl'."
IT'S mighty fine Ian. Brother Chan
bu'n-lt is that" replied the other, con
sulting his watch again. IN have to
be goin' on now 10 make my 'pointment
in Toccolona. but I aim 10 be back to-
morrow evening; and IN the meantime.
Brotheh Chanbu'n. you can be turning
the mattah over in your min. Good
evening"
"Evenin'. sab. evenin'." returned Eli,
pulling his mule into the road again.
eve all be mighty glad & see YOU. LIZ
20 fects. Corral, en- go long home!
Djsbyer amt no place faw gwine ter
sleep"
Twilight had settled down over the
Coosahstchee bottom before the Gen
eraI had measured half the length of
the bridge. and the stiH air was sibi
liant with the shriu voices of the frogs
and treetoads mingling with the sharp
CT treble Of the crickets. As the dusk
thickened. the pale green lamps of the
Preside multiplied until the edges OF the
somber forest were fecked and dotted
with the sparks OF lambert incandes-
cence.
"Gwine rain agin 70 long; dem light
min bugs hOverin' mighty close ter de
groun'. -" said Eli. En- dat IL mex 20
wuk all de wusser; you heah dat. you no
count trilin' muel?"
The General Topped one long ear back
toward the wagon, and changed his gait
into a vertical trOt that was slower than
the walk The ruse was an old one. but
il never failed OF imposing upon Eli.
who relapsed into silence again, and con-
tented himself with an occasional twitch
at the cotton reins when the General
showed signs OF backsliding-
a hundred yards beyond the end OF
the bridge the mule pointed both ears
forward and stopped. Eli reached down
into the wagon box for the whip. but
Strengthened up again without IL at the
sound OF horsemen salIoping toward him.
| There were three of them. and they
/ pulled up at the sight OF the negro and
I his equipage.
Hello. is that you. EH?" said the
J nearest. refining Up beside the wagon
, 'Ya-as. sab. dats me. faw sho'. Mars
Harry"
/ Did you meet up with a coffee col
/ ored boy riding a mule back in the
road?"
"Who-me?" asked Eli. using the in
/ terrogative phrase as a stop gap &
/ gain time.
Yes; a sleek Iookin' mulatto. dressed
in store clothes. Calls himself Henr!
/ Allen, and claims TO be some sort of
land agent"
"'Peahs lax I does 'membeh SIGH
boy. Mars Harry, way back yondeh b.
de Oberton Mills Fawk What kind o
I muel he ridin' -
"ToTabIe fair sized bay mule-goo'
/ saddle and bride"
Oats de same identikle niggah. Mar
Harry: I didn't famine him so We,
hawd. Gaze Is on one road en- he's OF
turrer, but Is swar ter dat muel. fav
sho'."
Which a way was he goin':" aske,
one Of the others.
He p'intin' street faw de mills
a-mekkin' dat OF muel Iif' his feets Ial
de road was a-bun min EN-"
That's all We want to know; come on
Harry"
"Hol' on. Mars Harry. des a minute
whut aITs dat nigrah been doin'2''
Hes been stirr'n' up the niggers al
over tho country with a lot Of lies abou
La land scheme out West He's got 10
OF cur people to agree to go with hin
after fathers done made them the.
advances says bad contracts are bette
broken than kept. I reckon wen sho7
him few things II we catch up witt
him"
Ell waited until the sound OF the cIat
teriug hoofs on the bridge had died GU
in the distance; then he pulled the Gen
erals head around and chuckIed softI
to himself as he drove homeward.
'Dey amt gwine cotch Mistoo AiIe1
on de Oberon Mills road. not dishye
night Ef he des make dat muel z
long. he gwine ride slap froo T. ToceoIo
ma TO dem boys fms what's de match
The Chadburn cabin was a scant mil
from the Coosuhatchee. aud only
6 stones throw from the ToceoIona road
when Eli turned out OF the highway hi
eldest boy was standing at the bars
ready TO admit him.
Nanny say come in ter yo' suppeh
me n PeteU put de muel up"
Eli climbed out OF the wagon and en-
tered the cabin. where a tidy-lookin
woman. The mother OF his four boys
was rakIng the sweet potatoes out G
the ashes on the hearth She looked u
at the sound Of his step and her fac
, Iightened.
Dress de LAwd. Eli. I'm glad YOU
come! rs mighty feared you git yo'se
mix Up IN some sawt o. trouble Ion
dem boys. Dey Rwine mex lift might
wahm faw dat yallah boy ef dey cote
him
"Dey amt gwine cotch him. Cell,
, gal; dos mex up 20 min ter dat Misto
, Allen done reich Toccolona long Z,
dem foolish bovg est hack f'rn de Min,