The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-11-05
THURSDAY

in opinion as to their proper course. Civ
en- the incentive of freedom on the one
hand and the centripetal influence Of home
on the other, those who held to home and
kindred would be the old; while the young
would covet liberty and the excitement of
novel scenes even though dangerous; many
would be incapable of firm decision, and
would act rashly and repent afterward.
You amt tole me who you is wid," said
Squire.
I've got job wi dem wagons. You
see dem wagons right oveh yondeh whah
dem gray mules is? OATS my place now"
You amt ben wild 'em all de timer
asked the old man, shrewdly observing the
conditional ending of Barney's speech.
No, sab; fust l was with Cap'm Free
man." a-s..a.iiss -.ssss..-
about, chile?"
"Cap'm Bob Freeman; same man dat
Cap'm Dalgreen was a-talkin' about; but
he done got mos kilt down to Kelly
Fohd, an l jest had to do the bes' could.
Who you with, Unc John?'
"Wid Misteh Woods-dat sutleh's wag-
gin. Much obleeged. Bahney," and Squire
picked up one of his buckets. 'Ef 1 don't
see you no moe, Bahney, Is a-gwine to
tell you good-by," and they shook hands;
but Barney whispered, I'm a-gwine to
come and see you ag'in, Unc John
well, Bahney, you kin come, an eff you
sticks to me den you need'n' to call me
Unc John no moe. 1 ben call my right
name John feb dat man wat rid by wild he
whup, but Squiah'll do feb you, Bahney,
leastways eff you sticks to me-"
As he went back Squire was vaguely dis
turbed by fears and disconnected thoughts
for his race. This Barney, like many others,
had been enticed from home by alluring
prospects that could never be made valid.
Squire knew the type; his own fellows,
whom he had seen grown up around him,
had gone from home, most of them to a
life of suffering of which from time to time
he had indistinctly heard wretched rumors.
he pitied them, and pitied Barney, whom
he rated as wanting in decision; for lie
could not believe that for a whole year the
young fellow had never found opportunity
to abandon the life he was now leading.
To Squire's mind there was no possibility
of doubt concerning his own interest; his
friends were all of one side; his home,
which to him was not the uncertain pos
session of few years TO be abandoned for
another when change should come was the
home of his fathers and his children-one
lasting, earthly home that could not be
disputed. The sOjourn in the Virginia
mountains was but visit; his people
would return, and home would be home
again. And as for Barney, the old man
wanted to return to it, and he felt some
thing akin to contempt for the strong
young man who allowed slight difficulties
to prevent his realizing the dearest of
joys.
Toward night the roar of the guns had
died away, and the highway was filled
with infantry in double columns Fastening
forward for the renewal of the battle. The
crowds in the rear held their places, the
brnv n nr taal
their way-a guard sufficiently strong to
keep them from moving toward the peril
Gus front.
Slavery encouraged respect for the old.
There were other negroes around, in the
disconnected camps of the loose crowd in
the rear, but somehow Barney was attract
ed to Squire; he came to the old man.
"Unc Squiah, did jul come away fom
home willin'?"
Chile, de good book hit say don't shu
git in too big a hurry to move de ole
lan'mahk an to fohsake de people wat shu
raised up wild. / coined f'Om home,
Bahney, but Is a-gwine to git back a'gin
-leastways eff de good Lawd'll be avn my
side dess one moe time. Wat fuh you
AK me dat question:
"'CaZe l jest wants to see de Jim Riveh
so bad dat can't res. My ole NANNY is
down dab, an my daddy is done dead. an
don't know nothin' about what's become
of 'em all, an don't see nothin' no moe
but trouble"
WAT mex you done lef' 'em?"
Gaze / amt had no betteh sense Dey
done tel me dat de white folks is mean
to me, an now dey is jest as mean-an'
wuss. When de Cap'm was heah he
treated me right, but now l sho' wants to
git back. Dis heah country amt like what
wants. How you gwine to git back, Unc
Squiah?"
Wat shu AK dat fun? You gwine to
20 wild me wen | go?''
''Unc SGuiah. eff you jest let me go too.
III wOhk my fngehs off to help you avn
lie way
"But how we gwine to mex any staht
now? Don't shu know dey's a-fight'n' up
10 road?"
Yes. sab. but we can go back We can
staht back down to Vihginny"
This proposition had no charm for
Squire: he must seek and find Mahs
Charley.
But. Bahney. chile. de way to git back.
hit amt TO go dat a-way-hi;'s to 20 dis
l-way.' pointing northeast. in which di-
rectiOn the old man had seen his friends of
the Confederate cavalry ride.
How come dat. inc Squiah?''
Gaze OATS de way to fine Ouah folks.
an wen dey gifts done fight'n' devil 20
back to ole Fihginny, an den we kin 20
back wild 'cm. Eff dey gains de day, den dey
Kin go back. an eff dey don't gain de day.
len deys got to 20 back"
Which reasoning convinced Barney. and
plot was laid for an attempt on the fol-
~,