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

'Peahs like / amt gwine git de
chaince. Cunnel. Use tryin' mighty
hawd."
Il reckoned so, I reckon you cayn't
go IL you don't sell the land"
"Oh. ya-as. sab. Use done got liz bit
er money left, but I'd like mighty we'll
ter sell dat lam" said Eli. trying TO
gather courage 10 offer # to the colonel
How long did it take you to pay
faw dat patch OF land. Eli2" asked the
colonel irrelevantIy
"Fo' de Lawd. Cunnel. rs done dis
remember bout dat! hit TUX no yeahs
dan kin count"
"And yet you're aiming 10 th'Ow il
away after II has supported you all these
yeahs7 Wei, I reckon that's youh own
affair But you're making the biggest
mistake Of your life You niggers have
got heap 20 learn yet, and one thing
is that the good Lawd never intended
you to be pioneers. I've done travelled
all over this heah fine Western country
that you're aiming at, and the best Mig
ger 1 ever saw couldn't hold his own
faw a week with the people out thsh
who are lighting faw their very exist
ence in that desert land. You'll know
heap more about IL little later on ="
"Ya-as, sab, ya-as, sah-I 'spects
So"
Eli was much too respectful to argue
the point. and he stood twisting his bat
tered hat until the colonel resumed
Well, il youh minds made Up. just
go ahead and get out OF the way as
quick as you can. than won't be any
work done in the Coosahatchee Bot
tom till you're gone. Nobody's going TO
lay straw in youh way so long as you
don't try TO run the contract niggers
OF. but you know we'll enough that you
can look for heap o. trouble IL you try
that
'"Fo de Lawd, Cunnel Hawdyl l aln't
gwine do dat Dey cayn't go. en- 1 des
keep a-teIlin' EN- dat twell I cayn't talk
no mo-"
Eli felt that the interview was ended.
and he began to move off The colonel
called him back as he was going down
the steps OF The veranda.
Bout that thah patch o. land; IL you
cayn't sell It. you can set youh price on
IL and leave It with me"
aAh -bAs N~A-A--tAr ans TNAAr hAa y o
sah-Is nightly 'bIeeged 4 you-'deed
is; OATS des like de HawJys. sho'
'nough." and, bowling and scraping. ELI
backed out OF the presence and went
down the avenue.
True 70 his protestations 20 Colonel
Hardy, Eli did what he could TO allay
the migratory fever among his neigh
bors during the few days that remained:
but II is much easier 20 light a FIRE thar
TO 'quench IL. and his arguments fell
upon Unhceding ears To make matters
rounding plantations. and with the in
ereasing throng Of eager inquirers came
vague warnings OF trouble
The FIRST definite intimation or hts
danger came TO Eli through Colonel
Hardy's boy Abe. Eli questioned him
closely. but the young negro knew moth
| ing more than that the colonel had bid
him tell Eli to hasten his departure.
Il reckon hits de night ridehs." said
Eli gloomily.
Don't know nufhn' bout dat; de colo
mel mex out lax be mighty anxious faw
you all ter be gwine."
/ gwine t'morrow or de next day. sho'."
! So ran the well-meaut intention. but
/ the unfamiliar tasks OF preparation for
( the long journey demanded more time.
and IL was not until the evening Of the
/ fourth day that they were completed II
was to be the last night in the cabin by
/ the Coosahatchee. and Eli had dismissed
hts latest visitors at dusk in order that
/ the family might retire early.
/ The unusual labors and distractions Of
the past two weeks had wearied them
all, and Eli, true to the instincts OF his
race. slept soundly under conditions that
would have made sleep impossible for a
white man. II vas calm, starlit night.
I full Of the perfumes Of early spring. and
vocal with the shrill music OF nature s
/ orchestral night fitted for rest and OBJ
/ livfous slumber; and IL was not surpris-
/ ing that none OF the inmates OF the
/ Chadburn cabin heard the mufied hoof-
beats OF a troop Of horsemen approach
/ Ing along the road from the eastward, or
/ that Ellis FIRST intimation Of danger
came in a shower OF blows reined upon
/ the cabin door.
He spranS out OF bed with tremulous
haste, and obeyed the stern command
| from without TO open the door. One
/ glance at the shadOwy white figures in
/ tall conicaI caps, ranged in the yard. told
him what 70 expect. and he fell upon
his knees on the threshold and began. to
/ beg for mercy
.'Oh. good Lawd. hab mussy-hat
mussy on a po' niggah dat amt beer
doln' de Ieastes' thing in de wOrI. oh
Mars ridehs. good Mars ridehs. de.
lemme OF dis once
TWO OF the silent figures grasped hin
and dragged him out OF the house. pin
iouing his hands and slipping the moose
in a ropes end over his head.
"Oh. Mars ridehs,-oh. Lawd--
The petition was cut short by ierl
on the rope The ghostly figures clOseS
up around the trembling negro. anC
hurried him away toward the fiicNsrinl
light OF a fire In the swamp az a littl,