The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1904-12-16

can't offer you chair" he re-
piled. eve recline here mostly,
and, as they have not sent your
bed down, you will have to use
one of the Yank's. Mig, get the
gentleman a bed" There was
a commotion in the darkness,
then the light shone on two long,
powerful forearms and dark
hands that were holding toward
me a plank, some six feet long
and twelve or fourteen inches
wide. / could see nothing more,
but knew instinctively to whom
the arms and hands belonged,
fHa f3ard: dfhudahaEfak 9ihalhk as ass dteea teek the
front of the stove under the ray
of light, stretched myself out
on my back, my ball at my feet
and hands clasped under my
head. have no idea how long
| remained in this position, for
there is no record of time in a
dungeon, day or night is all alike
black, blacker, blackest-but
from excitement, fatigue, and
fear / must have fallen asleep,
for | was aroused to conscious
ness by something pulling on my
chain, pressing the cold iron
against my naked ankle, and i
opened my eyes. On his knees
bending over me, his face directly
in the beam of light from the
stove, and so close to mine l
could feel his breath on my face,
with a maniac's CLEAN in his
bullying eyes, was the hideous
face of the negro; in the shadowy
light l could see my thirty-two
pound shot resting in the up
turned palm of his right hand
near his shoulder while his left
grasped the chain lower down
which he was pulling to give him
more purchase to. dash the ball
on my head. ~ electric flash
was not quicke than I took II.
the situation Of clap of thunder
louder than NJ scream of mortal
terror. He dropped the ball and,
with a maniac's cunning on being
discovered, glided like a snake
off in the darkness. My COM
rade was on his feet almost as
quick as |, and when l explained
that the negro was about to dash
saY brains aims Q.st sNith my ball: ha
and I heard him kicking him
vigorously in the dark, at the
same time ordering, him to &c
up in the corner" In a few
moments he came back, told me
the negro would not. again DIS
turb me, and to lie down anc
| finish my nap, which | declined
with the truthful assurance tha'
| I was not a bit sleepy. The ao
solute control this southern DO!
had over this negro was SO IN
comprehensive to me that man,
years afterwards / mentione
the fact to my friend, the lat
DR.. J. H. Calender, for man
wears superintendent of the IT
sane Asylum for Tennessee, an
. a man Of national reputation q
an expert on insanity, and ne II
/ formed me that the case was 9
: no means extraordinary; that tf
| negro was a Weak-minded ere;
e ture to start with, that the vi
, lent and sudden change tro
/. slavery to United States soldle
g the change of climate, habit
|. etc, had evidently deranged /
n feeble mind; that it was g. pc
|, feet blank as to his surrounding
d but when thrown in contact WI
% southern man, hearing t
t. southern dialect, the authorit;
le i've tone, and the rough treatme
lie revived in a feeble way his me
r, ory of slavery, which made n
I'd docile and obedient to the sou
n erner, for he only remember
r. himself as a slave.
Id 1t seemed as if had been c
b. fined in darkness an eterr
to when the trapdoor was open
:" the ladder lowered, and, inst
ne of calling for one of US to &C
ay up and get our bread and c
tic teens of water, which were,
as only rations, I was ordered
zen come up. 1t was a moment
vas two before my eyes became
he customed to the glare OF
'ng light; then l realized from
.rt- lantern in the orderly's hand
asst it was night. The guard
out drawn up in open order
| 4l,4 nffn0