The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1910-04-01

"runaways, runaways, and it
echoed by all the rest following at his
heels. "Get down quick, Marse Jake,
and let's get to the island, for the
very devil will be to pay here soon."
They dropped to the ground, Cage
picking up the left rabbit and they
scudded down the river. "Dem was
some Of Huffman's nigger chaps and
we skeered dem putty ny to death;
no danger dey coming back. I'm glad
dey dropped dey rabbit, twill do for
our SUPPER chuckled Cage. Coming
to a ledge Of rocks running out in
the stream, Cage said, "let's wade
here, tain't Deep So they plunged
into the water and were soon at
Cages old den among the cone and
;brambles. "Here where | used ter
stay when I was a runaway before.
You see niger dogs can't trail er-
body in running WATER" remarked
Gag. Proverbially fond of dogs
as negroes are, they detest and hate
as by instinct the very name of blood
hounds or ''nigger dogs" as they
We're then called.
They began their fishing arrange
mants. Jake began putting the bali
on the set hooks from the refuse Of
the rabbit and few grubs they had
gathered from under old chunks and
rotting logs, while Cage prepared to
roast the rabbit. "'Twas a good
thing sho, dem chaps drapped dis
cottontail, for til do fer supper and
bait both, and dem chaps got dey
life most skeered outen dem, case
they thought We wuz shore enuf run
aways,' laughed Cage. In this camp
they remained for several days, fish
ing, eating and sleeping, while Cage
would rife rabbit gums, hen roosts
and fish baskets. At night they
danced the time away by the dim
light of the camp fire, after fishing
with their hooks on the hither side
Of the island. In his nocturnal raids
Cage was dreadfully afraid of run
ming against ghost up near an old
neglected grave yard, and above all
was he fearful Of capturing ''spook
rabbit out Of some gum for said
he, "I'd as liefer eat a piece Of the
devil hisself, as a piece of a spook
rabbit, for den the witches would
ride you to death at night. It's Gu
rious how white folks ain,'t afraid
Of spooks and can't see '7m, while
niggers can see so many At night
Cage dilated on the many ghost sto-
ries that had been handed down for
generations, from the lore Of his an
cestors and 50 wrought up over the
recitals that when night proWler
would break a twig or a fish jump in
the water, Cage would roll his great
white eyes around and whisper to
Jake, "wha' s dat?" It only amused
his young master to listen to his
faithful friends idea Of ghosts.
spooks and witches, never trying to
convince him that such things did not
exist. One night they concluded as
their bread had run out to 60 to a
plantation on the mainland, at which
BELONGED some Of Cages mothers
kinswomen and get some meal, pro-
vided the kitchen door wasn't locked,
then gravel some potatoes out OF
old African Sans patch, which Lay
just behind his house. After night
fall when they allowed that all hands
on the plantation, as we'll as the over
seer, were we'll wrapped in slumber,
the two worthless like Don Quixote and
his faithful Sancho, set out to seek
adventure.
They skirted along between fields
and woods till they neared the negro
quarters, the cabins placed 1n two
long rows, when they stopped and
listened. All was quiet. They be-
gan lodging from house to house,
sometimes on all fours, then rush to
another covering. All at once a dis
tant strain, a weird vail Of a sound
reached their alert ears, then a
"thunpity thunp" as heavy feet
falling upon floor. "Hush," hissed
Jake, "what is that?'' Both listen
ed intently. 'Great jemince if dat
amt old Swygert' Bob playing his
fiddle and big Eliek pattin. I b'lieve
dey got frolick, less go closer,'
whispered Gage. They crept nearer
amid nearer. They could distinctly
hear the shrieking Of the fiddle, the
shufling of dancing feet, the Loud
voice of one calling the figures. It
,ra- b,,o thet Laka's and Care's nro-