The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1911-06-26
Caesars
Vengeance


@Ah warns you. nlgel /. ef An cotch
you foolin' 'roun dat gal any moh, All
gwin to kill you"
Caesar White paused and gazed al
the smaller negro as some tranquil OK
might regard a calf ihat had gtrayed
Into its pasture.
The negroes were toiling IN the tur-
pentine settlement under the burning
rays Of the Carolina sun. They sweat
cd and painted as they filed the bar
rels and rolled the crude rosin up the
incline Of planks TO the roof of the dis
tillery where shone the great lid of
the copper still.
Caesar White was a good natured
giant In the main, or had been until
Jefferson Grant. the Quadroon dude.
sauntered into the camp with his col
lar and cuffs, and hair that shone
with cocoanut OIL. Then trouble arose
TO- Mandy, the superintendent's cook,
had succumbed to his fascinations.
Jefferson Grant sniffed disdainfully
and resumed his labors. Every week
day, except on Mondays, the distilla-
ton went on, the crude rosin, dumped
into the great sill. Kissing and bub-
bling fpriously within, though to the
watcher on the distillery roof there
was no symptom OF the commotion OF
the fluid inside the boiler, where a
half ton OF rosin simmered like molt-
en- steel
To Caesar White, unimaginatiye in
all other respects, the process pos
sessed fascination. He had pictured
his rival flung tato the csldron by the
force of his mighty ar1as. One in
stant's agony-and flesh, bones, cloth
ing, all traces OF the quadroon would
be utterly dissolved In that fiery flow.
1t was little incident that precipi-
tated his determination. A Sunday
call. scornful word from Mandy, the
sight OF 1.-the figure skulking through
the pine trees behind the girls hut
and Caesar White, was In the forest
alone, rolling upon the ground and
biting his cIenched fists In paroxysm
of jealousy until the blood flowed.
Next day the two men were alone
on the distillery roof. The quadroon.
under Caesars direction, was polish
ing the copper lid OF the still which
had been raised from its position by
their united efforts for this work.
Deep In the gloom under them Caesar
fancied he could see the CLEAN OF the
molten mass, placid as still water,
but deadly as boiling lava. AS JEFF
ferson turned he stretched out his foot
lazily. The auadroon tripped and fell
one push, an oath and scream and
a splash far below. Then the giant
hastened away.
Shrek upon shrek pursued him.
The quadroon was hard in dying
Fear drove out the foreman's anger
Those shrieks pursued him as he hur-
ried toward his quarters Shrek upon
shrek; and now, peering in dreadful
terror through his half-opened door
Caesar saw negroes running from all
parts toward the still, from which is
sued those neyer-ending cries. Would
the man never die? Could he live
even one moment in that fearful tor
ture? The giant trembled He cast
about him to fly. Where? Anywhere
Beads Of perspiration sprang to his
brow and the manhood went out from
his weak limbs, He had thought to
accomplish his deed unseen and un-
and still those fearful
cries resounded through the pine
trees. He sank down inert and help
less on the dry ground
But mingling with the cries, came
sounds of laughter. Caesar looked up
aghast From the great still, sur
by derisive crowd, drip
ping figure emerged and staggered |
across the camp. Merciful heayenl 1t
was the quadroon, woe-begone. from
head to foot one sllmy mass Of drip
ping, viscid rosin And In front Of the |
crowd that danced and jeered and |
shouted was Mandy, pointing q de-
rlsiye finger at this crow stripped OF /
MS plumage, this humbled dude. her
owe converted into harsh and bitter
nockery.
And suddenly balm came to Caes-
lr's soul. A happy smile irradiated
he blacks features He chuckled /
md slapped his thighs.
Lawd be praised Lawd be
praisedl" he shouted ferVently. a
lone clean fergot that we don't light
10 fire under de still on Mondays"