The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-08-31


 find some berries to make me mer- latter," and before her mother could reply she was off. When she returned the negro boy had finished his break fast. She told him that she would be ready to go back with him in half an hour. While she was talking to him he fell asleep.
 It was about four o'clock in the after noon when Souri awakened the boy. Seeing a mulatto girl standing by him in an old calico dress and a sunbonnet on her head be was astonished.
 "who yo'Y' he asked.
 Don't y know me?"
 'Sho nuffv'
 'What's yer name?"
 "Julius"
 "What's yer tother name"
 "Ain't got none!''
 "I'm goen with y t where y started from; then I reckon I'll have ter go on alone"
 .'Ole man dar; he tote y furder."
 ''Waal. come along. Eat snack 'n then we'll go."
 When Julius had eaten his fill they mounted the horse. the girl sitting straddled behind him. Souri. in com mon calico dress and very large sum- bonnet. looked for all the world like a negro girl Julius took her over hills innumerable, and at midnight drew rein near a large plantation There they both got down, and Julius. who had surreptitiously taken one of his masters horses. returned it to the sta ble. Then he led the way to row of negro cabins. Going to one of them he knocked on the door. It was opened by the negro with whom Mark and Jakey had staid on the creek between the Pains and Chattanooga
 "Dis de gal" said Julius.
 "Geen to Chattanoogy asked the old man.
 Reckon"
 "I show yo' de way. Go righ' off?"
 "Yas"
 "Hab t foot hit. Amt got no horse"
 'T can do hit"
 The negro was evidently ready and expecting them. for without going back into the cabin he led the way eastward. SouN tramped in his company the rest of the night, and at daybreak they were at his cabin on the creek. There she took a few hours rest and after the sun was up ate a breakfast which the old man prepared for her. After this he set out to show her the way to Chattanooga. He asked no Ques- tions. All he knew was that his efforts were in de cause ob fredum," and that was quite enough. The old wo- man who had brought him the haud- kerchief had told him where her cabin was in Chattanooga. and he seemed to understand that he was to guide Souri there.
 They crossed the river by the regu- lar ferry. having no trouble in doing so. for citizens and negroes were pass ing all the while. About ten o'clock in the morning they reached the cabin of the old negress who had started the handkerchief
 "Fo' de Lo'dr' exclaimed the woman. How'd yo' git hyar so quick?"
 'Trabel all night" said the pilot "Who dat yaller galT' "1'm Souri Slack. Whar's th' 1aii?"
 The woman led Souri out to show her the way, and the man left the cab- in on his way homeward. Souri was taken to a place where she could set the jail. ana the woman told her whert to find the crack through which Jakey had conversed with her.
 Souri went to the place alone, and going to the. fence hunted till she found the crack. She peeped in. hoping to see her br~sher. but Jakey was not there. She waited an hour or more. but he did not appear.
 Reckon I'm wastin' time hyar," she said at last. I'm goen right in ter git round tn ole woman, ef there is one" And she went to the gate and presented herself before the sentinel
 What d y want?" he asked.
 Souri didn't know whether the jailer had Q wife or not. but she hazarded the reply:
 ..De :iler's wife tole me to come in n tote de washen."
 The soldier looked at her doubtfully but suffered her to pass in.
 
 She had scarcely entered before she saw a party of soldiers conducting a man from the jail. They passed near her. and she recognized Mark. He was going to his trial. Jakey followed his friend and was going to pass out with him. but was stopped by the guard
 Souri saw tears trickling down the boys cheeks as he went back and strolled about in the yard. She longed to take him in her arms, but did not dare to even make herself known to him. She did not know where Mark was being taken. so going back to the guard she asked with apparent idle curiosity:
 "Whar dcy goen wid dat man?"
 "Reckon thar goen ter try him."
 Souri determined to attempt to get service with the jailer's wife. She went into the jail and found a woman. whose hair was streaked with gray, sweltering over a cooking stove.
 " ain't got no washen ner muffin fur me. hab y'?' said Souri, suddenly appearing before her.
 NO. Git out O hyar.T
 "Any cooken?"
 "Cooken? Can yer cook? don't want no nigger to cook fo' me. but rnnre's niggers in the black hole ] wish had some un ter cook fur"