The Maine bugle ... campaign; 1-5 Jan. 1894-Oct. 1898 - Maine.gov

326 THE MAINE BUGLE.
all comes," dropping his voice and
"
looking around cautiously,
" we's be free !
That was enough, I thought I could trust him. I showed
him my pocket compass and told him if he could hide me two
months that it should be his. He said he could and would, and
would ask me " nuffin." Then he declared he had seen me
before and knew me. Said he, " I'se seen you in de ' circus '
las' yeah." I told him no, never. " What, wan't you been in
de circus? Thought I'd seen yer. Well, come right way; I'll
hide yer wher no buddy won't nebber find yer, ober in de back
lots. I's de hog minder 'n' I's logging of some new Ian' ol'
Mis' a clearin' an' ye can keep all de fire ye want an' no buddy'll
eber find ye." I went over the fence again and he directed me
to the fodder stacks, saying he didn't want no dram and would
go round and come in by the gate. Just as I landed on the
other side of the fence he told me to lie down. I heard another
hoof beat and down I went. Another nig rode up and they
talked a minute, when I heard a loud laugh and then nig num-
ber two rode on and was soon out of sight. I went up to the
fodder stacks and waited a few minutes when my new friend
came with about half a dozen of his dusky friends of both
sexes, each bearing me a Christmas present. One gave me a
big piece of corn bread, another a big wad of molasses candy
made of sorghum syrup with pork fat in it for flavoring. Still
others gave me a piece of tobacco, none of them neglecting to
wish me a merry Christmas. I took their presents and told
them I felt very thankful to them. I haven't got over feeling
thankful to them yet, and don't ever expect to. No Christmas
ever goes by without my thinking of those simple-minded people
and their kindly gifts. I do not know what saved my life for I ate
everything they gave me but the tobacco right there and then
Then a committee of " cullud pussuns," Brer Matt, Brer Benja-
min, Prince, Abe, John and William took me into a house and
brought soft soap and warm water and stripped my (clothes?)
rags off and scrubbed me white. I thought they would scour
the skin off, part of the time. Then they each contributed a