P'LASKI'S TUNAMENT. 

By Thomas Nelson Page

1891

I had the good fortune to come from "the old county of Hanover, " as thatparticular division of the State of Virginia is affectionately calledby nearly all who are so lucky as to have first seen the light amid itsbroom-straw fields and heavy forests; and to this happy circumstance Iowed the honor of a special visit from one of its most loyal citizens. Indeed, the glories of his native county were so embalmed in hismemory and were so generously and continuously imparted to all hisacquaintances, that he was in the county of his adoption universallyknown after an absence of forty years as "Old Hanover. " I had not beenlong in F---- when I was informed that I might, in right of the goodfortune respecting my birthplace, to which I have referred, expecta visit from my distinguished fellow-countyman, and thus I was notsurprised, when one afternoon a message was brought in that "Ole Hanoverwas in the yard, and had called to pay his bes' bespecks to de gent'raanwhat hed de honor to come f'om de ole county. "

I immediately went out, followed by my host, to find that the visit wasattended with a formality which raised it almost to the dignity of aceremonial. "Old Hanover" was accompanied by his wife, and was attendedby quite a number of other negroes, who had followed him either out ofcuriosity excited by the importance he had attached to the visit, orelse in the desire to shine in reflected glory as his friends. "OldHanover" himself stood well out in front of the rest, like an oldAfrican chief in state with his followers behind him about to receive anembassy. He was arrayed with great care, in a style which I thought atfirst glance was indicative of the clerical calling, but which I soondiscovered was intended to be merely symbolical of approximation to thedignity which was supposed to pertain to that profession. He wore a verylong and baggy coat which had once been black, but was now tanned byexposure to a reddish brown, a vest which looked as if it had beenvelvet before the years had eaten the nap from it, and changed it into afabric not unlike leather. His shirt was obviously newly washed forthe occasion, and his high clean collar fell over an ample and somewhatbulging white cloth, which partook of the qualities of both stock andnecktie. His skin was of that lustrous black which shines as if freshlyoiled, and his face was closely shaved except for two tufts of short, white hair, one on each side, which shone like snow against his blackcheeks. He wore an old and very quaint beaver, and a pair of large, old-fashioned, silver-rimmed spectacles, which gave him an air ofportentous dignity. 

When I first caught sight of him, he was leaning on a long hickorystick, which might have been his staff of state, and his face was set inan expression of superlative importance. As I appeared, however, he atonce removed his hat, and taking a long step forward, made me a profoundbow. I was so much impressed by him, that I failed to catch the wholeof the grandiloquent speech with which he greeted me. I had evidentlysecured his approval; for he boldly declared that he "would 'a'recognizated me for one of de rail quality ef he had foun' me in acuppen. " I was immediately conscious of the effect which his endorsementproduced on his companions. They regarded me with new interest, if anyexpression so bovine deserved to be thus characterized. 

"I tell dese folks up heah dee don't know nuthin' 'bout rail quality, "he asserted with a contemptuous wave of his arm, which was manifestlyintended to embrace the entire section in its comprehensive sweep. "Dee'ain' nuver had no 'quaintance wid it, " he explained, condescendingly. His friends accepted this criticism with proper submissive-ness. 

"De Maconses, de Berkeleyses, de Carterses, de Bassettses, deWickhamses, de Nelsonses, an' dem!"--(the final ending "es" was plainlysupposed to give additional dignity)--"now _dee_ is sho 'nough quality. I know all 'bout 'em. " He paused long enough to permit this to sink in. 

"I b'longst to Doc' Macon. _You_ know what _he_ wuz?"

His emphasis compelled me to acknowledge his exalted position or abandonforever all hope of retaining my own; so I immediately assented, andinquired how long he had been in "this country, " as he designated hisadopted region. He turned with some severity to one of his companions, astout and slatternly woman, very black, and many years his junior. 

"How long is I been heah, Lucindy?"

The woman addressed, by way of answer, turned half away, and gave alittle nervous laugh. "I don't know how long you been heah, you beenheah so long; mos' forty years, I reckon. " This sally called from hercompanions a little ripple of amusement. 

"Dat's my wife, suh, " the old gentleman explained, apologetically. "She's de one I got now; she come f'om up heah in dis ken-try. " Hisvoice expressed all that the words were intended to convey. Lucindy, whoappeared accustomed to such contemptuous reference, merely gave anotherlittle explosion which shook her fat shoulders. 

As, however, I was expected to endorse all his views, I changed theembarrassing subject by inquiring how he had happened to leave the oldcounty. 

"Ole marster gi' me to Miss Fanny when she ma'yed Marse WilliamFitzhugh, " he explained. "I wuz ma'yed den to Marth' Ann; she wuz MissFanny's maid, an' when she come up heah wid Miss Fanny, I recompanyher. " He would not admit that his removal was a permanent one. "I al'ayslayin' out to go back home, but I 'ain' been yit. Dee's mos' all daidb'fo' dis, suh?"

He spoke as if this were a fact, but there was a faint inquiry inhis eyes if not in his tone. I was sorry not to be able to informhim differently, and, to change the subject, I started to ask him aquestion. "Martha Ann--" I began, and then paused irresolute. 

"She's daid too, " he said simply. 

"How many children have you?" I asked. 

"I 'ain' got but beah one now, suh, ef I got dat one, " he replied;"dat's P'laski. "

"How many have you had?"

"Well, suh, dat's a partic'lar thing to tell, " he said, with a whimsicallook on his face. "De Scripturs says you is to multiply an' replanish deuth; but I s'pecks I's had some several mo'n my relowance; dar's Jeems, an' Peter, an' Jeremiah, an' Hezekiah, an' Zekyel, Ananias an' Malachi, Matthew an' Saint Luke, besides de gals. Dee's all gone; an' now I 'ain'got but jes dat P'laski. He's de wuthlisses one o' de whole gang. Hetecks after his mammy. "

The reference to Pulaski appeared to occasion some amusement among hisfriends, and I innocently inquired if he was Martha Ann's son. 

"Nor, _suh, dat_ he warn'!" was the vehement and indignant answer. "Efhe had 'a' been, he nuver would 'a' got me into all dat trouble. Dat wuzde mortification o' my life, suh. He got all dat meanness fom his mammy. Dat ooman dyah is his mammy. " He indicated the plump Lucindy with hislong stick, which he poked at her contemptuously. "Dat's what I git formar'yin' one o' dese heah up-kentry niggers!" The "up-kentry" spousewas apparently quite accustomed to this characterization, for she simplylooked away, rather in embarrassment at my gaze being directed to herthan under any stronger emotion. Her liege continued: "Lucindy warn'quality like me an' Marth' Ann, an' her son tooken after her. What's inde myah will come out in de colt; an' he is de meanes' chile I uver had. I name de urrs fom de Scriptur', but he come o' a diff'-ent stock, an'I name him arter Mr. P'laski Greener, whar Lucindy use' to b'longstto, an' I reckon maybe dat's de reason he so natchally evil. I had mo'trouble by recount o' dat boy 'n I hed when I los' Marth' Ann. "

The old fellow threw back his head and gave a loud "Whew!" actuallyremoving his large spectacles in his desperation at Pulaski'swickedness. Again there was a suppressed chuckle from his friends; so, seeing that some mystery attached to the matter, I put a question whichstarted him. 

"Well, I'll tell you, suh, " he began. "Hit all growed out of a tunament, suh. You an' I knows all discerning tunaments, 'cuz we come f'om de olecounty o' Hanover, whar de _raise_ tunaments"--(he referred to them asif they had been a species of vegetables)--"but we 'ain' nuver hearn demodification of a _nigger_ ridin' in a tunament?"

I admitted this, and, after first laying his hat carefully on theground, he proceeded:

"Well, you know, suh, dat P'laski got de notionment in he haid dat hewuz to ride in a tunament. He got dat f'om dat ooman. " He turned andpointed a trembling finger at his uncomplaining spouse; and then slowlydeclared, "Lord! I wuz outdone dat day. "

I suggested that possibly he had not followed Solomon's injunction asrigidly as Pulaski's peculiar traits of character had demanded; but hesaid promptly:

"Yes, suh, I did. I whupped him faithful; but he took whuppin' like aole steer. Hickory didn' 'pear to have no 'feck on him. He didn' had nomemory; he like a ole steer: got a thick skin an' a short memory; he wuzwhat I call one o' dese disorde'ly boys. "

He paused long enough to permit this term, taken from the police courtreports, to make a lodgement, and then proceeded:

"He wuz so wuthless at home, I hired him out to ole Mis' Twine for fo'dollars an' a half a mont'--an' more'n he wuth, too!--to see ef po'white ooman kin git any wuck out'n him. A po' white ooman kin gitwuck out a nigger ef anybody kin, an' 'twuz down dyah that he got hadfoolishness lodgicated in he haid. You see, ole Mis' Twine warn' so furf'om Wash'n'n. Nigger think ef he kin git to Wash'n'n, he done got inheaven. Well, I hire him to ole Mis' Twine, 'cuz I think she'll keepP'laski straight, an' ef I don' git but one fo' dollars an' a half f'omhim, hit's dat much; but 'pear like he got to runnin' an' consortin'wid some o' dem urr free-issue niggers roun' dyah, an' dee larne him mo'foolishness'n I think dee able; 'cuz a full hawg cyarn drink no mo'. "

The old fellow launched out into diatribes against the "free issues, "who, he declared, expected to be "better than white folks, like whitefolks ain' been free sense de wull begin. " He, however, shortly returnedto his theme. 

"Well, fust thing I knowed, one Sunday I wuz settin' down in my house, an' heah come P'laski all done fixed up wid a high collar on, mos'high as ole master's, an' wid a better breeches on 'n I uver wear in my_life_, an' wid a creevat! an' a cane! an' wid a seegar! He comes in dedo' an' hol' he seegar in he han', sort o' so" (illustrating), "an' heteck off he hat kine o' flourishy 'whurr, ' an' say, 'Good mornin', paan' ma. ' He mammy--_dat_ she--monsus pleaged wid dem manners; she ain'know no better; but I ain' nuver like nobody to gobble roun' _me_, an' Isay, 'Look heah, boy, don' fool wid me; I ain' feelin' well to-day, an' ef you fool wid me, when I git done wid you, you oon feel wellyou'self. ' Den he kine o' let he feathers down; an' presney he say hewarn me to len' him three dollars an' a half. I ax him what he warn dowid it, 'cuz I know I ain' gwine len' to him--jes well len' money to amus'-rat hole;--an' he say he warn it for a tunament. 

"'Hi!' I say, 'P'laski, what air a tunament?' I mecked out, you see, likeI ain' recognizated what he meck correspondence to; an' he start to say, 'A tunament, pa--' but I retch for a barrel hoop whar layin' by kineo' amiable like, an' he stop, like young mule whar see mud-puddle in deroad, an' say, 'A tunament--a tunament is whar you gits 'pon a hoss wida pole, an' rides hard as you kin, an' pokes de pole at a ring, an'--'When he gets right dyah, I interrup's him, an' I say, 'P'laski, ' saysI, 'I's raised wid de fust o' folks, 'cuz I's raised wid de Ma-consesat Doc' Macon's in Hanover, an' I's spectated fish fries, an' festibals, an' bobby-cues; but I ain' nuver witness nuttin' like dat--a niggerridin' 'pon a hoss hard as he kin stave, an' nominatin' of it atunament, ' I says. 'You's talkin' 'bout a hoss-race, ' I says, ''cuzdat's de on'yes' thing, ' I says, 'a nigger rides in. ' You know, suh, " hebroke in suddenly, "you and I's seen many a hoss-race, 'cuz we come f'omhoss kentry, right down dyah f'om whar Marse Torm Doswell live, an' wedone see hoss-races whar wuz hoss-races sho 'nough, at the ole Fyarfiel'race-co'se, whar hosses used to run could beat buds flyin' an' so I tolehim. I tole him I nuver heah nobody but a po' white folks' nigger calla hoss-race a tunament; an' I tole him I reckon de pole he talkin' 'boutwuz de hick'ry dee used to tune de boys' backs wid recasionally when deedidn' ride right. Dat cut him down might'ly, 'cuz dat ermine him o' dehick'ries I done wyah out 'pon him; but he say, 'Nor, 'tis a long polewhar you punch th'oo a ring, an' de one whar punch de moes, he crown dequeen. ' I tole him dat de on'yes' queen I uver heah 'bout wuz a cow olemaster had, whar teck de fust prize at de State fyah in Richmond oneyear; but he presist dat this wuz a tunament queen, and he warn threedollars an' a half to get him a new shut an' to pay he part ov desupper. Den I tole him ef he think I gwine give him three dollars an' ahalf for dat foolishness he mus' think I big a fool as he wuz. Wid dathe begin to act kine o' aggervated, which I teck for incidence, 'cuz Inuver could abeah chillern ner women to be sullen roun' me; an' I gi'him de notification dat ef I cotch him foolin' wid any tunament I gwineride him tell he oon know when he ain't a mule hisself; an' I gwine havehick'ry pole dyah too. Den I tolt him he better go 'long back to oleMis' Twine, whar I done hire him to; an' when he see me pick up debarrel hoop an' start to roll up my sleeve, he went; an' I heah he jinedat Jim Sinkfiel', an' dat's what git me into all dat tribilation. "

"What got you in?" I inquired, in some doubt as to his meaning. 

"Dat tunament, suh. P'laski rid it! An' what's mo, ' suh, he won dequeen, --one o' ole man Bob Sibley's impident gals, --an' when he come tocrown her, he crown her wid ole Mis' Twine's weddin'-ring!"

There was a subdued murmur of amusement in the group behind him, andI could not but inquire how he came to perform so extraordinary aceremony. 

"Dat I don' know, suh; but so 'twair. Fust information I had on it wuzwhen I went down to ole Mis' Twine's to get he mont's weges. I receivedde ontelligence on de way dat he had done lef dyah, an' dat oleMis' Twine gol' ring had lef by de same road at de same time. Datcorrespondence mortify me might'ly' cuz I hadn' raised P'laski no sicha ways as dat. He was dat ooman's son to be sho' an' I knowed hewuz wuthless, but still I hadn' respect him to steal ole Mis' Twinewed-din'-ring, whar she wyah on her finger ev'y day, an' whar wuz gol'too. I want de intimation 'bout de fo' dollars an' a half, so I went'long; but soon as ole Mis' Twine see me she began to quoil. I tell herI just come to git de reasonment o' de matter, an' I 'ain' got nuthin''tall to say 'bout P'laski. Dat jes like bresh on fire; she wuss'nbefo'. She so savigrous I tolt her I 'ain' nuver had nobody toprevaricate nuttin' 'bout me; dat I b'longst to Doc' Macon, o' Hanover, an' I ax her ef she knowed de Maconses. She say, nor, she 'ain' know'em, nor she ain' nuver hearn on 'em, an' she wished she hadn' nuverhearn on me an' my thievin' boy--dat's P'laski. Well, tell then, Imighty consarned 'bout P'laski; but when she said she 'ain' nuver hearnon the Maconses, I ain' altogether b'lieve P'laski done teck her ring, cause I ain' know whether she got any ring; though I know sence thetunament he mean enough for anything; an' I tolt her so, an' I tolt herI wuz raised wid quality--sence she ain' know the Maconses, I ain' toleher no mo' 'bout dem, 'cuz de Bible say you is not to cast pearls befo'hawgs--an' dat I had tote de corn-house keys many a time, an' Marth' Annused to go in ole Mistis' trunks same as ole Mistis herself. Right dyahshe mought 'a' cotch me ef she had knowed that P'laski warn' Marth'Ann's son; but she ain' know de Maconses, an' in cose she ain' 'quaintedwid de servants, so she don' know it. Well, suh, she rar an' she pitch. Yo' nuver heah a ooman talk so befo' in yo' life; an' fust thing I knewshe gone in de house, she say she gwine git a gun an' run me off datlan', But I ain' wait for dat: don nobody have to git gun to run me offdee lan'. I jes teck my foot in my han' an' come 'long way by myself, 'cuz I think maybe a ooman 'at could cuss like a man mout shoot like aman too. "

"Where did you go and what did you do next?" I asked the old fellow ashe paused with a whimsical little nod of satisfaction at his wisdom. 

"I went home, suh, " he said. "I heah on de way dat P'laski had sho'nough done crownt Bob Sibly's gal, Lizzy Susan, wid de ring, an' dat hewuz gwine to Wash'n'n, but wuz done come home to git some things b'fo' he went; so I come straight 'long behinst him jes swif' as my footcould teck me. I didn' was'e much time, " he said, with some pride, "'cuzhe had done mighty nigh come gittin' me shot. I jes stop long 'nough tocut me a bunch o' right keen hick'ries, an' I jes come 'long shakin' myfoot. When I got to my house I ain' fine nobody dyah but Lucindy--datve'y ooman dyah"--pointing his long stick at her--"an' I lay myhick'ries on de bed, an' ax her is she see P'laski. Fust she meek outdat she ain' heah me, she so induschus; I nuver see her so induschus;but when I meck 'quiration agin she bleeged to answer me, an' she 'spon'dat she 'ain' see him; 'cuz she see dat my blood wuz up, an' she knowdee wuz trouble 'pendin' for P'laski. Dat worry me might'ly, an' I say, 'Lucindy, ef you is done meck dat boy resent hisself f'om heah, you isdone act like a po' white folks' nigger, ' I say, 'an' you's got to beahde depravity o' his transgression. ' When I tolt her dat she nuver gotmad, 'cuz she know she air not quality like me an' Marth' Ann; but she'pear right smartly disturbed, an' she 'clar' she ain' lay her eyes onP'laski. She done 'clar' so partic'lar I mos' inclin' to b'lieve her;but all on a suddent I heah some 'n' sneeze, 'Quechew!' De soun' come fom onder de bed, an' I jes retch over an' gether in my bunch o'hick'ries, an' I say, 'Come out!' Lucindy say, 'Dat's a cat'; an' I say, 'Yes, ' I say, 'hit's a cat I gwine skin, too. '

"I jes stoop down, an' peep onder de bed, an', sho 'nough, dyah wuzP'laski squinch up onder dyah, cane an' seegar an' all, jes like a olehyah in a trap. I ketch him by de leg, an' juck him out, an'--don' youknow, suh, dat ooman had done put _my_ shut on dat boy, an' wuzgettin' ready to precipitate him in flight! I tolt her it wuz p'intedlyoudacious for her an' her son, after he had done stolt ole Mis' Taineweddin'-ring, to come to my own house an' rob me jes like I wuz ahen-roos'!"

"What reply did she make to that?" I asked, to facilitate his narrative. 

"She 'ain' possessed no reply to dat indictment, " he said, pompously. "She glad by dat time to remit me to terminate my excitement on P'laski, an' so I did. He hollered tell dee say you could heah him two miles; hefyahly lumbered. " The old fellow gave a chuckle of satisfaction at thereminiscence, and began to draw figures in the sand with his long stick. Suddenly, however, he looked up. 

"Ef I had a-intimated how much tribilation dat lumberin' wuz gwine toget me in, he nuver would 'a' hollered. Dat come o' dat chicken-stealin'nigger Jem Sinkfiel'; he cyahed him off. "

He again became reflective, so I asked, "Haven't you seen him since?"

"Oh, yes, suh, I seen him since, " he answered. "I seen him after I comeout o' jail; but 'twuz a right close thing. I thought I wuz gone. "

"Gone! for whipping him?" "Nor, suh; 'bout de murder. "

"Murder?"

"Yes, suh; murder o' him--o' P'laski. " "But you did not murder him?""Nor, suh; an' dat wuz whar de trouble presisted. Ef I had a-murderedhim I'd 'a' knowed whar he wuz when dee wanted him; but, as 'twair, whende time arrove, I wair unable to perduce him: and I come mighty nighforfeitin' my life. "

My exclamation of astonishment manifestly pleased him, and he proceededwith increased gravity and carefulness of dictation:

"You see, suh, 'twair dis way. " He laid his stick carefully down, andspreading open the yellowish palm of one hand, laid the index finger ofthe other on it, as if it had been a map. "When I waked up nex' mornin'an' called P'laski, he did not rappear. He had departured; an' so had myshut! Ef 't hadn' been for de garment, I wouldn' 'a' keered so much, forI knowed I'd git my han's on him some time: hawgs mos'ly comes up whende acorns all gone! an' I know hick'ries ain't gwino stop growin': butI wuz cawnsiderably tossified decernin' my garment, an' I gin Lucindya little direction 'bout dat. But I jos wont on gittin' my sumac, an'whenever I como 'cross a right straight hick'ry, I geth-orod dat too, an' laid it by, 'cus hick'ries grow mighty fine in ole fiel's whargrowin' up like. An' one day I wuz down in de bushes, an' Mr. 'LiasLumpkins, de constable, come rid-in' down dyah whar I wuz, an' ax mewhar P'laski is. Hit come in my mind torectly dat he warn' P'laski 'boutde ring, an' I tell him I air not aware whar P'laski is: and den he tellme he got warrant for me, and I mus' come on wid him. I still reposed, in co'se, 'twuz 'bout de ring, an' I say I ain' had nuttin' to do widit. An' he say, 'Wid what?' An' I say, 'Wid de ring. ' Den he say, 'Oh!'an' he say, ''Tain' nuttin' 'bout de ring; 'tis for murder. ' Well, Iknow I ain' murder nobody, an' I ax him who dee say I done murder; an'he ax me agin, 'Whar air P'laski?' I tell him I don' know whar P'laskiair: I know I ain' murder him! Well, suh, hit subsequently repeareddat dis wuz de wuss thing I could 'a' said, 'cus when de trial come on, Major Torm Woods made mo' o' dat 'n anything else at all; an' hit 'pearslike ef you's skused o' murder er steal-in', you mus'n' say you ain' doit, 'cuz dat's dangersomer 'n allowing you _is_ do it. 

"Well, I went 'long wid him. I ax him to le' me go by my house; but hesay, nor, he 'ain' got time, dat he done been dyah. An' he teck me 'longto de cote-house, an' _lock me up in de jail!_ an' lef' me dyah in dedark on de rock flo'! An' dyah I rejourned all night long. An' I might'a' been dyah now, ef 't hadn' been dat de co'te come on. Nex' mornin'Mr. Landy Wilde come in dyah an' ax me how I gettin' on, an' ef I warn'anything. I tell him I gettin' on toler'ble, an' I ain' warn' nuttin'but a little tobacco. I warn' git out, but I knew I cyarn do dat, 'cuz'twuz de ambitiouses smellin' place I ever smelt in my life. I tell you, suh, I is done smell all de smells o' mink an' mus' an' puffume, but Iain' nuver smell nuttin' like dat jail. Mr. Landy Wilde had to hole henose while he in dyah; an' he say he'll git de ole jedge to come an' ac'as my council. I tell him, 'Nor; Gord put me in dyah, an' I reckon He'llgit me out when He ready. ' I tell you, suh, I wair p'intedly ashamed forde ole jedge, whar wuz a gent'man, to come in sich a scand'lous smellin'place as dat. But de ole jedge come; an' he say it wuz a ------ shame toput a humin in sich place, an' he'd git me bail; which I mus' say--evenef he is a church member--might be ixcused ef you jes consider datsmell. But when de cote meet, dee wouldn' gi' me no bail, 'cuz dee sayI done commit murder; an' I heah Jim Sinkfiel' an' Mr. Lumpkins an' oleMis' Twine went in an' tole de gran' jury I sutney had murder P'laski, an' bury him down in de sumac bushes; an' dee had de gre't bundle o'switches dee fine in my house, an' dee redite me, an' say ef I 'ain'murder him, why'n't I go 'long an' pre-duce him. Dat's a curisome thing, suh; dee tell you to go 'long and fine anybody, an' den lock you up injail a insec' couldn' get out. "

I agreed with him as to the apparent inconsistency of this, and heproceeded:

"Well, suh, at las' de trial come on; 'twuz April-cote, an' dee had mein the cote-house, an' set me down in de cheer, wid de jury rightin front o' me, an' de jedge settin' up in he pulpit, lookin' mightyaggrevated. Dat wuz de fus' time I 'gin to feel maybe I wuz sort o'forgittin' things, I had done been thinkin' so much lately in jail 'boutde ole doctor--dat's ole master--an' Marth' Ann, an' all de ole timesin Hanover, I wuz sort o' misty as I wuz settin' dyah in de cheer, an' Ijes heah sort o' buzzin' roun' me, an' I warn' altogether certified datI warn' back in ole Hanover. Den I heah 'em say dat de ole jedgewuz tooken down an' wuz ixpected to die, an' dee ax me don' I want acontinuance. I don' know what dat mean, 'sep dee say I have to go backto jail, an' sense I smell de fresh air I don' warn' do dat no mo'; soI tell 'em, 'Nor; I ready to die. ' An' den dee made me stan' up; an' deeread dat long paper to me 'bout how I done murder P'laski; dee say Ihad done whup him to death, an' had done shoot him, an' knock him in dehaid, an' kill him mo' ways 'n 'twould 'a' teck to kill him ef he hadbeen a cat. Lucindy wuz dyah. I had done had her gwine 'bout right smartmeckin' quiration for P'laski. At least she _say_ she had, " he said, with a sudden reservation, and a glance of some suspicion toward hisspouse. "An' dee wuz a whole parecel o' niggers stan'-in' roun' dyah, black as buzzards roun' a ole hoss whar dyin'. An' don' you know, datJim Sinkfiel' say he sutney hope dee would hang me, an' all jes 'cuz heowe' me two dollars an' seventy-three cents, whar he ain' warn' pay me!"

"Did you not have counsel?" I inquired. 

"Council?"

"Yes--a lawyer. "

"Oh, nor, suh; dat is, I had council, but not a la'yar, edzactly, " hereplied, with careful discrimination. "I had a some sort of a la'yer, but not much of a one. I had ixpected ole Jedge Thomas to git me off;'cuz he knowed me; he wuz a gent'man, like we is; but when he wuz tookensick so providential I wouldn' had no urrs; I lef' it to Gord. De jedgeax me at de trial didn' I had no la'yar, and I tell him nor, not dyah;an' he ax me didn' I had no money to get one; an' I er-spon' 'Nor, Ididn' had none, ' although I had at dat time forty-three dollars an'sixty-eight cents in a ole rag in my waistcoat linin', whar I had widme down in de sumac bushes, an' whar I thought I better hole on to, an''ain' made no mention on. So den de jedge ax me wouldn' I had a youngman dyah--a right tall young man; an' I enform him: 'Yes, suh. I didn'reckon 'twould hu't none. ' So den he come an' set by me an' say he wuzmy counsel. "

There was such a suggestion of contempt in his tone that I inquired ifhe had not done very well. 

"Oh, yes, suh, " he drawled, slowly, "he done toler'blewell--considerin'. He do de bes' he kin, I reckon. He holler an' mix meup some right smart; but dee wuz too strong for him; he warn' no mo'to 'em 'n wurrm is to woodpecker. Major Torm Woods' de com-monwealph'sattorney, is a powerful la'yer; he holler so you kin heah him _three_mile. An' ole Mis' Twine wuz dyah, whar tell all 'bout de ring, an'how impident I wuz to her dat day, an' skeer her to death. An' dat JimSinkfiel', he wuz dyah, an' tolt' 'bout how I beat P'laski, an' how heheah him 'way out in main road, hollerin' 'murder. ' An' dee had de gre'tbundle o' hick'ries dyah, whar dee done fine in my house, an' dee had somuch _evidence_ dat presney I 'mos' begin to think maybe I had done kiltP'laski sho 'nough, an' had disermembered it. An' I thought 'bout Marth'Ann an' all de urr chil'ern, an' I wondered ef dee wuz to hang me ef Iwouldn' fine her; an' I got so I mos' hoped dee would sen' me. An den dejury went out, an' stay some time, an' come back an' say I wuz guilty, an' sen' me to de Pen'tentiy for six years. "

I had followed him so closely, and been so satisfied of his innocence, that I was surprised into an exclamation of astonishment, at which hewas evidently much pleased. 

"What did your counsel do?" I asked. 

He put his head on one side. "He? He jes lean over an' ax did I warn'to repeal. I tell him I didn't know. Den he ax me is I got any money atall. I tell him, nor; ef I had I would 'a' got me a la'yer. "

"What happened then?" I inquired, laughing at his discomfiting reply. 

"Well, den de jedge tole me to stan' up, an' ax me has I got anything tosay. Well, I know dat my las' chance, an' I tell him, 'Yes, suh. ' An'he inform me to precede wid de relation, an' so I did. I preceded, an'I tolt 'em dyah in de cote-house ev'y wud jes like I have explanifiedit heah. I tolt 'em all 'bout Marth' Ann an' de chillern I hed had; Ireformed 'em all decernin' de Maconses; an' I notified 'em how P'laskiwuz dat urr ooman's son, not Marth' Ann's, an 'bout de tunament an' howI had demonstrated wid him not to ride dyah, an' how he had repudiatedmy admonition, an' had crown de queen wid ole Mis' Twine weddin'-ring, whar he come nigh git-tin' me shot fur; an' how I had presented him dehick'ry, an' 'bout how he had departed de premises while I wuz 'sleep, an' had purloined my garment, an' how I wuz waitin' for him, an'getherin' de hick'ry crap an' all. An' dee wuz all laughin', 'cuz deeknow I wuz relatin' de gospel truth, an' jes den I heah some o' deniggers back behine call out, 'Hi! heah he now!' an' I look roun', an', ef you b'lieve me, suh, dyah wuz P'laski, jes repeared, all fixed up, wid he cane an' seegar an' all, jes like I had drawed he resemblance. Hehad done been to Wash'n'n, an' had done come back to see de hangin'. "

The old fellow broke into such a laugh at the reminiscence that I askedhim, "Well, what was the result?"

"De result, suh, wuz, de jury teck back all dee had say, an' ax me togo down to de tavern an' have much whiskey as I could stan' up to, an'dee'd pay for it; an' de jedge distracted 'em to tu'n me loose. P'laski, he wuz sort o' bothered; he ain' know wherr to be disapp'inted 'bout dehangin' or pleased wid bein' set up so as de centre of distraction, tellole Mis' Twine begin to talk 'bout 'restin' of him. Dat set him back;but I ax 'em, b'fo' dee 'rest him, couldn' I have jurisdictionment onhim for a leetle while. Dee grant my be-ques', 'cuz dee know I gwine toerward him accordin' to his becessities, an' I jes nod my head to himan' went out. When we got roun' hine de jail, I invite him to perjecthis coat. He nex' garment wuz my own shut, an' I tolt him to remove dattoo; dat I had to get nigh to he backbone, an' I couldn't 'ford to weahout dat shut no mor'n he had done already weah it. Somebody had donefetch de bunch o' hick'ries whar dee had done fine in my house, an' hitjes like Providence. I lay 'em by me while I put him on de altar, Ijes made him wrop he arms roun' a little locus'-tree, an' I fasten hewris'es wid he own gallowses, 'cuz I didn' warn' was'e dem hick'ries;an' all de time I bindin' him I tellin' him 'bout he sins. Den, when Ihad him ready, I begin, an' I rehearse de motter wid him f'om de time hehad ax me 'bout de tunament spang tell he come to see me hang, an' widev'y wud I gin him de admonishment, tell when I got thoo wid him hewouldn' 'a' tetch a ring ef he had been in 'em up to he neck; an' as toshuts, he would' a' gone naked in frost b'fo' he'd 'a' put one on. Heback gin out b'fo' my hick'ries did; but I didn' wholly lors 'em. Ireceive de valyationo' dem too, 'cuz when I let up on P'laski, fust manI see wuz dat Jim Sinkfiel', whar had warn' me hanged 'cuz he didn'twarn' pay me two dollars an' seventy-three cents. He wuz standin' dyahlookin' on, 'joyin' hiself. I jes walk up to him an' I tolt him dathe could pay it right den, or recommodate me to teck de res' o' dehick'ries. He try to blunder out o' it, but all de folks know 'bout itan' dee wuz wid me, an' b'fo' he knowed it some on 'em had he coatoff, an' had stretch him roun' de tree, an' tolt me to perceed. An' Iperceeded. 

"I hadn't quite wo' out one hick'ry when he holler dat he'd borry demoney an' pay it; but I tolt him, nor; hick'ries had riz; dat I hadthree mo', an' I warn' show him a man can meek a boy holler 'murder'an' yit not kill him. An' dat I did, too: b'f o' I wuz done he hollered'murder' jes natchel as P'laski. "

The old fellow's countenance beamed with satisfaction at therecollection of his revenge. I rewarded his narrative with a donationwhich he evidently considered liberal; for he not only was profuse inhis thanks, but he assured me that the county of Hanover had producedfour people of whom he was duly proud--Henry Clay, Doctor Macon, myself, and himself.