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About Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1903-1919 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 25, 1903)
ft ' Sg THE DAILY JOURNAL, 8ALEM, pREQON. WEDNE8DAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1903 FIFTEEN Copyright, 1003, by C. N. Lurle.J TUB bird vrns a turkey, not nti eagle, nnd I'll not say that It met its fnte Thanksgiving day, but It nassod tho way of all Thanksgiving birds about Nov. 20, 1803. This uncertain chronology Is duo to the fact that half a dozen of us war prison refugees, who had escaped from tho Georgia stockades, were maklnc our homeward Journey by tho sole cruldanco of the north wtnr. wimn . struck the eastern slope of tho Cum berland mountains In southwestern rirclnla Into autumn wnn nnnn ua Tbc plentiful wild grapes had been touched by frost, persimmons were ilronnlnc. dead rlne. nnd mm hmi imnn shucked nnd stored bovond nur ronnii. frVo didn't know tho day of tho week, much less that of tho month, for wo nsBsed days and nlchts HomMlmM Mil. Sng from pursuers In dark caves and slept rrom aueer exhaustion without reference to tho rising or tho settlnc of ttho sun. Ono day wo camo unon a cabin hidden In tho mountain wilds occupied by a negro who, llko ourselves, was a refugee. At tho beginning of tho war ho had run nwnv from lils nmntor in baBt Tennesseo and started blindly to meet up with "Mnssa Llnkum's so bers." Hnvlnir lost his wnv nml enf frightened by the roaming bushwhack. era who infested the mountains, he built a cabin nnd waited for that Ju Black Sam n-c-b-o-r coin' mt nrb twell freedom done como. First turkey I cotch he git fat an' nice, an' freedom ain't come, so ho git ole an' tough, an' , 1 gib him ter de buzz'rds. Second tur key ho git fat. too, but no freedom ylt. Ho git tough, an' do buzz'rds git him. Den I cotch ono mo', an' I say ills do! bird o' freedom, shuah. Now, luk yer." I With that he led tho wuy up tho mountain side till he camo to a tanglo of wild grnpo vinos which fell over the rocks nnd trees like n hugo wall.' These ho parted deftly and conducted us to a spacious glen shut out from tho prying world. Tied to a Btake with a long rope was a fat turkey. "Sco do bird o" freedom?" Bays he, with a broad African grin. "Cotehed dls chick about las' Chrls'mus ober do moun'u. Hide film yer all day, an' nighttime take him out In dc beech woods bo ho get fat fo' do day o' Jubilee. Now I got ue uuanksglben tns'o In do uiouf, an' Jubilee done come." After moro of his palaver It was set tled thnt ho would roast the bird In a rude oveu built In the hillside, then serve It In tho cabin. Meanwhile wo wornout tramps would sleep ourselves into a fitting nppetlto for tho Jubilee feast, which wns to bo turkey nnd corn pone. Hlnck Sam led us back to the cabin and shoved aside some of the poles which mnilc n lloorlng for tho loft overhead. Climbing up with the " . " ! 1 1 vV yrJiJi-- .t-Si-' fo .iH I IN.' i ITriTi ' "W hf ii i m manKiui f M I'm thai I . . . ill . . .frs VS ; X I still c fiFvo-caf' Iy N 1 nuite :s ! W sd ' WBccause, A I Z If m V ff - for the sunshine, an1 I'm thankful for the cloud, t W. f .. . r ,1 . "i' nKiui tonne nest o neaitn an ieeunratner proua r In unif o nrruiint that rnrrv follfH awav . ... .....,. ,..,. . ...... & nt say i m uranium i in a-uvin ncrc t uuy dodged the trolleys, which arc always grounds lor tear; raped a sunstroke in the dog days o' the yean m filled with thankfulness an' ain't disposed t" fret you see, I'm much too poor t' own an auto yet. w msmrWSfjS MMtonMtf"1 rSteCfL-- . Perhaps since last Thanksgivin' if I'd been a millionaire I might have, been a-guidin' o' an auto here an' there An' had a fearful smashup in some record breakin' race; I might t'day be lyin' in some quiet re9tin' place. An so I say I'm thankful that I'm livin' here t'day An had the luck t keep myself well out o" danger's way. Though tilings have been agin me in a way, I've no regret; I'm thankful that an auto hasn't mangled me aa yet I haven't raced an auto, so Ive heard no victim wail; Ml own I broke no record, but I haven t been in jaiL An' so I'm duly thankful there's no damage bills f pay T weepin' wife or orphans on this blest Thanksgivin day. I'm thankful for the sunshine an I'm thankful for the cloud, Pro thankful I am livin' an' a mixta" in the crowd; But, more than all. I'm thankful that I haven't been beset With the worry that is born of auto ownorshlp, as yetl a. s- C..W". ' ' r" '"" pile of freedom his slmplo faith told b.m must como. With eye Hluioat mrstini. fmm ilmlr sockets he listened o our story of tho emancipation bow -moln had struck tno leuera u i ivra i.. n,,.i if mna he could readi L'ankeo territory there would be uo "ore dragging blui dock o aiavvrj. u ho,, i,a niur MTotrh comnrehended he wonderful story he sat silent for long time. Then ue iookcu hu ace of ouch of us, a gleam or pe x..wlng brighter and brighter on Uto liony skin, "lo' an is " - i'anks.M said he. "else yo ain't taln at away to Black Sam." Nothing we ould say was stronger wu i- roa logic. "Yo'a Yanks, an' yoa uu :ry. I'xe hungry, too-hungry for tur- . ,ii i.tf TiiankselbeB tle. ze gwtno kill do bird o' freedooi an' ;ib yo all a dinner." Pr a nwrnent l. 4i -. ii.. ..wllnr news of OBMB- IpaUon had turned the poor slaver mln. There was no sign of poultry ulture about the preto "lack Bam saw ib uiwui " - ur faces. "OU. Vm got dat turky. an Ightr be shouted, "Bin waiUn free ear for taa'e ( him. Twuj "'j ; 'lowed da nlggabt gwtao '"" ecount o Massa Llakum. aa" I I help of nidi' bcb. we foowl r IKftiug of iuuuumui snum hit wr inl and a Mwiit? Ju lar MMMgii tw II" dowu Hiou faahton. iw we'd to l.i ItrlMW. and aired by a bole cut in in. gable IMack Sam dewdl. awl w moved the ke l"l lck l,,to 'IM1 tlou. "A in' no bttbwlacalu wU gwlne luk fur yo' u dart'." "aid u.-. .4,i. k.,.bi awl went Id" nay to mill m mi prepare the turkey After " " we woW'' l",a crept kWM fww tue toft, wond.-r.ij; tlwt we bad not been bidden to ilif fount Hlnck tu was sUtlog like a mourner, with bU lank yoltow oVk for a hhiio in mimry. By t light of a wanta Uro in Uw eWmne- . w the well nicked hmm rf a turU.. and wi swaps of iwne on the' board WUat bad uanpenedf HureJy tint wc . boaone negro and nte woowwobw w liad wot roJl tbwnoelvea on t bltd ef freedom. We looked from on to tne other of our erowd and tben to our bwt. wko trembllnciy MH ta orJ' ef the dtooetrow JWe feto. SoW be- -Deaa I get dat turkey an dat pon ready an ek to call yo' all to TWanka rlben wua 'long come paaael o Cap a Koab'a seceah critter coaenany aneakin aroond an' aay dey looUa' tur Yan kecs. Tell 'cm t alu't sewt none, an' dey ast why dls roastln' dat turkey dess fur dls nlggah 'lone. "Koso I Jess hear about freedom, I tolo om. 'I got no mammy, no missus, no chile, only my yaller dog Slim. Done roast dat turkey all for dls nlggah's Jubilee. -uen uey eat uat turkey an' pone an' uebber gib me none nu' nebbor say T'auk yo', Black Stun. All de time dey eatlu' dey kept lookln' un to deni poles overhead, musin' like dey want see bchln' dare. Dey keep mighty still, tiougli. One secesli, he stan outside, nn' de odders take some turkey fo him. Bymeby dat man lie say. 'Sh!' an' dey nil grab delr swords an pis tols nn sneak out. nebbor sayln' nut tin'. Den I know why dey doan go peekln' bchln' dem poles where yo' all lildlii nn' doan take Black Sam along back to he ole massa." We forgot our hunger nnd the van ished luxuries over this recital, for we had heard of Noah's company of bushwhack ers, who urns quernded us Con federates, b u t never smelted powder in the Held. They ter rorized the Ig norant in o u n talnecrs, seizing their pigs and corn In payment for their pro fessed gunrdlan ship of tho ter ritory. Part of their business wns to head off runaway pris oners and fugi tive staves and return thorn to captivity. This won for them tho toleration of the local Confed e r a t e authori ties. We knew the risk of cross ing their beaten trail and breath lessly awaited the sequel of Black Sam's story. "1 looks at dem turkey bones an' dat empty pone dish," continued he, "an' I moan kase yo' all git none. Den I skeored call yo' 'kase yo' kill dls nlggah fo' shuah. I stan' lookln' at do bones, glttln' hun grier ev'y minute. Nox' t'lng some body sneakln' up an' holler In de do', Wluir dom robs?' 'What rebs yo menu? I say. "'Cap'u Noah's company,' ho sny. 'We need 'em comln' dls' u-wny las night.' Dls ono n Yankee all In blue, an' I up an' tote 'liu 1 rose dat turkey all uy tnyso'f nn Cap n Noahs men come eat Mm nil an' den run away Dls Yank he laff all ncrost ho face, but ho make no nolso lalllu'. Speck he t'luk bery funny how de robs eat dls chile h turkey nn' pone. Don ho go out de do', an' long come alxwt i!00 Yanks. "Den I git mad at dem Yanks, an' I say: 'S'pose yo' t'lnk dls nlggah cryln' 'kase ho got no turkey nn' pone, he an' Slim. I ain't cryln'. I'zo lalllu' on do Inside 'knse I'm a free ulggnh.' Don dey all lnff ngMn an' go way down do lane, sneakln' after dem Noah's men. Now, what yo all lattln' ntr "Yankeo soldiers, Sam? Aro you sure?" gasped half a dozen In n breath Wo didn't make any noise, either, not being certain we were out of tho woods yet; but every mother's son of us grin ned llko tho man In tho moon. Yankees of tho right strlpo were whut wo were looking to meet up with more thnn n feast of turkey and pone. "Shuah, mars, shuah. I.lnkum sogers from up do Kanawha way. I 'hocred siS5ft$Ti!W&i WwM 1 SAM WAS H1TTI.NO LIKE A MOUIINEII. Capital humhering Company M&md&ciutexs of and Evety Descsfipti tegon Dealers in of lr in Lumber Fiocting Ceiling, L at lis, Rustic, Shingles, Fence Posts, Etc Dy Kiln in connection Office and Mills Foot of Feiwy Street 'Phone Main 981 I J3 Tras-talciital Trains Daily-3 I K UOUl'KD TOOirrilHU A UTtLZ VAMKKK lliuai. Cap'n Noli's men say dey all skoered o' Yankee iwufcrs plntln' dla away." At last we were among frlemU ffood mohkU fortune to draw thank from yearning atomaebs. We scraped to gether a little Yankee money to re- n-unl Itlaek Satll for the lo of Ilia Juuljee illnner al for saving our necks with that Ion nigger bluff, which so faetlveiy dulled the eurioe'ty of Noah's InfaHKMM gang. Tito itKro grinned at the aigbt of (lie greenbaclu, cowing with Uta newly discovered freedom. We kept on grin ning iu our Joy at bolng once moro In "Uod's eouBtry, surrounded by noya In blue. No doubt tne buabwnaekers were grtnnlnK. too. over the after taste of that unexpected dinner. Tttey got away from their pursuers, but we dkln't begrudge them this good for tune. And aa we got nest to Uncle Sam's fat rations In the saddle pouch of Crook's Kanawha cavalry division a few boars later we dkln't begrudge tbea tbeir atoaopoly ef BUek Saw's jubilee turkey and pone. VBAJJK TOWNLBY. 2 Daily Through Trains to the Beautiful Twin Cities 2 Minneapolis and St Paul 1 Transcontinental Train Daily 1 VIA THE ,., Northern Pacific Burlington Route ... To Denver; Lincoln, Neb.; Omaha, Neb.; St. Joseph, Mo.; Kansas City; St. Louis arid all points East and Southeast. Only Direct Line to the Famous Yellowstone National Park esnMaeMnewunaaaM aanaaeMeantaaaawaM The Old Reliable Pioneer Dining Car Line Excellent Through Car Service Your Baggage Can Be Checked Through to Destination. Union Depot Connections. TRY THE 'North Coast Limited' ELECTRIC LIGHTS ELECTRIC PANS ummsmmmmmmwmmm The Cf ack Train Of The Northwest A. D, CHARLTON, A&slMant General Paweoeer Arent 255 Morrison St, Cor, Third, Portland, Oregon h i 0 'H MJ I ft 1