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“WHAR’S DAT NlUOKKf*An Incident of the Rebellion.[FhilftdvlphJi Weekly Prew.]In July, 1863, when the army lay at Winchester, Tennessee, one of our foraging parties had for a guide old Jim, one oi the blackest niggers that ever you did see, Jim ww 30 black he would shine at night in the dark, and his eyeballs were more than three fourth* white, or as the boys used to say, had “little •r no yoke into them.”The first place Jim led us to was the house of his former master. Hiding up to the door i and dismounting, the first sound that was heard waS;“Well, if there ain’t Jim! How could yoa leave us, Jim, when we have always treated you so kindly? Didn’t you always say that you loved us dearly?”j These remarks were addressed to Jim by m lady-like looking woman, and for a moment nr two he stood twirling his hat and not knowing what to say; then he blurted out: “Yes. missus, I always lub you, and 1 lub you now a heap; but really, missus, I find I lub myself best after all.”The good lady could not help smiling, and went, into the house. Then Jim conducted u* over the place where he had forso many years been a slave with as much pride as if ne was the real owner.Jim showed his peculiar nature more perhaps in the following incident than in any other. During the advance toward Bridgeport a heavy artillery duel was fought and Jim got scared and hid away. He was not seen for a whole day, and when night came on the colonel, whose cook he was, began to inquire “where that nigger was. and why they did not have something to eat.” The Sumpter mules were brought up, the old ham unpacked and a soldier set to cooking, when, just as we had given up all hope of ever seeing Jim again, he was observed slipping quietly into camp, his large eyes rolling wildly.*“Come here, you black scoundrel,” cried the colonel “and tell us where vou have been!”Jim came up smiling, and, holding out his hand, said:“Dat you, coVnel? Alive, too, and well? Bless de Lord! And dar 13 de captin a-look-in’ right at me and a-seernin’ hull. Lord! Lord! colonel, wasn't it a drefful day, and you is all alive, shuah, an’ no mistake. Never expected to see you in dis world any more; no, I didn’t.”“Why, Jim,” said the colonel, “you were demoralized; it wasn't so bad as you think.” “Don’t swear, colonel, dear. I may have, as you observed got dard—darn. It’s a bad word, and I can’t jist make it out; but I never afore was so near my blessed Lord and Master as I hev been dis day.”“How is that,” we all inquired.••What did lever do to dem rebels dat dey should aim at me so?” said Jim savagely*“Aim at you?” said the colonel. “Why Jim, that is absurd. They aimed at the soldiers; not vou.”* r“Look here, colonel, don’t fool! fore God, dey aim at; me, an’ pretty near hit me. 1 heard dat shot a-comin’ through the air and sayin' as plain as I am sayin’ it now: ‘Whar’s dat nigger? Whar’s dat nigger? Where is’—den he see me, and come straightin’: “I see him! I see him!’ and when I run away he burst, and de little debbils went skirmishing all around right after me. I hid under the log, and 1 heard dem a huutin' for me, but de good Lord preserved me and dey didn’t tine me.” Jim was in dead earnest, and really believed the rebels had singled him out for a target, and every shell thrown from their batteries waa aimed directly at himself.There 13 nothing that so takes the starch out of a young man who has been wedded about a year as to have to go to a store where there is a girl clerk that ho used to keep company with, and inquire for those largesized safety pins.for me a-yell
Newspaper Details
Aurora Saturday News
Aurora, Indiana, US
Sat, Apr 10, 1880
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
IN, USA 21 Apr 2021
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