Bypaths In Dixie Part 4

"Miss Gully say:

"'I'm yo' Mar-- Doan go so far.'

"Bill say, 'I done start atter dis gole, an' I'm gwine see de race out.'

"Jacky-Lantern an' Willie Wisp, an' all de res' er de bad hants down in de swamp jes er poppin' up ev'y which er way, an' all uv 'em holl'r:

"'Foll'r me, sonny, I got de money!'

"'Foll'r me, sonny, I got de money.'

"Bill he dunno which way ter go, so he ax 'em: 'Which one got de money sho nuf?' But dey keeps er bobbin' up:

"'Foll'r me, sonny, I got de money.'

"'Foll'r me, sonny, I got de money.'

tell Bill say ter hissef: 'I'm gwine foll'r de one look like he got de mostes.' He take er step dis er way, an' he sink down so fur dat he pull, an' pull, an' pull, tell he pull his shoe off. Some mo' Jackys calls him way ov'r yond'r:

"'Foll'r me, sonny, I got de money.'

"'Foll'r me, sonny, I got de money.'

"So he try ter take er long step ov'r ter dem, but he sink so fur dis time dat he pull, an' pull, an' pull, an' pull, but he can' git his foots up.

"His ma's hant ris' up den, an' bus' out cryin':

"'Yer done los' yer sole, An' yer ain' got de gol'.'

"'Yer done los' yer sole, An' yer ain' got de gol'.'

"Bill he keep tryin' ter pull hisse'f up, but he done sink down ter his gallus straps."

"Please, Mam, pull him out, p-l-e-a-s-e," pleaded the little girl.

"Doan yer worry yose'f, his ma's wid dat boy."

"Yes, but she's only a spirit."

"Doan keer ef she is er hant, she's his ma,--an' de Lawd nuv'r do let dat part die out in no 'ooman. Well, dar wus Bill jes er sinkin' an' er sinkin'--"

"But he wusn't any deeper than his waist, you said, Mammy," begged Mary Van.

"He bleeg ter be er lit'le deep'r by dis time, but his ma wus cryin' an'

beggin' de Lawd so hard ter spar' de boy an' give him er-nuth'r chanct, dat er big thorney bush grow up quick 'long side er Bill an' retch out hits arms,--an' de thorney part stick right thu Bill's close, so Jacky-Lantern, an' Willie Wisp an' de res' er de bad hants can't pull 'im no fur'r. Bill 'gun ter see dat he wus hangin' ov'r torment, an' dat wus de place de gole he bin runnin' atter stay, so he rech out an' grab de thorney bush, he did, an' de blood come tricklin' down on his han's whar de briers stick him, but his ma's speeret come out on de thorney bush in er big, big, big ole glow wurm, an' she say:

"'Hole fas', Hit can' las'.'

"'Hole fas', Hit can' las'.'

"He notice den dat all de uth'r lights poppin' up an' poppin' out, an'

hoppin' erbout, but de glow wurm's light wus studdy."

"Did Bill know it was his mama?" Bill's safety was uppermost in Mary Van's mind now.

"He doan 'zackly know hit, but he think he do, caze he know n.o.body ain'

gwine stick ter him atter dey's in heb'n cep'n his ma. Darfo' he keep his eye on de glow wurm, he do. He know dat studdy light wus his ma's speeret."

"Don't let his hands bleed any more, Mammy," she begged.

"Doan yer git too skeer'd er de blood uv 'pentence, chile. Bill done sin, an' he got ter be born'd ergin, thu suf'in an' mis'ry. Howsumev'r he foll'rin' de studdy light er dat glow wurm, so 'tain' long 'fo' she show him er tree on t'oth'r side dat wus smooth an' strong, an' Bill tu'n loose er de bush an' grab holt er de tree--Bob Wind he come an' hope de tree ter lif' Bill up,--an' Bob give one er ole man Harricane's blows dat take Bill clean out'n de mirey clay, an' lan' him on de rock."

"Was he clear out of the swamp?"

"And where was his mama?" both children pressed their questions.

"He wusn't clean out, but he wus clost on ter de aige--all he need is er lit'le mo' uv his ma's studdy light ter show him de way home,--an' he got hit too, fur dar she wus by him on de rock, whin he come thu. She crawl 'long mouty slow b'fo' him, caze Bill wus in er pow'ful bad fix, but her light ain' flick'r, an' hit keep bright an' studdy, an' bimeby atter er long time she lan' him at home safe an' soun'."

"How could it take long?" Willis was keeping tab on the time.

"Yer see, baby, yer kin nach.e.l.ly fly wid Bob Wind when yer's on de road ter Satan wid Jacky-Lantern, an' Willie Wisp lightin' hit up so purty fur yer; but whin yer starts back, an' de road's dark--an' yer got jes one lit'le light, hit take er long time ter fine yer way erbout."

"Was Abe and the boys waiting for Bill?" Mary Van desired to see the home reunited.

"Dey wus waitin', but dey wusn't settin' down waitin'. Abe an' dem boys had done dig dat gole out'n de cell'r an' buy 'em er pa.s.sel er mules, an'

cows, an' chick'ns, an' bilt 'em er fine house, an' raise sich c.r.a.ps, dat de ole farm tu'n out ter be de bigges' plantation in dem parts."

"Did Bill get home?"

"Ter be sho', son, ain't I done tole yer de glow wurm gwine p'int out de road fur him?"

"Did they give Bill some money, too?"

"Cose dey did, gal, der ma's speeret light up der h'arts so bright dat dey ain' see no rees'n ter keep all de money jes' 'caze dey stays at home an'

fines. .h.i.t.--Sut'nly dey give Bill his sheer."

"Did the glow worm stay with them?"

"Dey ma's speeret stay's dar, but de glow wurm hatt'r g'long back ter de swamp ter hope de res' er de po' sinn'rs dat gits tang'led up runnin'

atter Jacky-Lanterns an' Willie Wispes."

IV

MISS RACE HOSS AN' DE FLEAS