The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1860-01-05

| On, Georgei cried Helen, shuddering,
and putting her hands up before her face; " oh,
George, what shall / do, what shall dor"
Do young mistis, do Why, git him out o.
knows ct, an OATS why come to you dis morn.
| in"
| But, how, George-ho,o ;"
81 tell you dat, presently. Now, less us go
back to your parler. You wants to set down,
l see dat. Yer kind o. faint like-an' wants
to say somethin' more to you bout dis matter,
ease it's got to be tended to right off, fore cts
| too late"
Once back in her room, and Helen seated
not too soon, either, for she was very faint
George handed her glass of water, without re-
mark, and then proceeded with his discourse.
You see, Miss Helen" said he, /" dis is got
to be done by you. 1t won't do to let Mr.. Ru-
pert know anythin' bout it, case he'll not think,
only git mad, an go off widout doin' any good.
You mus excuse me for plain speakin', you
know, ease dis is a matter oh 'mergency, an
Use all for de marster -
81 know that wish you to speak to me So.
l wish to be told everything that will help me
to discharge my duty"
"An' so you shilll" exclaimed George, We
hemently, Gan wen have Mr.. Beale all right
fore we stop, or ] amt no sinner. Well,
ma'am, an I'm sorry to say, your mar can't
| Il
come, thought she'd git him outen dat prisen,
so / tux her right down to him, soon as she
come. But she won't do it, Miss; she's been
so use to think every thn' he does is done jest
right, dat l don't doubt she judges he's got
| good reasons for stayin down thar an KILN
himself"
"rm afraid you are right, George" said
Helen, sadly.
| "Shure I'm right! Did'n she tell me not to
tell you and Mr.. Rupert anythin' bout his livin'
down thar? But, young mistis, I'm afeard his
livin' in that air hole amt de wust of it."
George hesitated, and Helen, much alarmed,
cried, quickly: "Tell me all Let me know
the worst, or shall imagine a thousand dread
full thingsl"
"Oh, cts nothin' bad, on'y for his health,
which is beginnin' to git broke down now, Pm
afeard. You see, ma'am, Use been keepin'
watch over him so long, ever sense we left New
York, dat-dat cts growed inter kinder habit,
now, SO | takes my blanket, Almost every night,
an lays whar L kin watch that air prison 'thout
his SEEM me. Oh, faint no trouble, indeed,
mistis, and ] ruther likes it, case de feas is
mighty troublesome In my room," said George,
Fastening to explain, as Helen rose and seized
his hand, with an emotion of gratitude too deep
| for words. His fortunate color spared him the
embarrassment of witness to his bushes
NNoWJ MlSS I1eieU, you mus netnDer Il
would'n. tell you desc thin's for de world, ony
l know cts doin' yer father hurt to keep 'em
frum you; an den, faint his fault, nuther, fer
he can't help it. You see, he's busy all day,
an half de night, wild his papers an his letter
writin', an his cipherin' de Lord on'y knows
how much he's done sense he's been here
Pears to me, he's writ enough to ELI half
dozen books as big as de preachers Bible
Well, when we fust come here, he use to work
harder dan he do even now, an dat made him
nervous, / reck'n an indeed, ma am, ct use to
NOSE break my heart to heah de way he'd go
on, case he could'n sleep. He'd walk up an
down dat dar cell, up AN down, up au' down,
talkin' to heself, an prayin', AN moanin', tell
ct give me de horrors right out" and George
| fairly shuddered at the recollection.
swell, bimeby he got so bad he sent for
doctor, an de doctor he said he was nervous,
an give him big dose of laudamun. Well,
dat put him to sleep nice, an de mex night he
sends me for mo- laudamun, an he's been ia
kim dat stuff ever sense-cords of it."
Helen shuddered again at these revelations.
Now, ma am, | was kinder fear'd to let him
take so much laudamun, case / sailed onst
with cap'n what had de mainy potu bad, an
de mate cured him with laudamun but, arter
that, it PICARD he couldn' do widout it, an it
druv him crazy as a loon fore de ship got into
Libberpool, so dat we had to put him in irons
tell we got to port, whar horspittle war handy.
So, when he sends me out one day to git him
some more laudamun, gifts de 'pothecary to
make ct weak. But l reck'n he found it out,
for he don't send me no more now, but waits
tell he thinks ives all abed an asleep, an den
he goes out an gifts it fur hsself / know dat,
case / went an folIei him onst or twist"
"Ohl" cried Helen, sinking down, as if
stricken by despair " how am l to arrest him
in this suicidal course of ibis / am so igno-
rant, so timid, so inexperienced. l know not
what to do
any dear young mistis," said George, in
tone of the kindest encouragement, "you knows
sight better what to do dan you thinks you
does. You get him outen that air dungeon
keep huntin' arter him, wantin' to see him,
to talk wild him, to ak him bout thin's-go
down thar arter him, an stay wild him, an
make fun OBJ his idee in bein' thar-ax him to
come write in you own room, an when you git
him thar, play for him on de pianny-he's
very fond O. musician talk to him, and scold
him, and bimeby you kin jest twist him round
your finger, jest is you please. You onst
make him 'shamed O. that air cell, show him
how he kin tend to his business better up
stars, an make him fond o. bein' wild you, an
bless de Lord, we make a new man oh him,
soon. Den, de madam, you mus give her a
good talkin' to-shell do Jest what you tell
her, eff you make her know cts for his benefit
De nights de wust time for him, an you an
de madam oughter keep nigh him den, so as
ter keep de bad idees off, de shadders, you
know-ony, don't talk to him bout 'meriky,
nor bout business. Git him to tell you bout
music an picters, an pallises-he knows all
dem dar thns. An, Mr.. Rupert, tell him to
git some nice wine, an have it 70 dinnah, an
git de marster's judgment on it. He's great
man for Wines"
sob, George, how can thank you How
reward you Your words have given me new
hope, Just when was about to yield to my des-
pair You are noble friend, George"
"Guess / ought to be friend to Mr.. Beale,"
said George, with emphasis, and straightway he
gave her the history of his broken leg, and of
the bankers kindness to him, Helen listening
eagerly, and with suffused, kindling eyes.
When he had finished the young lady rose
and, looking down into his honest eyes, with
eyes that sparkled with excitement, said in
auiyering, tremulous voice:
Sand hope, George, you that have done 80
much and are willing and capable of doing so
much more for the father, will be equally as
good friend to the child"
George said, chokingly: will try, young
mistis, s'elp me God Ill try all can"
"You may be certain that child will never
forget what you hare done-will ever remember
with gratitude, more than she can express, what
you have DONE" And, with a suddenness
which, to use his own expression, I" took him
all aback," she raised those rough black paws
to her lips, and kissed them, fervently. George
stared, dismayed, startled, COMPOUNDED, and
then, with an "ughl" like some surprised In
room.
IA J. L L.