Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1876-10-19

whom lie veutilred to cOntiue 4 secret which
imperilled his life at every moment. The
woman Chloe he felt sure OF, and Uncle
Ben he knew at first sight he could trust
| implicitly; still. even in his communication
| with them, he preserved the utmost eau
ton. That which he had to say to them he
was forced to utter generally in broken
sentences, interjected in an undertone in
| the midst OF volumes OF abuse and threats
not unmingled with the 'cuss words" ol
which Uucle Ben had spoken-about the
| girthiug of a saddle or the currying of his
| horse. or some other matter of equal mo-
ment. Not inirequeutly, to give further
effect to his apparently tyrannical manner,
especially when any white person was in
sight, he would lay his riding-whip violent
| ly over the shoulders Of the black man to
whom at that very moment he would be
| imparting directions for escape TO the free
North
The gentleman from Virginia was but
one of George Fairlax's many assumed
characters. aud was. like all the rest, simp-
ly perfec, in It's fidelity to nature.
During the two days following his de-
parture tr"m the Witherell plantation, I'm
Gle Ben. Chloe. and Aunt Dinah held sew
| eral whispered consultations upon the i'm
portant step which the two former were
about to take. They did not dare to tell
their secret TO any one else, and. although
they had no extensive preparations To
make, their hearts were so full OF the sub
jcct that they must needs talk to each otn-
er.
But what am we to hab, for signiica-
tion like, dat may send back to you-like
laller Sans piece of SiOer-when | hab 4
place tor you to come to. Dinah' asked the
old man, as ;he aged couple sat together
on the last evening.
'Hyer it am. DE bestest ting; bettern
any sIlber; sufiis nobody won't 'spect an
you cant lose answered Aunt Dlnah tri-
umphantly, as she produced a little irrcg-
ulaTly- shaped piece Of chcnc six a> bi. as
the palm OF ones hand. i picked il ~
under young MiSsus winder ycst'day, wha
She iruw 4 II out.
Uncle Ben looked at it, smooth, bright
surface, dotted all over with brilliantly
hued littlo flowers, aud his natural African
love Of colors drew from him the cXclamp-
tiou. ~ he took ii tcuderly in his hand
'Bre>, 20 heart, honey. ain't it poottyF
Jest Tor TO tinA OBJ a whole dress ike
dat. a-srntcd Dluah with sigh.
For few moments the pretty little scrap
OF ,tuit made them both forget the impnr-
taut purpose it was meant 10 serve. lnclr
Ben was first To recall his wandcrin. attcu-
Aibtss Hf nav iil- pltN DtC4l Nbll>AQfl lAl- 4
thing OF abstract beauty, not coutrmplA-
ting Il from the feminine point Of view a,
piece OF dress goods. lie made a little
roll oi the bit OF six, AMI taking from
shelf a duh tahlc-knlfc which lie carefully
>haIPcrcd Oh one Of the stones of the fire
place, cut the roll il a slantirg direction.
20 that each piece, when smunthcd out,
showed 4 saw-lkc edge. zigZaggin1
through it, pretty flowers.
'Da, said he. matching the edges, 'dcr-
can't be no mistake bout dat
DiuIh took the two pieces and assumed
the task OF secretins them Her needle,
and thread were coarse, and long lite ui
hard toll had made her poor old fingers
stun. but. clum,ly a. she worked. she man
aged 10 turn under, for better preservation.
the sAw-like edge Of each bit, and sew
them on like patches. one upon the INSIDE
of her faded and tattcrcl calico grown. the
other upon the lining OF Bcu's ragged JACK
rt. Inr work VAS done in silence aud
slowly. tot her eyes were dismei by weep
M and the hearts of both were too iuol
Tor words.
lhi> VA their principle preparation t'r
separation, which might be- forever. -
lar l. th:> world Was concerned. a simple
device which they hoped might somehow
bring them together again; this was the
only keepsake either could give the other,
50 little had they earned Tor themselves In
all their lives.
An hour aiterward. when the North Star
appeared above the top Of the dead maple
IN the meadow beyond Uncle Ben stole
out OF The little aperture. which served tor
window. III the back OF ms cabin. not
daring % open the door for fear Of being
observed. Dropping softly % rhr earth,
he skulAcd along 10 the shadows ami soon
disappeared in the direction % the woods.
where hr knew that AZ il certain point lie
would find, awaiting him, the young wn-
man who was 10 be the companion ~ hi~
adventurous night to the promised land oi
freedom In the tar North.
Long alter he was lost to >ishf, Aunt
Dlnah still knelt at the window, da>hlng
the tears from her eyes AZ she pecred out
on the way he had gone, listening with
anxious dread lest some sound might come
TO tell that his Hight had been Intercepted,
praying with all the feryor ut her earnest
ly piOus soul for his safe guidance and pro-
lection by Him who ha, promised that He
"lIl be ever nigh to those who call upon
him.