The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-01-21
TRUE TO THE LAST.
BY HAL. REID.

face, which was drawn upon my heart
with the lines Of ardent love the moment
l saw it. l had ridden again to the
plantation with a faint hope OF seeing
Georgia again, for it was Georgia La
Monde whom l had seen. l did see her
again, but just a moment, Tor when she
saty me, q "straDger," approaching, she
playiuly turned and ran into the man
sion, which was owned by her father,
Captain George La Monde, one of the
wealthiest planters in that section Of the
country.
AS Georgia turned she dropped her lit
tie pink aud gold diary. When l arrived
at the gate at once dismounted, and,
picking it up, thrust 1t into my pocket.
again mounted, and, turning, galloped
home to Uncle Eph.'s cabin, and mad
arrived just in time to interrupt him in
telling story tor which he was famous.
Sitting around large, old fashioned fire.
place was quite an assembly listening
lnLently to Uncle Eph., whom L had
known from my chilunood, and whom
mad learned to love most dearly.
l suppose Uncle Eph. loved me as
dearly as ne did most any one on the
plantation, for he had only one child, a
boy that Eph. loved dearly, whom had
accidentally saved one day long ago,
and when Eph. heard that l had saved
MS boy he huu,ed me, and, with
tears in his eyes, he threw his arms
around my neck and wept as If his heart
Was breaking, but these tears were tears
Of love and gratitude to me. He could
not speak, but in his eyes there was
such an expression OF love that he ac-
tually. looked handsome. Gently push
ing him away, bid him not to tnink
about what had happened, and TO 60 to
his work and be happy, but Eph. was
not SO willing to 90 as that; he fingered
and asked me il he could not do some-
thing for me. Immediately saw that ne
had some thing to say, and that he nrst
| wanted my permission to do SO. said:
"Eph., what is it? Speak out." And
then it WAS that he told me that he
would always love and serve me as he
| would serve his mother, were. he boy
again. told him to 60, and kissing my
hand he walked slowly to his cabin, look
ing back at almost every step.
Ali this happened long ago, but Eph.
| had not yet ceased to love and serve
me, and he was always ready aud will
| ing to do my bidding as Willingly and as
cheerfully as loving child opeys its
mother. In answer TO an inquiry Of
; Eph. as to where l had been, l answered
Inn that had been riding, and at the
| same time l told him to proceed with his
story, which he did alter explaining by
saying that it related to himself when
he was a young man, and being the
Overseer of the plantation, was telling
The darkies:
Dat ole massa war a gwine to Or
Ie ans, an dat dey mus do dar best, ah'
not to tech dem pigs dat massa war a
gWine to send to de fair next spring.
Massa Clar., dey war de finest pig,
ebber l saw, tell you dat massa war
proud OF dem, 'spected dat dem nigs
war gwine 10 hab dem pigs atore massa
come back, an dat Is WHY / was a tell
in' or dem not to tech de
pigs. Well, massa did 60, sao'
enough (dat was when you war a wee
bit OF baby in de cradle) and he had
been gone about couple Of days
when dem nigs come walkln' up to de
cabin door wild dem pigs on bode and
| said les as smart like as dey could,
Uncle Eph, we want you to cook Gese
pigs
swell, bress de Lord, Massa Clar,
Hanna heab," pointing to his wife, chad
to do it, an de nigs war jes a eaten an
eaten, when knock sounded on de
dore, an l walks ober to de dore jes as
big as lite, and 1 see po' old nigg II
standin' out in de cold, and
be said TO me, can de young
folks glib po' ole man some
hng to eat,' am of cose / said shuab, and
de old man ooine in and we glib the po
niger seat in the corner, an | said tc
de ole Miss Hanna, am dere any ting TO
de ole man. Az she said, yes, Eph.
dars de pan, glib the ole man somt
scrops,' an SAID, Hanna, you glib zen
to de ole man. an she took de pan an
war handin' it to de ole man, who looked
han linn 81
alUre she cud speke am den she jes gil
lat pan hebe, an it liked TO killed one
OBJ de Dressed chillun. Wild dat she hol
Tered Great LORD! Eph., its de OLE
massa,' an de way dem nlgs got out oil
dis cabin would a made monkey
laugh, but you know dat massa is a goot
man am he laughed au' SAID, Il come
nome too soon for you, did J., Eph! !
"Well, Massa Clar, l couldn't say one
word, am massa went up to de house
laf1in as il he would die"
AS Eph. ended his story there was {
shout OF laughter such as only Southern
negroes can give. Then they quietly
left the cabin, bidding myself and Eph
good night. When Eph. had closed thu
cabin door he sat down, and ! said
"Eph,, l did not want to spoil you
IspOrt tc-uight, SO l did not inlerrup
vour story any more than l could help
or | suOuid huye asked you to do thil
sooner. While out riding to-lay,
passed the La Monde plantation, ant
Miss Georgia dropped this pretty little
Uook, wnlcn is very valuable TO ner, ant
no one must look into il, not even he
laLher, unless he have her PERMISSION
SO that some one whom | can trust mus
return 1t as soon as possible, SO if yol
return it Tonight l Will make you nict
present when you return"
"OO cose, Eph.'l do it, Massa Clar
an he don't want no present ederp
"Well, Eph., you are good, faithful
fellow, and WoVt forget you soon
Eph perhaps you had better ride
SATAN he is the fastest and most spir
ited horse on the place, you know; tina
is why ne was called such an odd name
besides Deing as black as COAL"
"Eph.'Il do as you say, Massa Clar
but Satan is purity skeery in daytime
and he is a most too much Tor ole Epn
to ride after night. Massa Clar, hal
you heard about de robbers lately Dein
on de roadw
"Well, Eph., l must confess that
have, but guess they won't harm you.'
Eph., taking this answer as satisfac-
torily as he could, started out to the Sta
bles, and he soon reappeared on "Satan,'
who was bounding and shying at every
thing he saw. Handing Eph. the beol
wrapped up carefully, l tod him to g
a. IA ainla Gbpll