The Mineral argus., 1884-01-10

sell me, papers or no papers SAID;
'fGenlemen, it's agin de law 10 sell
free pussun, an Pm a free as am
"But they drug me out-night as !
was an pore daddy and nanny irtm
bling an cryin', nebber DARN to say {
a word. an put me in a wagon, an by
/ mornin' we was to de 'Hio R!ber, an
TUX de fust boat dat cum up.
"Dey tried to sell me on de fust boat!
but dew couldn't fur / tole everybody
was a free woman, an il was de same
when we got to Louisville.
"Dey got awful mad, and tux me out
in de country: but was no use. Nobody
wanted list SIGH a woman. and somehow
dey couldn't make a sale" and q curl
Gus ex pressiCn settled over her sable
features, as she recalled the futile ef-
forts Of her kidnappers.
"Well, missus, when dey found dey
couldn't turn me into money in Kahn.
tuck, dev tux a BOAT fur Memphis, an
agin' they try dar bes' 10 sell me, but
somehow dey couldn't. So it was gittin'
crap time, McCurdy swore eff dey
couldn't get money for me | should
raise a crap o. corn fur him. an he give
up a-travellina an tukime home with him.
"He had a nice farm, a wife, an two
little chilens.
"He KEEP his oath missus, fur l
worked in de fieP all dat season. / got
de breakfasts, an den went out till 'leb-
en- O'Clock. when de rnissus 'ould blow a
horn, an I'D 90 an git de dinners an
clare up, an den work out IN de fleP
plowIn' an plantin. an tennin' de cow
till suppah. Den clare up an milk.
Den / wash an iron Saturdays. Dey
didn't own any co,ored people, an /
guess, missus. dey was on'y pore white
trash, anyway. But de woman make it
as easy for me as she could, on'y she
was iear'd o. her man, an had to do as
Ie sid. eff il killed Us all.
"In dis way | worked till de fust OF
dis month. when We hauled in de las
load OBJ Gavin, on a Friday ebening.'
/ washed Saturday mornin,' an baked a
LOT, fur dere was to be a bIg meetin, at
De Gun Spring Meetin' Home; an We
all goin' de ne , day, an 50 lironed
into de night, an hit was we'll OH
10 midnight when 1 hung de las piece
on a cheer fore de fab. I sot down a
bit to res, an dozed a ~leetle, an bout
One or so / tux my clo'es an q bite o.
meat en- bread in a bundle an started for
lis place ~an'freedoIn, an tank de good
Lord Pm here an safe from him." she
as a shudder shook her strong
for an Instant. while a CLEAN of
and trust lighted her heavy
ayes.
"Forty miles, afoot?" / queried, as 1
bought of the past month.
"Yes. mIssus; it was a hard road TO
ravel, shuah, an mostly at night fur |
by daytimes an hid in de brush. an
'nost felt my way dem cold, dark
| was most starved, too, fur
ometimes fur a whole day | couldn't
.et mare 'nough to dem as would befren'
pore darkey wild a bite of Vittals.
"Once / was 80 cole an wet an hun
ny dat | stole ento de quarters OBJ Kur
lel Prices place, an jis' as | was gittin'
lie chill oflen me an a bit of bread in
ny ham, 1 hearn McCucdy in de lane
I-askin':
"Hillo, Kurnel, seed any niger wom-
n round de placer"
''De Kurnel said ne hadn't, an McCur-
y said:
"I'be loss a likely woman, an reckon
he's headin for Salem"
81 didn't Nait u hear mo an loss no
me a-gettin' into a h~undTed-acre Gavin
Ell, a-leadm' even de pore rags | had
n my bundle. Den / stole troo de ieP
tux To de woods, eve DARN TO go
INTO de road, fur | knowed dey was on
ny trac."
~ lay in de woods all dat day, in a
low drlzzlin' -ain, but when de night
um on, 1 made trac's fur de road, l tell
'ou; an beio' daylight l cum
o a plantation, an sooh seed a
man at de barn a-feedin'; | tole
lim my story, an he took me to his
cabin, an she stripped off my wet
Hoes, an put some o. nern OH me, IN
made me drink some hot coffee. Oh,
she cried when | tole her all |
lad gone troo wild so FUR on de road!
She tole me | had only ten miles more
% go; an dat was good news, l tel | you.
After | got warm an fed, she made me 90
Up de Ladder 10 de lot, an dere | slep'
In rested all dat day an night; my feet
vas 80 sore an frosted dat when | fust
got up | thought | coulGn't 20 anoder
chen fur my freedom.
81 stayed dar two days an nights, an
len de man-Sam Hall ny name, IN ssus;
mighty white soul he had snuah-he
his master to let him bring a load oO
--uck 10 market, an so | started 70
light, an he econ cotch up wild me, an
rid in de kyart mos all dy way. l
Snowed l h4d good fren's here, who
ouid sec dat had %jestice eff | could on'y
iii to EN-; an Dress de Lord l did.
Your man, missus, says he will see me
ROO, an de sheriff says l needn't he
o. McCurdy even eff he was TO
sum, 'kase de law will purtect me-"
And Judy gave a sigh of relief. and, |
of exullation, that al last she
had escaped from dat rapa :hus villain"
As she called tho thief McGursy.
So Judy settled down IN quiet, minis
10 the needs of our small house
hold, waiting, in sublime confidence,
Tor the law TO right her grievous wrongs.
The domestic machinery mnvad smnnfh.