Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-01-02

u3fter a little while Raoul dropped
back into his old dissipated, registering
WAYS, and she, poor girl. was neglect
ed. save bv an occasional sonnet
dashed off during some of the lucid
intervals in his maudlin carousIngs.
She seemed to look 10 me for SYM
pathy, but never spoke of iiaoui ana
his habits, and ste never asked regard
inc him. | doubt if would have be-
traved him if she had. Sometimes !
believed she knew all about him, ana
preferred to remain silent. Instead Oh
dampening the cmbers of passion that
smoldered in my heart, her silent ways,
never complaining of my yillalnous
cousins neglect, famed the sparks TO
life with renewed yigor. longed TO
speak my sympathy for his indifference,
and know not what held my tongue
in check or how | was prevented from
betraying myself in her presence.
..In this manner the days passed
until Yule-tide. | believe you have
enjoyed several Christmas Days on the
old plantation"
AYES, uncle, and | always used to
miss YOU so much!" murmured Ola.
"Well, you know what demonstra-
ton the darkics make over their appre-
citation of Christmas Day. 1t is their
gala time, and during the week pre-
ceding it they are busy in making
preparations for it. My uncle gave
me a list of things, calicoes and knick-
knacks. that he wished me TO order III
Norfolk, which was a little over
twenty-mile ride from the part OF sur
folk where our plantations lay. As |
started on my journey, Colonel st.
Pierre handed me letter from Eve
lynne for Raoul. who spent most OF his
time playing billiards with Norfolk
sharps, who found him easy game to
pluck. | delivered The letter TO him
on a hotcl-piazza, where he sat, flushed
with wine, amid group of bibulous
comrades. He read it, then turned to
me, and said:
"sTell her, if you see her before get
back, that | viii come. She wishes
me to help her with the festivities at
her fathers plantation on Christmas
eve. You know they all come over to
our place Christmas-night.'
81 told him | would deliver his an
swer, and did so OH my return.
~ presume, you know, that colored
people arc as a race very superstitious,
and they believe that to some of their
number-usually those who have been
either princes or princesses of tribes in
African lands-is given the power to
foretell the future and disburse good
or bad luck TO SWANS and wenches ac-
cording to their will and pleasure. On
your eat-grandfather's plantation
was such a person. She was almost
as white as you are, dear, and the mos
beautiful being with colored blood IL
her veins | ever saw. Contrary to
what one would expect to find in {
woman in her state at that time-foi
she was slave-she was highly intel
lectual, and far brighter-minded thai
many white women. She could con
verse fluently in several foreign Ian
guages, and could read and write then
as well. Such accomplishments were
unusual in slave. and TO only few
were they known. She lived in 1
little cabin by herself at thu
foot of a hill but a short distance
from the house, and her master, wh'
apparently stood as much in awe OF
her as any of the field-hands on his to-
bacco plantation, allowed her to dc
much as she pleased. Raoul had be
come confirmed gambler. and he wa
as superstitious as any darkey that eve
breathed. Many time | knew of hi
making visit to Old Maumie Tegga,
as she was called, to get luck will
which to win at cards.
"Christmas-eve | walked the knoll
, in the moonlight, where | had full
view of Maumie's cabin, and as
paced to and fro, between an oil,
water-miIl and the hedge skirting tn
pathway leading to the house,
thought | saw Raoul enter The cabin
Every one belonging to oIr plantation
, had gone to Colonel st. Pierrc's, ant
! the melodious voices of the singers oil
I the last load were waited oil
the breeze to me from tn
road below. The sound maddene,
me. These darkies could stand il
Evelynne st. Pierre's presence un
: moved by any such fierce passions a
ragged within me. Oh, why could
! not govern myself and be calm like
! wise Then thought of Raoul an,
his carelessly tossing aside the treasur
7 he had won. as if her love was mer,
+, bauble. with which he could toy an,
! play fast and loose at his pleasure.
: 'Why-why could not have beel
!. favored with the love of such an angel
4 | cried, in agony, as | cast myself OIL
o the frosty ground.
!, Chow long | lay there l do not know
n When staggered to my feet my brail
9 was Wild and frenzied. l have din
e recollection of having an idea that If
}. could prevent Raoul from keeping hi
c promise to join her that evening, sh
e might lose faith in him and renounc
$ him forever. And, should she do so