Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-11-25
CORA The OCTOROON
By MISS II. K. BRAEDON.

1ney dld. repl1ed the UcJorOOn;
the free citizens of that land of liber-
ty forgot to teach me that beneath
Gods bounteous Heaven there live a
race of men who traffic in the bodies
and souls of their fellow creatures!
That was lesson they forgot to teach
Then I'm afraid you'll have to learn
It here, said the planter; land if yon
don take care what you're about. 1t
may be taught you in rather rough
fashion. But why. why, Cora. do YOU
compel me to use this language? 1t is
not the right of master that | would
exercise, but that OF lover"
You forget" replied Cora, with icy
coldness, that l love, and am beloved
by an honorable man, who would make
me his wife"
ut is you who must forget that.
Cora" answered Augustus, tiercelv.
"Henceforth, Gilbert Marsrave and
you are strangers. You are mine.
have kept my promise; have given
the fifty thousand dollars owed me bv
your father as tue price o. Jnls moment
But 1t is not as master that | address
you. The rlgorS OF slavery are not iJr
you. Reward my devotion with one
smile, one word of encouragement. and
a life OF luxury shall be yours: but if
you value your own happiness, do not
force nae to remember"
THAT L am your slave. Pardon me.
Mr.. Horton, it Is that which l would
not forget; but, as my Erglish educa-
ton has left me very ignorant, | must
Deg you TO teach me the duties OF Z
slave"
Those duties are told in one word,
Cora replied the planter, "and that
word IS SUBMISSION! absolute and I'M
questioning submission to every wish
of the master. Blind obedience to every
word, to each command, however re-
voting to the will OF the slave. Body
and soul, Cora, you are mine. Shrek,
plantation, but will awake no answer;
for those who alone could hear it are
slaves like yourself, and powerless to
help you. Cease this mad folly, then,
and thus let me"
He advanced as if to encircle her in
his arms, but the Octoroon stepped
back a lew PAGES, and raising the cord
which She held in her right hand, adj
dressed him thus
"One step further, and it is I who
will inflict upon you the chastisement
OF a slave, by striking you across the
face"
AS Cora uttered these words, a whis-
tie reSOunded through the plantation,
near the spot upon which she and the
planter stood, and in another moment
two dark figures emerged from the
shade Ofthe trees.
Before Augustus could interpose,
Cora was seized in the arms of one of
these men, and carried into the planta-
ton, While the other grasped the
shoulder of the planter with hand of
iron.
The moonlight on this mans face re-
vealed his identity to Augustus.
Gilbert Margrave!" he exclaimed.
"Ay, Gilbert Margrave, the affianced
husband OF the woman you would have
destroyed. You refused to-day to &C
cede to the appeal made by one gentle
man to another, You gave me the an
swer of 1utian; tonight it is / who
use the ruffian argument, f0rce"
THE law shall make you pay dearly
for this;" cried Augustus, hoarse with
rage.
"Be it so. l am an Englishman and
am willing to suffer the worst penalty
the laws OF Louisiana can infiict upon
me xrather than sacrifice the honor of
my atfianced wife,"
The man who had seized Cora, disap-
Gilbert tried to follow him, but Angus
tus Horton sprang toward him, with an
open bowie knife in hand.
Il am armed" cried Gilbert, "and
wrong has made me desperate, follow
me at your peril"
He bounded through the brushwood,
and reached the bank of the river, by
the side of which was moored boat,
with three men, who held their oars,
ready to strike the water at the first
signal.
The man carrying Cora had already
taken his place at the stern of the boat;
Gilbert sprang in after them, the oars
dipped into the water, and before Au-
gustus Horton reached the brink of the
river the boat had shot out toward the
center of the stream.
Upon his own estate, and within q
few hundred yards of a regiment Of
slaves, the planter had been defed and
defeated in his hour of triumph
The OctOrOon had tainted from the
excitement of the moment, but the
cool breeze from the river quickly re-
stored her to consciousness.
When she re-opened her eyes, she
found herself reclining ON the shoulder
OF the man who had seized her.
That man was her father. Gerald