Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-09-04
STEPTO'S STORY.

| The daffodii sunset softly spread its most
delicate tints over the Virginian sky The
| butterflies arr chasing enc another over the
tall blsdesOi grass. The whippoorwills are
singing their gayest songs among the trees
The wind softly sigbs IL is beautiful
eyvnng.
Honey, ef yer want ter bear anything
about ole Stepto, yer jes set down on de
grass dnr, an he'll tell yef little somethin
bout hisself But don't yer 20 ter cryin
when Pm te.iin IL, fur my ole heart is jes
about bustol now. It's short story,
honey, an maybe yer won't tink it so pow
ful interestin after all. but il meant heap
oh JOY an sufferin to me. II was love what
did il. Have yer ever been In love yet,
chilei Way down, deep lover"
mo, Stepto, not yet"
"Well, honey, long time ago, when /
was young man, | used ter be kind OF
hansome an interestin talkin. lived wild
my ole massa away down in Car'lina He
had fine, big plantation dar, heaps and
heaps oh slaves, son an q wife, an de
prettkst girl yer ever see." Here his voice
trembled IA little, and he paused to wipe his
forehead.
TITS a pow'ful warm night. chile"
"Yes, Stepto. yes"
Dt HOust was ou uc DdnkbOD a river wiz
high trees all round de edge, an thar war
seats fur people ter sit on dar. 1t was
beautiful, chile, jes like par'dise. Dey was
fine folks, but de massa was mighty cruel
hear de snap oh dat ole lash whip in my
mind now when stops ter listen. Deywas
hard times, chile, hard timesi But some
how or other got sorter more favor den do
other slaves did an | worked round de
ar hall ha loI. h.
was jes my age; was borned on de planta-
tion jes the same day she was borned in de
big house dar. We kind Of growed up to-
gether, yer see"
Eyes, Stepto, see."
''Do yer see in yer mind how it ended
upi" And without waiting for me to re
ply he continued talking.
"We used ter play tergether, an when sht
growed up an got learnin she teached In,
ter read an ter write letter, an sometime
she would tell me all about the beautiful
things in dis world. We sit out by de rive
most gen'ally-sometimes In de moonligh
an her hair was so pretty an her eyes so
sweetlike ] was han'some too. My ole
nanny was pow'ful proud of me dem
days when was wild de young lady"
"How good she was to you, Steptor'
"Yes, chile, too good. an was too good
ter her. We was each too good, too good"
Here his head dropped, and for a minute
neither of us spoke.
"She looked jes like de sun In par'dse,
she did. But, honey, III tell yer how it all
ended up, unless yer is tired Of hearin."
"No, no, Steptoe, go on"
81 felled in love wild her, chilep'
Here the big soulful eyes began to fill
with tears.
II felled In love wild her, an my heart
was so full Of love dat one day when we
was sitting near de river up an told her.
Yes, up and tole Miss Daisy dat my heart
was broke fur her. Massa was a-listenin
behind tree, and he-he heard what was
sayin, an he jumped out In front Of whar
we was a-sittin. Lord, chile, he was so
mighty mad for awhile dat he said never
word! Miss Daisy nor me said nothin till
massa spoke. Oh. chile, how he sweared
at me an tole me he was goin ter sell me
away de berry next week comm, an he spoke
so cruel to Miss Daisy dat forgot all my
'spect, an tOlc massa II was all my fault,
an was jes goin To pitch inter him when
'membered il was Miss Daisy's fader, an
stopped an tried ter be 'spectfullike. He
took Miss Daisy inter de house, an went
off ter tiuk IL al over Honey, knowed
! got ter b. s.'l away, an. chile, couldn't
stand DAT - 3w. | ies bundled up all my
traps, an dat night ruined away"
Without saying goodby to Miss Daisy,
Steptoi"
"No, chile, ranged dat part, but can't
speak OBJ dat part, chile. 1t nearly killed
ole Stepto. An she was so kind ter me dat
somehow it made me feel worser."
Poor old thingl Where did you go TO
when you ran away"
"De woods, chile Thar war some biz
woods, miles an miles big, an hid thar
for eight years until freedom come Massa
tried to find me, but / was too smart fur
um dat time. made little house OBJ trees,
an lived on birds an rabbits an sech like"
"For eight yearsi"
"Yes, chile, fur eight years, an dis ole
heart cryin out fur sight of Miss Daisy"
ibid you ever see her again, Steptoi"
"No, chile. She died about seven years
after went away. / heared oh it, an one
beautiful day / walked ter de place whar
knowed she was laid away. / got thar jes'
when de moon was comm up, an de place
49,. .p S---~~ S---t - -