The herald., 1893-01-16

was WnllG tlS SLOW, anu Ills LLln
We're extended before him in supplica-
ton. His eyes, now dim, seemed daa-
zled by the light, but tears of joy flowed
down the burrows of his cheeks as he
eagerly tottered forward.
"I'ze watched fer you, Ma1Te Steny,"
he said in broken accents As he took
my hand in his feeble fingers he bent to
kiss it. l gently told him that / was
not his master. For moment he seemed
stunned; then raising his eyes and peer
ing closely into mine he dropped my
hand, and turning away hobbled back to
his hut. When | entered few minutes
later he was seated by tho vacant fire.
place murnbling to himself.
So this was Prince, the strange being
whom the negroes feared and eveay one
wondered at. Locking at him now /
could readily believe that he was quite
hundred years old.
While Prince was muttering stupidity
to himself | glanced about the single
room of the caoin. A great pile of lotus
seeds, gathered from the canals where
the flowers bloomed in abundance, was
stacked in one corner. Ravenous with
hunger l ate few. They were sweet
and pleasant to the taste, but soon caused
adrowsy sensation. | sat down opposite
Prince, and as night drew on and the
air grew chill | went out and collected
enough brush to start fire. The river
was still turbulent. Great blocks of
earth had been washed from either end
of our little island, which was rapidly
growing smaller.
Under the cheerful rays of the fire
Prince seemed to brighten up.
'It's freshetin," | heard him mutter
two or three times.
"Yes, it is fresheting," J. said. The
wcrds seemed to rouse Princes dormant
powers, for he half. rose from his seat.
"Den Marse Stenyll come" ex-
claimed the aged darky as he raised his
treu bling arms in prayer. "He allus
use ter come ober here TO watch de
foods" said Prince, looking me straight
in the eyes. Every trace of infirmity
seemed to vanish. His mind was clear
again, but it was busy with eyents of
half a century ago. He was slave once
more, awaiting word from his master.
"Duz you know Marse Stcny?" asked
Prince. "De one wot owns dis place an
all de niggers?"
NO" | answered gently; 81 am
stranger" ~
"Ain' you nebber hear tell bout how
[ is marry de young marse ter Missile
Grace, an how de ole marse is nebber
forgib mee But Marse Steny is promise
to come buck for me, an he'll do it,"
And Prince put out his wrinkled hands
to the blaze and gazed into the fire.
"Tell me about it, | asked.
"Well. it was dis way" began Prince.
81 wuz ole niger wen, de m&rse-dat
wuz my secol marse-is git kill i'll de fite
wild de Mexie ans. Marse Steny been
baby bout fibe yeah ole.i Der ole missis
is gib me ter him, cos he granpa, wot is
kill, abwas say he kin trus' me. Marse
Steny pa is trus' me too. An ebryting
go long hansunl like till de votin cum
bout Mister LiEcum. Dat is bring trub-
BILE, cos Marse Elliott is jess cum wild he
family frum de norf, an he say he goin
ter vote for Marse Lincum. Dat is meek
my marse mad, and he say Marse Steny
mus stop visitin ober. cross de ribber at
Marie Elliott's. Marse Steny been a
crowd up man den, and he say he goin
ter visit who he please, Dat wuz cos
Missie Grace lub him, ah he 1ub her.
Wen, long bout iharyes' time Marse
St6A u is conas toiTaiaaiahYstty and Ftince,'
sezee, you is Clergyman, ain your
Yes sezi, Il is. Wiot kim lido for you,
Marse Steny?'0 4 WANT yer to marry me
to Missile Grace says Marse Steny, an
dats as shoah as is sittin yeah now.
81 wanter larf at fust, but Marse Steny
is look so grabe | sees he been in dead
artist, so | ain say 1rurhen, but bows
my head 'spsc'fully, an wen Marse Steny
git trou talkin AK him eff Missile Grace
goin ter low nigger ter marry er.
"Marse Steny larf an say Missile Grace
is cum from a Ian where it don't meek
40 diff'rens wedder you is wife er brack
Den | know Marse Steny ain jokin, AMI
is meek promise ter do wot he say.
Prince, sezee, you mus hide mo in
yo' cabin for sebral days, an dat mite he
cum down ter de plantasfun, an wen
all de niggers is gone down ter de quar-
ters Marse Steny is cuniin ter my cabin
un knock. Twas sittin by de fire jess
like dis tinkin oh de time dat Marse
Steny wuz leetle boy an uster cum to
see us niggers on de plantashun an eat
de same vittles wot we did. De ribber
wuz a-rizin fas', an allus liked ter listen
ter it's roarin. s-1
"Bress my soul eff Marse SteAly didn't
stay all dat mite, an de mex and de mex.
Den he sen me up to de big house wild
letter to he pa. / don't know wot dat
letter sed but de ole lnarSe WIZ pDw'ful
mad. He swar dat Marse Steny is a dis
erase ter de family, an dat no one mus
eber mention he name en- de family
gain. tink, though, dat Marse steny
muster sed sumptin about votin Mr.Lin-
cum, COS de marse ain eben ak me war
git de letter from. 1868 ffs-N
"Arter he git trou cussin he jess turn
he back ter hide he tears 'Abosel, Abo-
sci, my son Abosel, he say. Denis de
berry words. Den he went inter de
house, and frum dat day on he ain eber
speak bout Marse Steny, an wun day
wen de wife oberseer is mensun Marse
Elliott name de ole marse jess turn
w'ite, an de mex mint he cuss dat ober-
seer as he nebber been cuss befo'. Least
dat's wot de plantashun niggers is say.
"Well, wen get back to Marse Steny
an tell i'm how he pa act ober de letter
| Marse Steny less look at me hard an