The herald., 1893-01-16


way right off, Why don't You AK her
ter cum en- de letter, sez I. Cos,
sezee, 'Missie Grace don't know war is. ;
"Shoah nufsa party was goin on at de
Elliott manshdn, an arter sum dem low
down hired laigger#de, Elliotts aim own
no niggers-is sass me, Miss Grace is
cum out she self. 'N'<->t
"'Well, Prince, seq she. missile sezi
an scrapes, 'heresanh a. letter from hIarse
Steny.'
'"Miss Grace read do letter an turn
wite. viii nelober see i'm 'gainY she
say an dat reminds inc, so ] sez, ''1lissio
Grace, jess cum wild me all by yoself,
an kin show You war e is in my WELL
IS it true? she say, sorter ter she
self. Den turnin ter me she say, prince,
I'll go wild you.
"Missie Grace WIZ berry nerbous. De
ribber is a-risin all de time, ,qan we has q
mighty libely time lbf lid a-gittin cross.
Wen we is git ter DO ieabi4 an lis clare
de weeds way bout de'well fer her ter
git trough she is laff scared like.
"Jess as she was goin ter lean for'ard
Marse Steny is Step. from benin de canes.
Grace sezee an opens his arms An
Missile Grace jess turn, an de mex mint
she an Marse Steny wuz clasp tergeder,
81 amt eenterup, but arter aw lie [ is
yeah Marse Steny say, 4 done meek de
test, an he ain goin to forgib, but dat
mecks no matter. We lubs, an dere is u
minister yere ten marry us
81 know by dat datMarse Steny means
me, so l steps For'ard, an wild Gawd as
my judge eff Miss Grace didn't put she
han en- Marse Steny's an say, Yes, l
will be yo' wife EFF Prince,n marry us
tergeder.' Dat wuz de. proudes' mint
en- my life, an it ain teck dis nigger long
fer ter marry dem two.
81 aim no mo dan git trou 'foh de
soun of dogs an people is herd cumin
cross de ribber i'll boats. De water is
a-ragin fearful by dis time gDey is dis
cubber dat Missile Grace is gone an is
hunt for she. -
Jump en- my boat sezi, pushin
Missile Grace and Marse Steny befo me.
An dey is, an as Marse Steny is shub off
he call ter me, w ait fer us, Prince; We
will be back
'An dey will cum. Doy is boun ter.
Marse Steny nebber broke he word en-
he life" And the aged negro arose from
his seat. 4 new life seemed to course
through his veins.
Don't you heah dem cumin?' he ex-
claimed, pointing his long, thin arm to
the open door.
There was no sound in the darkness
without but that of the rushing river,
which was now boiling and surging
around the little island, almost all Of
which had been washed away but the
little plot on which the cabin stood. As
! stepped to the door Il cold spray dashed
into my face. 1t was the water of the
river. A few more minutes and Princes
cabin would be borne away on the tide.
turned to see if ahero was any means
of escape. Prince was behind me point
ing in the darkness up the river.
"Dey is cumin for Prince! See? Dey
is cumin!' he shouted.
Then stretching out both arms he
stood with the water splashing about his
feet awaiting the coming Of his master.
Awed by his, strange demeanor, fol-
lowed his CLASSY gaze. For a moment 1
forgot the flood and my danger, for
there outlined in the darkness was a
white robed form in a light boat ap-
preaching. 1t came rapidly toward us.
81 have come f9r you I'D fPlEjnsssm j gss. shouted
a silvery, girlish voice.
"rze ready, Missile Grace came in
stentorian tones from the lips OF the
aged negro. Then strengthening his
bent form he took step back, and as
the skiif, swept in the current, struck
the little clod of land before the cabin
door light figure in white stepped out
"Quick, Prince: come with mel" ex-
claimed voice that thrilled me through.
But Prince answered never a word.
Stiff and stark his body lay on the cabin
floor. He had already joined his master
and mistress. '-,
AS Mabel and were whirled out into
the stream the old log cabin topplod
over and fell.
l stopped plying the paddle long
enough to say, 1--WE met at Princes
Well"
1t was not long before we celebrated
our deliverance from watery grave by
giving an entertainment at which cler-
gyman presided. On my very wedding
night some one told me of how "Marse
Steny" and his bride had persisted in the
food on which they escaped from
Princes island and their pursuers. He
had been told of the tragedy, but had
steadfastly refused to believe it.-Alex-
ander Hume Ford in New York Press. q.