Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1897-10-14

only love of my heart, my wife In ev-
erything but the name, and the name
l could not in any case offer any girl
of your color, because, however worthy
of il she might be, the laws OF the
state would not sanction it,. Come.
my child think of what 1 offer You.
/ will not further distress You this
morning: but this evening | may, per-
haps, see you again"
And SO saying, the planter arose TO
leave the parlor.
stay said Astrea, sternly.
Half laughing at the peremptory tone
taken by his slave, Rumford paused,
saying:
'As long as you like, my dear. l had
supposed my presence TO be unwel-
come. i am glad to find it otherwlse!'
And he threw himself into a chair.
You have spoken words TO me
which it was dishonor TO my ears to
hear and deeper dishonor to your lips
to utter. You are an old man-old in
years. and older still in a constitution
ruined by vice
Fora" interrupted the planter.
sternly.
Yes, sir Il will speak to you plain
ly. From me you shall hear the truth.
If you never heard it before. Let 9th
ers fiatter and deceive you TO your
souls eternal perdition. il they viii.
Heaven knows that | will not. ] re-
peat that YOU are an old man-older
still by vice than by years. Between
you and the grave there can be but a
little while-a few years at most
perhaps but n few months, a few
weeks or n few days. Life at your
age. spent as you spend it, is always
short and very precarious-
80 much the better for you. my
dear. If you will but stop preaching.
and consent TO comfort what is left of
ii to me-" said Rumford, with gay de-
iiance.
"Be silent on that insulting subject.
| abhor you, old man-there is nothing
on earth so loathsome and SO appall-
ing to my soul as vicious old age. And
yet ii is even more in pity than dis
gust that l warn %you-loOk to your
self! You are old, infirm, feeble! You
are sensual, gluttonous and drunken.
You are despotic, passionate, excita-
Bile! At any moment these combined
influences may occasion your sudden
death. | know it. And then? what
then? You would be hurried. without
a moment for repentance and with all
your lifetime's load of sin upon your
soul, into the awful presence of your
Judge! Think of that, old man, and
tremble,"
"Well. you see | don't tremble. n
though you force me to think of disa-
greeable subiects-you witcht' said
Rumford, with gay Indifference.
"Mr. Rumford, do you believe in
God, and in a future state of rewards
and punishmcnis?"
'Of course / believe in God: but as
to the future state of rewards and
pCnishments, that is all bosh!"
Then l acn no longer talk with you.
sir. If you reject the truths of the
Christian revelation, I can have no
further hold upon your conscience.
a only pray that the Lord. to whom
all things are possible, may enlighten
your soul"
Girl! Fora. you talk to me ms though
you thought / was the greatest sinner
alivei | am not. / am known all over
the country for n good fellow. To
prove 1t to you. l sit here and listen to
n lot of abuse from my own slave, that
no other man alive would take even
from his wife! l think that proves |
am not a bad fellow. And what the
deuce!-I have never robbed or muir
dered anybody-never cheated. or lied
to, or wronged any one In my life. OF
what, Therefore, am / accused?"
'Lulu.' said Astrea, i'm a low, sig
n:ficant voice.
For n moment the planter started
and changed color. Then. recovering
himself. with a light laugh, he said.
II never wronged Lulu. L bought
her, as | bought you. / never COM
PEELED her inclinations. She loved me
willingly: and treated her well, and
gave her lots of fire clothes and jew
elry. and took her to the Springs ev-
cry summer, where she passed for my
ward, and danced at all the balls with
the best ladies of the land. And so |
will take you, ii you will be good and
reasonable"
but she died! And how did she
die?'
Took a fit of religious fanaticism
all Of a sudden at a campmeeting, and
wanted TO separate herself from me.
Well. If she had been only my compan-
iOh sAt AiAi-It i0Nt uODC IL, Dut- btlii-
a slave, she could not come that game
V Q the old fellow. And so the fool
took her position SO to heart that she
pined away and died. That was not
my fault, yon know
Not your fault, oh, miserable and
blinded man. l tell you, that when
you shall meet that poor, lost girl ut
the dread judgment seat of your Of
Tended Maker, you will find that the
yon have compelled her to com
nit will be lifted from her soul and
thrown upon yours, and weigh it down
to eternal perdition! And now l warn
You, old man. Slave as you believe
me to be, | do not fear you. l can
neither be persuaded, tempted, nor
compelled to dishonor as Lulu was,
Believe me, no woman, pure In thought,
wrcd and deed. ever can. | hold my
fate and your sin in the hollow of my
hand! / know and feel 1t with n deep
conviction. Therefore-and this is why
| called you back-do not dare to pass
the threshold my room tonight! Slave
as you think me. my chamber Is my
sanctuary, and shall be held most sa-
cred from the intrusion of any man.
ever of nay so-called master! There
fore, Mr.. l;umford, If you even dare
make the attempt to enter my chamber