Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1897-08-19

q waiter with her breakfast.
Astrea had scarcely any appetite;
yet, pursuant OF her design to keep up
her strength. she sat down at the little
fixture table upon which the waiter
was placed, and drank a cup Of coffee
and ate a roll and a slice Of ham.
You feels better now, honey. don't
your inquired the kind-hearted col
ored woman. who had watched Astrea
with great satisfaction.
Much better, thank you. What is
your name, that ] may know what to
call your
Venus, chile-dOugh why dey give
me dat name in baptism. I'm sure l
don't know! cause you see, honey. as
/ neve had no chillun nyther to nuss,
no yet to wean! DerefOre, why We
nus?"
"Do you know where the ship is go
ingY" inquired Astrea.
Hi! how 1 know. chile? Marse
Ctp'n nebber tell we cullud folks nuf-
fin. He got such na'ty. 'tinkin'. 'ceit-
full. secretly ways wild him! l can't
bide him myself, nor no sichr,'
why do you live with him, Them
inquired Astrea, who, in pursuance Of
her resolutions, was determined TO
seek all the information she could pos
sibly acquire under the circumstances.
why does / lib long him? Hi,
chile. how l gwine help myself? |
longs to him. He bought me off'n de
ole pl~antashum, at dat sale as followed
arter ole marse's death, Poor, dear ole
marse! he was more like a farder to
us dan anything else"
How long was that agoT' inquired
Astrea, still in pursuit of knowledge.
'Isor. chile, not many weeks. Dis
may say is my fust voyage long oh
Marse Cap'n. Minute he bought me
he put me into a gig. 'longside OBJ his
self. an druv me into de city"
What city" here interrupted As
tea.
Eli, honey, New Orleans! what oder
city could il be? OATS de only city in
de worl, amt 1t? An our ole planta-
shum was a little way out'n it. An
so, you see, il took Marse Cap'n only
bout one hour 10 drive to de city, an
den TO de w'af. an den he put de gig
into de libery stable. an put me into Il
row-boat an took me off TO dis ship, as
was layin' siderable way off, down de
ribber. An den we set sail, and neb-
Der see no mo- lam till we come to dis
erik. An den, dat all | know. An
has my s'picions as Marse Cap'n amt
all he ought for TO be! But don't let
on. l lays low an says muffin. ease
what can a poor woman do? An SO
you see, as he is 'ceitful to eberybody,
| must be 'ceitful to him In self'fence.
Dat de reason he trusses me for TO
wait on you. case l makes 'tence to
like him."
such deception seems TO be n cruel
alternative, but | hope that the sin
for it is a great sin-will be charged
only to those who compelled it," said
Astrea, gravely.
..Jes' so. honey: jes SO. chile: l allus
says to myself. an likewise to de'cord-
in angel. set it down to de count OF
Marse Cap'n, He my marster. an
'sponsfble for all my debts, derevD
Astrea mused for a little while, and
the result of her musing was the deter
mination 10 make a friend of this poor
negress. AS an initiative step, she in
quired
Venus, whom do you take me to
be?" 49,.
Eli, honey! how I know? But I
'spose you some young gal as Marse
Cap'n took a fancy for, an bought
from your marster."
And what do you think he means to
do with me?"
@Lor, chile. what De use o. AKIN me?
How can / tell? But / 'spects how he's
gwine ither TO keep you for hisself, or
else TO sell you to s0rIa rich gemman
down at New Orleans"
Then you must think I am a.
slave. gasped Astrea, flushing fiery
red at the word.
"Sartain. honey. dough you is berry
purity, an berry purty-spcken, too; else
why here?'
Then you are mistaken, Venus. l
am by position a young lady. l was
seized last night in my own bed Don
and brought here by q band Of ruth
ans"
"Lors-a-messy on top o. my poor old
black soul! Is ii trufe you's a-tellin'
me, honey?" exclaimed the negress, in
djsmay.
"'The truth. as the Lord of Heaven
knows" replied Astrea, solemnly.
But what was you a-doin' Of all de
time, chile? Why'n't you holler MUIR
der an 'larum de hOuse?"
'"They were too quick for me. One
o. them stole upon me from behind,
and clappeJ n sponge full of chloro-
form over my mouth and nose, and
made me unconscious. Then it must
have been that they took me here"
We'll! If ebber l heerd tell oh SIGH
in all my born days! Dough | knows
what dat cholera-form Is, too, l took
ii when de DENTS took out dis yere
back toof OBJ mine! An l tell you jes'
what, it son me so near de gates OBJ
hebben dat | heard de angels singin'
all trough my headl l did. indeed,
chile. 1t de trufe I'm a-tellin' OBJ you.
An when l come back to this yeth.
my tool was out an l know muffin tall
bout it. An eff 1t had o. been my
head, it would o. been de same ting"
1T was so with ne. When l sue
cumbed to the influence of chloroform
and lost myself. l vas I'm my bedcham-
Der. When l recovered from it's ef-
fects and came to myself. l was in
this cabin. And / know no more of
the transportation than you did Of the
extraction of your TOOTH"
Il bliebs yo. honey! / bliebs cherry
word you saysr"
Then hope You will be my friendy'
"Yes, chile. I'll fend you! Dough to
] .1n dot chan hara tn ha nc aora<, ap,