Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1897-09-23

erv Instant started with a shudder; AT
length. however, this slumDer deep
ened into a sleep SO profound tnat the
c.ntive lost all consciousness or sur
rounding objects until b was rouseu
by n loud knocking at her door.
I She sprang up in a great pane anu
eozcd WILDLY around her. not recoliect-
ing where she was. She III ISL ha't
| slept for some hours. for when she
had lost consciousness the room was
the green bars of four pairs OF 'enc
i'm perfect darkness. 1t was now as
light as broad day streaming thioush
tian shutters could make 1T.
The knocking continued, louder lphi'
at first, and was now accompanied y.
a voice calling out:
.'Zora, chile. Fora, honey. wake up.
Ny goodness gracious alive, how SCUM
| you do sleep, to be sure! Fora, money
Fora, chile!"
Eyes, well, who is there?' exclaimed
Astrea, rubbing her forehead and turn
ing round and round in n very con
fused memory of her situation.
ITS me honey. me, chile! ole Aunt
Cybele. Laws-a-messy on top o my
poor ole black soul, you must a been
a~-sleepin' like de seven sleeper! Q
amt up yet, an here's breagfas' ready
an ole marse -waitin' for you to come
an pour out his coffee
Full memory in all its horrors now
returned to the unhappy captive, II
with n sigh, partly of relief that tae
night of terror had passed away With
out the dreadful catastrophe. and part
ly for fear of the possible events OF the
day. Astrea walked towards the IGOR
to open it. But suddenly rejecting that
the door was secured on the other side,
she said:
"You can come in; the door is not
fastened on this side"
Cybele turned the latch and entered
the room, exclaiming as soon as she
saw Astrea:
why, chile, you dressed Already!
Dat right, | thought by You not an
swerin' as how you was asleep. Why
didn't you answer when call you!
II was asleep. | sat up in my
clothes and watched all night. | was
afraid to go to bed, because / was
locked in, and had no means OF locking
any one out. / fell asleep near morn
ing, and slept till you woke me. But
why did you lock me in!
ME lock you iny' exclaimed Cybele
in establishment. why, chile, it would
a-been as much as my woody ole head
was WORT to lock you in! Dat was ole
marse's doin's. Soon as ebber me an
Venus come out'n your room last
night. an while we went to fasten de
windows in de hall, ole marse he come
soft out'n his room an turns de key oh
your door an puts it in his pocket. Dis
mornin', soon as ebber he was dressed.
he come an unlock it again. | seen
him doin' of it while l was a-settiD' OF
de table, wild de dinin' door
open"
.'Why did he do thatg' exclaimed
Astrea, forgetting her position, and
flushing with indignation.
Now, the uncultivated negro has nat
urally the very same manner OF eX-
pressing inexpressible things as the
cultivated ~French-with a significant
shrug of the shoulders. Cybele drew
hers up in the most exaggerated a
ner as she answered:
Laws, honey, when anybody buy
perry bird an pay high price, dey puts
it in de cage an fastens de door, fear
OF it flynn away-leastwise till he gets
it tame, you know"
An indignant expression rose to the
captive's lips, but she prudently sup
pressed it.
An now, honey, do, for goodness
sake, make haste an come an pour
out ole marse's coffee fore he loses his
temper said Cybele. impatiently.
Astrea bathed her face and smoothed
her hair and settled the folds of her
dress and grayely announced herself
ready to go.
''Come along, den: / show you de
dinin' room where ole marse takes all
his meals" said Cybele. leading the
way just across the passage to a back
room directly opposite to that of As.
trea.
1t was furnished In simple summer
style, with straw mating on the floor.
straw blinds at the fOur windows, and
stra w-bottomed chairs and settees
ranged about the room. There was,
besides, a sideboard against the back
wall between the windows. A small.
round table. covered with a white dam
ask cloth that hung to the floor, and
adorned with a breakfast service of
FURNISHED silver, stood In tn emiddle of
the room. Upon 1t lay plates of light
biscuits and cakes, potted meats and
fish. fresh fruit, and all the luxuries of
n summer breakfast. There was a Gov
er laid and a chair placed but for one.
Astrea WAS expected to stand in the
presence Of her master. And this she
much preferred to the hated intimacy
implied In sitting at the table with him.
Any, even the most humble position,
being much higher ia her view than
the humiliation of such an equality
with him.
Cybele went out and brought in tee
Kissing silver urn and put it on the ta.
bic, and then went and summoned her
master. who was walking up and
down taking the morning air on the
front piazza.
RUmford came in. radiant and smil-
ing, and looking cool and healthy in
his morning suit of white holland and
his broad brimmcd straw hat. He
threw his hat upon a settee and drop
Ied into Lis sea- at the table, saying,
eaily:
"Well, ny girl. Owe your sulks yet?
You see | Lave given you time"
Astrea lowed slowly with a grave
dignity, but without other reply.
IL that means yes. I'm deuced glad
to hear 1t! Come, give me a cup OF
coffee. l like n good deal OF sugar n
r,oa,, - a 49, .r:l D..l 49,