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

Aat hA Il 'iNNto Deet ~ ~
you t know dat, is die: how
yOIl marse. Colonel Grivill. il he was
yoai marse, lone sold you on de sly to
Marse Cap'n. OATS what l 'spects.
Cause you see white gem'n will do
den, deere dirty tricks sometimes. an
don't think muffin tall Of 'em, either"
Sold! Master? " ny. woman. what
are you talking about Colonel Gre
Vile is my nusbani." exclaimed AS
trea. ready tn weep with vexatiOn,
which was. however quite underlined,
for She was rs yet far-very far-from
s,ssI Getting the real horrors of her posi-
ton.
HE. he he. Colonel Griville your
hi sbaDd! Az now hes done sole YOU.
Pity 100. for you're a purity gal, too.
for Il latte
Woman, you ere crazy or intoAi-
caied. How dare ron talk OF me and
my husband in that way exclaimed
Astr.ea, Indignantly starting up.
In the ~suddenress of her action, her
hair fell forward. and flowed, n long,
black veil, down over her bosom!
She snatched Ii up and gazed at Ii
with unmltigated amaZement! She
pulled at 1t, expecting 1t to fall off like
a. NiS Dut ohth oiC IOQlu tiidt tiitSt
raven tresses grew upon her head
her head, that had been glorious in its
wealth. OF golden hair-her mouth
opened. and her lips dilated with won
der. While thus staring aghast at her
changed hair. she noticed the pale
brown hue of her once lily-fair hands
and arms. And she raised those af-
frighted eyes to the face of the wo-
man, exclaimlng:
"Fiend! What diabolical art Is this
you have been practicing upon me?
Where il my dear old guardian?
Where Is my husbands Oh, Fulke.
Fulke. where are you? Oh, wake me.
wake me. from this hideous dream.
Fulke! Fulke. | have the Nightmares.
Throwing her arms wildly forward.
she rushed from the berth; but she was
instantly stopped by the negro woman,
who said:
"Sit down. honey; I call de captain.
He tell you all about it better AN
can"
More from giidiness and exhaustion
than in the spirit Of compliance, As
trea sank I'm the sole chair of the cab
in, and again turned her eyes in wild
samazement upon her own changed hair
and skin.
The negro woman-she was short. fat
and very black. and wore n dark-blue
gown and a bright bandanna urban
wad1]ed UP the stairs in search of her
master. A few minutes passed away.
and then the captain came down into
tie cabin alone, and approached her.
80 YOU wish to see me, my pretty
one. Well, l have no very particular
objection he said. shopping down.
throwing his arm around her waist,
and attempting to imprint a kiss upon
her lips. Rut, ut the approach OF his
hot breath, she suddenly shrieked,
started up. and sprane. to the corner
of the cabin. where she stood like a
young leopardess at bay. her face
CHASTITY. her eyes dilated, her very HAIR
brlstling up with mingled ama1ement,
horror and defiance.
The captain dill not attempt to pur-
sue her. but sank into the chair from
which she had fed, where he remained,
studying he. With curiosity.
Who are you, mann she at length
broke forth; who are you, that dare
insult me thus? Who are you, l ask"
"four slave. pretty one, IL you will;
eur master, whether you viii or no:
"Inselent! You are the captain OF
this ship, l suppose"
"Aye-and of you, my dear!"
Wretch! do you suppose that You
can insult me with impunity. Where
is my husbandg'
"Your husband. girl? In the moon.
perhaps, certainly, not on earth. You
never haze a husband, my girl. Young
women OF your peculiar color seldom
reach the dignity of marriage" said
the captain, coolly crossing one leg
over the other, while he took from his
pocket a cigar, lighted it and com
menced smoking away.
bastard. how dare you speak TO me
In that style. But rest assured it shall
not go unpublished. Colonel Greville
will hold you to a stern account for
these outrages offered to his wife,. ex-
claimed Astrea. Indignantly.
"Ha! ha! ha. was the only COM
ment.
"And since you are the captain OF
this ship, sir, | command you to tell
me how / was conveyed hitner? That
] was brought here through foul felony
/ begin to be aware"
Come, come. Fora. enough Of this
ravingr!' said the captain, coolly puff
fling away at his c'gar.
.Zora-y slowly repeated the vic
tim, i'm amaZement.
Certainly, Fora. that is your name.
is 1t not? or have you really forgotten
that, as well as your position in the
worldw"
Fora my name Is Astreai l am
the wife of Co.)nel Greville, as, nc
doubt, you know full wellp'
my poor girl. what n pity it is that
n so young and pretty as yourself
should be the victim of such a mono
mania. Try to shake il of, Zora.."
II tell you l am not Fora! l am AS
trea de Glacie, wife of Colonel Fulke
Greviliel"
'Ha! ha. ha, oh, doubtless, And
to-morrow you may fancy yourself the
widow of General Napoleon Bona.
parte! Try to shake off this haunting
monomania. 1t Is tie remnant Of your
brain fever! you were only the cham.
bermaid in the steamboat that brought
Colonel and Mrs. Fulke Greyille to the
island where they were to spend their
honeymoon. Thinking the position OF
chambermaid in 4 steamboat unworthy
OF so beautiful a girl as yourself. |
purchased you for eight hundred dol
Lars from your master. You took the