The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-02-16

sons. You wouldn't take her ava
from her old nanny, missy? Yo1
amt got that hard heart. The hear
sickness will take her again, an Sa
wanna is the only one can comfort her. ;
II mean that you shall go with her. ;
"Me go up to the big house to live
Me go back there, where the old madam
and me had it out for her treatment Of
that child? Her ha'nt would follow mt
from room to ROOM"
my grandmother must have beer
kind to you. She gave you this house tt
live in all your life, you say"
"Yes, she done that; she done that.
I've got the deeds in my pocket now.
I've carried them in leather wallet
ever since she give them to me, but
sometimes folks is scared into dom
things. Don't you know they isG Love
amt at the bottom of all givin.''
II don't understand you at all, F." said
Jessica haughtily.
1t seemed to her that with every ef-
fort she made to throw clear light on
the past Of hsr own household it grew
more murky. Why should the grand
mother Of whose indomitable pride she
heard on all sides be "scared' into
making one Of her slaves a freebooter?
She preferred to think that gratitude
for faithful services had been the motive
in this unusual display of generosity.
"No doubt you were faithful serv-
ant to my grandmother and she reward
ed you Handsomely"
No doubt were faithful servant
to he" said the old crone with curl
ing lip. but when you caught old Mad
am Bascom dom anything from graft
tude you had to get up mighty early in
the mornin. You did that"
Jessica was in fair way to forget
the ostensible reason of this late visit to
Savanna. Her oyermastering surprise at
finding the aunt supposed to be dead
hidden in the old woman's cabin had
driven the matter of the looms entirely
out Of her head. Savanna, too, was grow
ing restless under this prolonged intru.
sion.
She conspicuously lighted lamp by
way Of emphasizing tho lateness of the
hour. She seized broom of twigs that
hung in the chimney corner and brush.
ed the ash Uttered hearth with frank
disregard for her visitors close proxim-
ity. Then she gave Jessica some candid
advice:
when you finds it necessary to gal
livant about the plantation this late of |
evenin's, missy, you had better make
Oscar come with you. Oscar Is my son,
and learned him some sense when he
were little. When my Miss Ellen thar
were your age, she wouldn't "a let lamp
light catch her this far from home lone |
by herself"
II expect you are right in reminding
me Of the prophecies" said Jessica
good naturally, although l imagine
your desire to get rid of me is not very
While I am here how
ever, may as well settle all my bust
ness with you. I started from the house
Oh very different errand from this. 1
want you to start the weaving industry
on the place for me.
"Weavin? I'm too old to weave. I
INIT goin to work myself>>t death at
The biddin of child"
"You are certainly the most irasci-
)le old subject l ever came in contact
WITH" said Jessica, looking the old
woman coldly in the eyes. II can't i'm.
Igine how anything ever grew fond of
rou."
"She loves me. She loves me better
han she does anything in the world"
II am glad of it. for your sake and
ers too. l haven't the slightest inten-
ion Of working you to death. simply
7ant you to teach some of the younger
omen how to weave, SO that the peo-
lie on the place need not suffer for
lothes. -
BUY 'em clothes. "
"You don't recognize the fact that a |
ar is going on and that there Is no !
lace for us to buy anything. What we
mt make for ourselves we will have ,
go without"
Then go without
Jessica had recognized from the first '
lat there could be no half measures !
tween her and this refractory old !
eature, whose many years Of assertive
ystery and powers of evil had enabled l.
II to dominate every one around her. .
lie turned upon her now with severi- =
that reminded Savanna forcibly Of 4
he old madam" in its naughty AFRO
nee. =
"Listen TO me, Savanna, and be gov
ned by what your own sense must tell D
u is for your own good. You are the
ly person on this place who knows N
W to weave. l have asked you cour- a,
'usly to teach some Of the other women to
W to run tho looms You need not :,
NIX am dependent on you. know b
W to weave myself, and, if the worst +;
mes to the worst, can do without o.
I. But do not care to take up this
Of work. You have been left unmo- da
ted here 10 long that you overesti- ~
to your liberties You are not free W,
man yet, and you are under my au- su
rity SO long as things stand as they -,
at present. I will give you until to. ~
rrow-when I shall como in the car
90 to remove my aunt-to make up 81
+ mind about the weaving"
And if ! say won't do IL, what =,
NJ" ~
What then? Well, you can stay Oh MI
this house. which my grandmother s;G
Q you,' but that shall be your solita- ,ec
privilege on the place. I shall soc lis
no wood is brought to your cot. T.a
}, that no meal is ground for you in !
gristmill, that no rations of any an,
are issued to you." w.
Good Lord, but you is a bard one. g
> will say blood don't tell? You is =
old grandmother come back in the ~,
!, with q dash off, She stopped w
lenly, and again seizing her brush mn,
wigs began sweeping with offensive ~ T,
gy. Stat
'ssica stood up and began drawing S WI
err riding gloves. Emf
II I find you in proper frame of n d
1 when I come for my aunt will a. m
you home with her. You may be Fte
'ole attendant IL you wish it," at7
She's better of where she ia" SO;