Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-05-10

L kOIu tD ukut W heh No ANS' A~<~>>Sses
looked about her triumphantly.
"Free.' Il was o full, deep, ques-
tioning chorus
"Yes, free. Free AZ the birds Of
the ar. mol ,dy to say go, and you got
TO 20. Nobody TO say stay, lax You was
. horse wild curb bit in your mouth,
and you got to stay. Free to go when
you like and whar you like. Free 70
stay in bed tell 10 o'clock in de mornin
IL you've min ter, aud den git mp and
tex your own time bout things gin raj
ly."
An incredulous laugh rewarded black
Suzanne's efforts TO fire the souls Of her
people with the joyous hope that was
even then making her own pulses bound
furiously.
You don't b'lieve me yet. But.
thank God, that won't keep it ironi
comm. won't keep it from comm! Clio
~ halleluiah, it's comm, comm, COM
inv
She was swaying TO and fro with
rhythmic grace, her long, pallid hands
clasped above her gay turban, her great
lustrous eyes fastened upon the cobweb.
bed, time blackened rafters overhead.
Freedom. it's comm! Comm 10 me
and a-comin to you! Freedom, it's a.
comm! Sen, from de skyes above!"
Ii meant nothing to them, that alb
stract idea of freedom. II was an emp
ty, mystic sound to that herd OF laugh
ing, we'll fed, care free slaves. IL was.
in its essence, All impalpable good they
were too gross tn grasp. Suzanne might
have read that edition Of the Sessums-
port Herald tn them with the utmost
fiuency and emphasis without stirring
them to anything more appreciative
than derisive laugh or jesting taunt
But the swaying grace Of the tall, 1.-the
form under the expiring pine torch, the
rhythmic melody Of that monotonous
chant. in which the word freedom re-
Cured again and again, stirred their
initiative faculties 10 al emulous pitch,
and the festivities Of the earlier hours
gradually waxed into paan TO liber-
~, that rose and swelled and died away
ynd moaned among the cavernous raft
rrs until Suzannes hands suddenly
dropped by her sides, and she stood
mute and exhausted among the swing
ing, chanting. bowling negroes, whom
she had stirred to frenzy.
II must 20 tell nanny" she said,
with sudden remorsefulness of aspect
NANNY got mo- sense than all of US
put together Good night, folks "
Old Whey sat muttering and smok-
ing in the little lean to Of a room that
Strong Martin called kitchen. Just
across the CRASHES yard was small
hovel where she and Suzanne slept to-
gether Of nights, but she always waited
for the girl there by the kitchen fire,
when the nights were cold and the hov-
| el hearth comfortless.
The girl was long coming tonight,
and Viney's imperious temper was chat
ing under the delay.
Dog on her for sassy drab! II she
amt here by de time dc dinin rooni
clock strak 'leven she lin grope her cwn
way to bed in de cold III de dark. | ain
goin stan much mo-
But before the dining room clock
struck IL the kitchen door opened very
softly and Suzanne and cold pun oi
wind entered together.
lis that you. mammy:
who you lows it is. il it amt
nanny, Who else gwine be fool ncagh
to set up for good for nothin cr ,,er
lax you: Say, gal =
Don't scold tonight, nanny. ! got
somethin gre't to tell you. Somethin
gre'ts goin to happen to we all. To you
ard to me and all de black folks. y The
spell of prophecy still sounded in the
girls voice.
| Viney tilted her chair forward until
she could reach the chimney jamb with
the bowl of her black pipe. Suzanne
looked at her beseechingly. That with
cred old crone was the one object Of alb
ject fear that entered into her life.
Don you go to laughin at me,
nanny. It's all here III black And
white in this paper. III read 1t to You
tonight if you say So"
She was down on her knees upon the
bare, hard floor, piling together the
pieces Of wood that ha bu-l,l Ill tive
and fallen apart DUR Vi ry's long
wait. The reunited logs leaped into
ready flames, and Niney stretched hcI
long. withercd hands close above L.
dancing sparks. She was very proud oi
that kneeling figure She knew Suzau
| was handsome And sine Was hers-hoi
very Own. Lcr voice softened under the
girls imploring gaze.
WHAT v, i talkin bout, gal: W.
gre't thing is goin to happen? And \. hc
tol you bout it,
Then Suzallne, fearful Of dissipatine
the dawning interest i'll her inCIu,r''
sunken eyes by repeating her expert
ment with tie newspaper, said eagcrly
"I'll tell il tonight and read 1t to-
morrow. The light amt ve'y good. We
all is goin TO be sot free, nanny. You
and me and all the black folks. Ole m@rs
ter say it's boun to come. Mars Adr Il
laugh at him and say he kin whip Z dOz
en- of the folks that is comm here e
set us free with one han tied behind
him."
"When all dat gwine happen?" No;
f1ippantly, only questioningly.
Suzanne gasped. she was not Igc
pared with her details.
Right of, I reckon. Mars Adr L
seems in big hurry to git ready. lie
say he goin 10 be capt III and W ~
uniform and ride horse.
~ boun, whatever happen, he gwine
ride a horse If all the res nv the worl
walk. Bless the Lawd. AM sc, deal
Lawd. let ole viney live long 'nough II
See de blessed light Of freedom. Su
zanne!'
viney's descc2t frc:n cP:ritucl e:alta
ton to colloquial severity was sudden
but permanent.
Suzanne
Eyes, nanny"
81 gwine mex you read ev'ry lne in
dat paper " mc tomorrcr mornln for,
you 20 up to de big house. Igwine hus
tie you out or bed at crack er day, and
il I don't hear so.1cthin mighty decid
ed bout that freedom talk you Is Sc
glib with I gwine mex you sorry fu
ever bein borned- You yher me. gall
Its here, nanny, ev'ry word Of il;
20 help me the good Lawd-"
"Den git up and go to bed"
Suzanne got mp and nodded her heat
toward IT, more habitlLie portions G