Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1898-07-21
NtAPTER LIv.

7HAPTER LIv.
We left Astrea. standing like a de-
Stroying angel. over the PROSTATE form
of Rumford.
Venus. from her lair under the bed.
had witnessed. without fully compIe-
hending. all that passed. She now
emerged from her place of conceal
ment. inquiring. with a scared look:
Hi. honey. what you hit him with:
Not dc poker, cause dere it STAINS;
you must a hit him wild sometin..
dough, YouS done for him, anyways.
an Salve him right-olc scamp! Is
sorry for him, too! poor, forsook ole
sinner, gone straight to lie debil wld-
ont Il minute to 'pent of his sins! 1t
get you into heap O trouble. is
fraid. chile! Dey have you up to court
sure's ever you're born! But you amt
tell me yet. what you hit him wild?
Oh. laws a messy on top O my poor
ole black sou!!' size suddenly broke
off and exclaimed. as she happened to
look up from tile PROSTATE body OF
Rumford to the avenging form of AS
trea. There She yet stood. in the same
attitude in whl;.a sine had pronounced
the doom of Etmford-her form di
lated and elevated. her head thrown
back. her hair streaming behind, her
arm raised on high. her terrible eyes
fixed upon her fallen victim-there she
stood an awful and majestic presence,
but turned to a lifeless statue!
My goodness, gracious me alive!
what de matter wild her? Honey!
chile. Fora, say! Miss Fora! Miss
Astrea, l mean. Mrs. Full Credible.
den! Speak to me. honey! Answer
me. It's l, Venus! your frien' Venus,
chile! What de matter wild you!
cried the woman going slowly around
and around Astrea. but not daring to
approach too near, much less to touch
her.
"oh. Lor. she's turned to a dead
corpe. She's turned to standin' up
dead corpe..' said Venus, finding that
she could make. no impression what
ever upon this statue. And, opening
he. throat in succession of ear-split-
thug shrieks she ran through the house
ringing all the bells. and finally sound
ing the alarm bell in the hail.
This clangor was in short time an
swered by the rush Of all the negroes
within hearing of the house. They
came, some humping at the front
Goor and some laundering at the back
one, for admittance.
Venus ran distractedly from one
door to the other, in her utter confu-
sion of ideas. for some time defeating
her own object, and drawing more
bolts instead of undrawing any; at
last. however, she succeeded in open
ing the doors and admitting the clam
Oring crowd.
She now saw that it was davbreak.
and that the negroes were all in their
working clothes, and had probably
been on their way to the fields when
summoned by the alarm bell.
what de row?'
SIS, ole marSe took ill.,"
Ode house a-tire?"
"What de debil de matter?"
Cant you speak, Venus
These We're some Of the questions
put by the excited crowd. as they
gathered around the affrightcd woman.
BE silent. all of you. Order, there"
said the voice of the overseer, who
was now seen advancing through the
tlrcng. what is the matter here?
What has happened"
''Wenus knows"'
'She lii de house,"
''She rung de 'larn." were the an
s:yers given by the crowd.
WHAT is il. womany' inquired the
overseer, standing before Venus.
'Oh, oh, dear! Oh, Marse Steppins!
On. sirr' -
Speak. you fool. is your master
Ill? Or Fora run away again, or what
is the nlatter?'
ooh. DEAR Or, STRIP
'Will you speak,"
Yes. sir; gwine: Deed ISL said
Venus. wringing her hands il agony.
"I'll be blasted II you don't answer
me in one instant, il DON'T"
"Oh, sir! yes, sir. Oh, sir! Fora
done kill ole marse an turned to a
dead corpe herself!'
Fora killed Itumford." echoed the
oversecr in horror, while the negroes
stood around, dumb with consterna-
| ton.
And turned to dead corpe herself,
sir! a-stan1in' up dead corpe, borrow.
full to behold"'
For an instant tile oytrsesr stood
gazing at the speaker in a state Of
: petrifaction, and then recovering him.
| self with Il start, he said:
Where are they?
Here, sir. here! Oh, please to come
in with ME: Is 'fraid o MY life to &C
IN dere by myself" said Venus.
Steppins needed no further invita-
ton. He hurried toward the fata
chamber, saying to the crowd Of ne
groes that We're pressing behind him:
Back, back, all of you, except those
that I call. Venus. Cybele, Saturn
| Sam-come with me-
And Steppins, followed " the fo.l1
negroes he had nanet, en,tied tit
chamber
As soon as rnv eyes of The avcrsec
fell upon the group we have described
the awful form of Astrea standin:
over the PROSTATE body Of Ru'ntord-.
be paused III brcathless dismny Blu
when some Of the Doldest among TIN
party would have laid hands upoi
them. he suddeiy exclaimed:
STOP l. dnren't topch 'eR. 1nor al