Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1898-07-28

Heed. ThCs she had told lie upon lie
to shield Astrea; and thus she had
told lie upon lie to compose her spirits
and aid her convalescence. Nor had
Venus one single twinge Of conscience
for doing so. On the contrary, she
would have had many t1lnges Of con-
science II she had not done so, But
then, Venus was not enlightened.
Astrea understood all this, at length,
Their until such time as she thought
she would hear the truth. And mean
while she noted all the chance CONVEX.
sation Of the servants who passed her
door. And. as the weather was eX-
tremely warm, and the door was al
ways open, and the passage Of the
servants very frequent, she soon gath
cred a great mass Of incOherent infor-
nation.
At length she was so very much bet
ter she could not doubt even Venus
would longer hesitate to tell her the
truth, and she resolved to question her.
So one morning, after Venus had
brought her breakfast, and seen her
eat 1t with good appetite, Astrea
said:
Il am nearly we'll now, Venus"
Yes. honey, thank Marster."
And now l hope you will keep
nothing from me longer
Hi, chile, what keep from your
MANY things-the first, the death of
Mr.. Rumford. Now then. want you
to tell me all about it, Venus"
Hi, chile. don't you know"
'How should I? You know that,
from the time he disarmed me and had
me ut his mercy, l swooned with ter
0nH Not I'M
a brain fever, and knew nothing more
for eight or nine days, when came to
myself. Then, in Il few more days, l
learned from the gossip of the negroes
that their master was dead. Now, how
and when did he dep b
eli, honey, is all you tell me jes so?
Don't you know nothing as happened
arter he wrung dat little dagger out'n
your hand?'
Nothing whatever. Venus; l must
have swooned Immediately"
Den, sures rs a libin' sinner, de
brain feber done burned it all out'n
your head. And deed, faint Venus
as a-gwine to stress your feelin's by
tellin' of you how much hand you had
in that business" said the woman to
herself.
"But you have not told me about
RumfOrd's DEATH"
''Well honey, you know how he had
dat dinner party, an sat drinkin', an
boczin', an singin' Songs, wild de
other .riporates. till all hours O. the
night an mornin'--"
Eyes. yes, l know that; but his
death"'
"Lor'. chile, amt 1 comm to dat?
Well. you see, arter oil dat fuss he
made long O. you. and arter he twist
ed the dagger out'n your hand, he laid
himself back ag'in Gle wall, he did, an
he laughed, an laughed, until he hev
blood to his head, an hev hisself into
an aprlepesky fit; which he died of it
in bout twelve hours time; an which
dey do say he 'pented of his sins an
died prayin'; hopes twas true"'
AStrea made no reply; she was 81
lent for some time; she could not hear
the death or her dreaded enemy thus
confirmed without strong, conflicting
en:otions-joy at the event that re-
leased her from an impending fate
more horrible than death; compunc
ton for this seemingly selfish joy; and
| awe at the suddenness of the summons
| that had called away his soul
"Cut off even in the blossom of his
sins,
Unhouserd. unanointed, unanneard,
| No Reckoning made, but sent to his
account
With all his imperfections on his
head"
| And when she did speak, it was to
change the subject.
II hear the servants talk of the ex-
| pected arrival of their masters rela-
lions. Who are they"
| tHi honey, how l know who his la
lions is? No great things, you may
depend; else how dey be his 'lations?
Dey some poor trash or other. Deed
I amt gwine to demean myself with
maxim no 'quiries bout dem. No
more amt ole Aunt Cybele, nor ole
Uncle Saturn. We members how we
longed to de ole set, de Gregors; an
none q desc poor white herrins from
cus yonder, nobody knows where! l
right glad marse doctor ordered me
ottin de duty O. cleanin' de house for
'em, an ordered me oD duty O. nursin'
of you; cause I had no stomach for
no work for ole marse, nor likewise
for his 'lations.'
venus, you should not carry your
resentment beyond the grave"
what dat, honey?'
II mean you should not continue tc
hate your old master now he is dead"
''But does. chile, an can't help of
it! An I hates him worse dan rank
p'ison. Dere! don't wish him no
harm, dough! deed don't 1! wishes
of him well 'nough! hope he goes to
Heben. Cause why? Cause you see,
chile, Is such sinner, an can't 'pent,
nor mend my ways, dat l do really
'spect how l shall go to de debil my
self. some day; not dat l think de
debil is half as bad as he's made out
to be; but still 'spects to go to him;
an, deed, shouldn't like to meet ole
marse dere; it would sort O. make de
place feel worse; so l hopes he did
pent an 90 to Heben!'
"Oh, Venus, how irreverent you
arev'
"What dat. honey?'
''How Drofane."
eli, honey, what l jes' tell you? l
know it, chile, an can't help of it,
dat's de reason I say gwine to Gle
debil.'