Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1898-04-28

| dppIOhCucu CttCu OlIl0T, dIlU uNS1 ulDUu
an Intermediate sum that proved mutu'
ally agreeable.
And now, my girls. go and make up
your little parcels, and when you come
hack try to present more agreeable
faces. have done something for your
mutual happiness; therefore, show
your sense Of my kindness by your
cheerfulness. hate sullen faces"
So saying, the purchaser retired with
the trader, to pay the purchase money
and receive the bills of SALE In these
deeds Astrea was set down as the mu-
lattO girl Fora, and her faithful COM
paEiOn, as the negro woman Venus.
Meanwhile. these two females, so
widely separated by birth and social
rank, so closely brought together by
misfortune and sympathy, went down
into the cabin to make their Aittle pre-
parations for departure.
Venus. with the elasticity of her
race, had already recovered her spir-
its. She spoke to Astrea in chirping
tone:
| Deere. now! what you tell me. hon
ey? Trust in de Lord! did trust in
him; and now you see what's come Of
1t! We amt to be separated! Us is
gwine to go together! OATS sumtin."
''That is a good deal; for, oh! Venus,
If l had to be taken into that strange
wilderness, and into those unknown
perils without a friend to depend on,
think my courage must have utterly
| sunk. Now, having you with me,
| can in some degree keep up my spir-
| it's
"1'rue for you. honey: sides which,
| it is Il great blesSin' to get often de
debblish ship. anyhow
and out of that captains power! 1
feel it was great relief!'
Yes, honey, and more sides; think
how de new marster amt so berry
bad! Shows he got some feelin', to
buy me, to go long O. you! Now, l
think if. de berry fust chance you get,
you tells de new marster all abouten
yourself, he do you justice! deed do
l."
Il think so. too! for. notwithstand-
ing that dissipation has so reduced
him. he must have been gentleman
originally. And. Venus, if he should
listen to my prayers and restore ME to
my friends. the first use shall make
of my liberty, good woman. would be
to purchase you and set you Free" said
Astrea, affectionately.
"Oh, don't, don't, honey! don't talk
so; it do take my breaf away! make
me a free woman? Dat too much,
nights we'll talk oh making me Queen
oh Sheba at once. But if ebber you
does come to your own rights, honey,
and would buy me for You own scr
want, l would serve you faithful all
my days. deed would I!'
While talking Venus was also busily
gathering together such articles as she
required to take away with her.
When she was ready, she turned to
Astrea and said
Come, chile. put on your bonnet"
81 have no bonnet here,' answered
the poor young captive.
mo bonnet? Dere now! Dat moth
er proof how you must "a been stole
away! No bonnet! Eff you'd "a been
fotch away homes you'd "a had bon
net; dat sartain! Here, honey, you put
dis on your head! It's nice and clean.
anyway" said Venus, producing from
her bandboX a white cambria corded
sun bonnet.
1t was perfectly fresh and sweet,
and Astrea felt no objection to wear
ing it. She thanked the kind lender
and put it on her head.
Venus herself possessed many bon
nets, but never wore one except on
Sundays at church. Upon all other oc-
casions she preferred the coquettish
bandanna turban.
They went up on deck where their
new purchaser awaited them.
Come. Come, hurry into the boat.
my good girls! 1t is some distance to
the landing place, where the carriage
awaits us, and we have long ride be-
fore we reach home," he said, good
humoredly enough, as he assisted first
Astrea, and then Venus to descend the
ships side and take their seats in the
boat.
He then shook hands with the cap
tain and followed them, and took his
seat by their side.
The captain waved hooking adieu
as the boat left the ship. The men
laid to their oars and rowed rapidly
up the river, keeping near the west
bnnk.
Yet it was an hour before they ar
rived at the landing place, mere
small pier and a wood-cutter's cabin,
where the steamboats, sometimes land
ed to take on wood.
the boat that brought them sped back
to the ship, they walked to spot
where a plain travelling carriage stood
under the shade of a large cypress tree,
and in charge of a negro coachman.
BY the order of the master, the two
women entered the carriage and seated
themselves side by side on the front
seat. He followed them in and sat
alone in lordly ease upon the back
seat, facing them.
And so the carriage drove off.
Their way lag over a raised cordu-
roy road, through an extensive cypress
swamp, where the trees seemed to
grow taller ana closer together every
mile they travelled inland.
Astrea leaned her head from the win
dow for two reasons; the first was to
avoid meeting the embarrassing
glsHces Of her new purchaser, who sat
with his red hands upon his fat knees.
staring in stupid delight upon his new
treasure; an. the other was to gaze at
the stately cypress trees, that she now
saw in their native luxuriance' for the
| first time.