The herald., 1898-08-28

the danger that threatens her SOM"
asked the girl.
mo, Miss Mary, ain tole her moth
in bout 1t. 'twouldn't hep Marse ALI.
An ole miss, she's dat ole and shaky
de SHOCK mought kill her. said old
Ben. "'Sides dat. Miss Mary, I knowed
Marse ALI didn't want ole miss to
know nothin' bout dat cotton till hit
was sole and he had de money in his
han, kaze, you see, he's plannin' to
give ole miss a pleasant SURPRISE"
added the old negro, looking earnestly
at Miss Edgewood.
why have you come to me, Uncle
Ben. am only a weak woman and
can do nothing" said the girl, picking
up her tatting and trying to resume her
work.
Miss Mary, come to you kaze I
was nigh crazy, an I was bleeged to
talk to somebody" said the old negro,
with faltering voice. and Juggling at his
old wool hat. "Den-den, Miss Mary,
knowed how hit STAINS tween you an
Marse ALT. 'Tain't all for de miss dat
Marse AIS resking hisself to get dis
cotton. Furthermo', Miss Mary, I come
to you kaze dar's some'h'n You kin do
to hep Marse ALI, eff so be you'll des
do HIT"
Old Ben eyed the girl closely as she
struggled with her tatting.
ZEE you say, young miss, you's weak
an you's woman. But some times
de weakest Is de mos powerful. You
know de Scripter say dat David laid
out Goliah wild pebble frum de
brook an a sling
Surely, Uncle Ben, you don't wish
me to kill Captain Adams with pair
Of scissors" said Mary Edgewood,
smiling.
mo, little miss, I don't want yer to
do no KILN 'cep'n wild yo' pretty face
an de sweetness of your voice." said
Ben. Then advancing a step under the
honeysuckle vine ne added in a lower
tone:
Pears TO dis ole niger dat II you
was to ak de capn not to fetch Marse
ALI. and to let dat cotton alone he
mought do hit. You see. hits dis way.
Miss Mary. De wars over an done
wild, an what good would hit do to
Jail Marse ALT? He amt gwine fight
no more. An what in de name O.
Gawd would be de use O. takin' dat
cotton way frum Marse ALI and Marse
Jack? De Unointed States is so rich
hit wouldn't make 'em much richer,
and hit would make Marse ALI and
Marse Jack mons'ous poor. Dem young
marsers b'longs to de quality, an dey
des bleeged to have some money to buy
plows and corn and mules to start
plantin wild, for, de Lawd knows, eff
de quality amt flowed to have MOTH
in an de country's is give up to de
poor white trash what never seed lie
inside of carriage and never rid be-
hine a Kaintucky horse, what's gwine
come O. dis poor 'stracted lan'!"
but, Uncle Ben, Captain Adams
may not grant my request" said the
girl, meditatively.
"Well, if so be he don't, Miss Mary.
we won't be no wuss off. But, Lawd,
he amt gwine say no, dat he amt.
You knows, little missile, dat you never
looked a man squeer in de face wild
dem blue eyes of yourn an ak him to
do some'h'n' an he never done hit. An
de capn amt gwine be de fust one to
say no, for a soldier can't refuse q
pretty oman nothin'."
Uncle Ben scanned the girls face to
see the effect of his reasoning, and.
perceiving that she still hesitated, he
brought forward his last and strong
est argument.
'Furthermo', Miss Mary, hits des
impossible for de cap'n to say no.
Didn't you an your ma take him home
an nuss him when he was at de pint
O. death. Bless Gawd, dat man would
q been dead dis minute eff he had a
staid in dat ar prison, and he knows
hit. An, little miss, do you know whut
de culled folks say?"
what do they say, Uncle Benz"
tWell, de culled folks 'llow, an dey's
good at readin', dat de cap'n loves you
mighty nigh as hard es Marse ALT.
Now, dar's some men would do DER I
level best in dem conditions to git
Marse ALT in trouble, but de cap'n amt
dat kine.''
Does Captain Adams know that Mr.. |
Layburn and 1 are,-are great
friends?"
Yes, Miss Mary, he got hit from
Jake. 'Cordin' dat niggers account he
des turned hisself wrong side out"
1t was now quite dark, and Mary |
Edgewood rose to return to the house. |
She had almost resolved to follow Ben s |
suggestion and seek an interview with
Adams in behalf of her lover. One lin
gering doubt remained, and she said
to the negro as she left the summer
house:
II will do what I can, Uncle Ben. I
have great respect for Captain Adams.
believe he is conscientious, and for
that reason I fear he may think that
his duty forbids him to grant my re-
quest"
Old Ben scratched his head.
I'm des an ole niger, Miss Mary,
but hit pears to me hit would be more
lax duty for de cap'n to favor two hon.
erble young gentlemen Of de quality
lax Marse ALI and Marse Jack, dan to
play into be nan of a under handed
man lax dat Brown whut used to be
a niger trader"
Mary Edgewood did not tell her
mother of her intended interview with
Captain Adams lest she might forbid
it. But she took her negro nanny.
Aunt Martha, into her confidence, and
Informed the old woman that she must
accompany her. The faithful creature
was vastly impressed by the import
ance Of the proposed visit, and i'm
mensely fiattered by the position of
trust that she was invited to fill. 1t
afforded Mary much comfort to find