Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-12-30
oh. Ben, Bcni 1t aim SO, Is tta'

rolled to the shoulder, and curved it
upward till the muscles stood out like
great knots of oak. Then he opened
and shut his fingers, squeezing them
together until the joints cracked. "Kin
do it?" He looked down on her
calmly and smiled simply. happily.
She threw her arms around his waist
and sank on her knees at his feet Sob
bling.
ben, Ben! My Ben! l nevah even
thought of it, it seemed SO far away.
but now we're goin' to be free, free.
freer'
He lifted her up gently.
Its gwine to TEX pow'ful long
time" lie said.
81 dom keer," she cried gayly. 1--WE
know it's comm, an we kin wait"
The woman's serious mood had
passed as quickly as it had come, and
she spun around the cabin. executing
series of steps that set her husband
n-grin with admiration and joy.
And so Ben began to work with re-
J newed vigor. He had found purpose
in life, and there was something for
him to look for beyond dinner, a dance
and the end of the day. He had al
ways been good hand, but now he
became model-no Sinking, no shift
lessness-and because he was So ear
nest his master did what he could to
help him. Numerous little plans were
formulated whereby the slave could
make or save n precious dollar.
Whey, too, seemed inspired by new
hope, and if this little house had been
pleasant to Ben nothing now was
wanting to make it palace in his
eyes. Only one sorrow he had, and that
one wrung hard at his great heart-no
baby came to them. But instead he
made great baby of his wife and
went on his way hiding his disappcint-
ment the best he could. The banjo
was often silent now, for when he
came home his fingers were too stir
t4 RsaE rdf at the faaster q child he
would take down his old friend and
play low, soothing melodies until he
found rest and comfort.
Whey had once tried to console him
by saying that had she had child it
would have taken her away from her
work, but he had only answered, eve
could "a stood that"
But Ben's patient work and frugality
had their reward, and it was only a
little over three years after he had
set out to do 1t that he put in his mas
ters hand the price of Viney's free
dom, and there was sound of rejoicing
in the land. a fat shote, honestly come
by-for it was the masters gift-was
killed and baked, great jugs of biting
persimmon beer were brought forth,
md the Quarters held high carnival to
celebrate Viney's new found liberty.
After the merrymakers had gone and
when the cabin was clear again Ben
held out the paper that had been on
exhibition all evening to Whey.
"Hyeah-hyeah's de docymcnt dat
meks yo' yo' own oman. TEX it."
During all the time that 1t had been
out for show that night the people had
looked upon it with sort Of awe, as IL
1t were possessed of some sort of mi
raculous power. Even now Whey did
not take hold of it, but shrank away
with a sort of gasp.
mo, Ben; yo' keep 1t. 1 can't TEX
keer of no sich precious thing as dat.
Put it in yo' chist"
Tick 1t an feel of it anyhow. SOS
yo'll know dat yo's free"
She took it gingerly between her
thumb and foretinger. Ben suddenly
let go.
"Dah, now" he said; "yo' keep dat
decyment: It's yo's. Keep it undah
yo' own 'sponsibility."
mo, no. Benz" she cried. 81 jes'
can't"
"Yo' mus OATS de way to git used
to bein' free. Whenevah yo' looks at
yo'se'f nm feels LAX yo' ain no diff'ent
f'om whit yo' been yo' TEX dat papah
out an look at 1t an say to yo'se'f,
Dat means freedom"
Carefully, reverently, silently, Whey
put the paper in her bosom.
Now, de mex ting TO me to do is to
sit out to git one of dem papahs fo' my
se'f. It'll be err long try, cause can't
buy mine SO cheap as got yo's, do de
Lawd knows why er great big ole hunk
lax me should cos more'n err precious
mossell lax yo''
ITS because dey's SO much of yo'.
Ben, an evah bit of yo's wuff its
weight in gol'."
"Heish. chile! Dom put my valy SO
high, or I'll be twell Judgment day
,a-payin' 1t off,"
So Ben went forth to battle for his
own freedom. undaunted by the task
before him. while Whey took cnre OF
the cabin. doing what she could out
side. Armed with her new dignity. she
insisted upon her friends recognizing
the change in her condition
Thus when Mandy so far forgot her.
self as TO address her rs Whey Ray
mond the new free woman's head went
up. and she said with whitening en-
phasis:
Mis- Whey Allen. If yo' pleasew
Whey Allen" exclaimed her visitor.
"Huccum yo's vincy Allen now?'
"'Cansc don belong to de Ray
monds no mo-, an kin TEX my own
name now"
"sen longs to de Raymonds, an his
name Ben Raymond, an yo his wife.
How yo' git erroun' dat. Mis- Whey
AlIen?"
"Ben's name goin' to be Mistah Allen
soons lie gifts his free papahs."
"oomph! Yo' done gone now! Yo'
naik SO stiff yo' can't badly BEN it.
dom see how dat papah mex slch er
change in anybody's actions. Yo' face
ain got no whitah."
mo. but I'ze free. an I kin do as X