Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-12-30

and mothers and grandfathers before
them had been Raymonds. The youn-
ger element was greatly amused and
took no end of pleasure in repeating
the new name or addressing each other
by fantastic cognomen. viney's pop
ularity did not increase.
Some rumors of this state of things
drlfted to Ben's ears, and he questioned
his wife about them. She admitted
what she had done.
But, Whey" said Ben, "Raymond's
good enough name fo' me-"
"Don' yo' see, Ben" she answered,
dat I dom belong to de Raylhonds no
mo-, so ain Whey Raymond. Ain
yo' goin change when yo' git free?"
Il don know. talk about dat when
Pc free, an freedoms err mighty long.
weary way Off yet"
"Evahbody OATS free has dey own
name, an ain nevah goin' feel frees
long us PIE a-totin' aroun' de Ray
monds' name."
swell, change. den." said Ben, "but
wait ontwell kin change wild yo'."
Whey tossed her head, and that night
she took out her free papers and stud
led them long and carefully.
She was inccnsed ut her friends that
they would not pay her the homage
that she felt was due her. She was in
censed at Ben because he would not
enter into her feelings about the mat
ter. She brooded upon her fancied in
juries, and when chance for revenge
came she seized upon it eagerly.
There We're two or three free negro
families in the vicinity of the Raymond
place, but there had been no inter-
course between them and the neigh
boring slaves. 1t was to these people
that .Viney now turned in anger
against her own friends 1t first
amounted to few visits back and
forth. and then, either because the as
ISOLATION became more intimate or be-
cause she was instigated to it by her
new companions. she refused to have
anything more to do with the Ray
mond servants. Boldly and without
concealinent she slut the door in
Mandy's face. and. hearing of this,
few of the others gave her similar
chance.
Ben demonstrated with her. and she
answered him:
mo. sub. ain goin' ISOLATE wild
slaves, I'Ze free!"
"But yo' cuttin' out 20 own hus-
ban'."
Oats diff'ent I'ze jined to my hus-
ban'," and, then petulantiy, II do wish
yo'd hu'y up an git yo' free papahs,
Ben"
"Dey'll be err long time COMM" he
said, "yeahs f'om now. Mebbe I'd bet
tab got mine fust."
She looked up at him with a quick,
suspicious glance. When she was alone
again she took her papers and care
fully hid them.
"I'ze Free" she whispered to herself,
can dom expec' to nevah be slave
no mo-"
She was further excited by one Of
the free families with which she had
been associated moving north. The
emisrants had painted glowing pic
were going. and now Viney's only talk
in the evening was of the glories of
the north. Ben would listen TO her un-
"Yo' ought to go nnwth when yo' gifts
yo' papahs."
Then The had answered her. with
kindling eyes:
mo, won't go nawth! | was bon
an raised in de souf, an in de souf /
stay ontwell ! die. Eff have to go
nawth to injoy my freedom won't
have it. I'll quit wokin' 70 it."
Ben was positive, but he felt uneasy,
and the next day he told his master of
the whole matter, and Mr.. Raymond
went down to talk to Whey.
She met him with Il determination
that surprised and angered him. To
everything he said to her she made
but one answer, PIE got my free pa
pahs, am PZe goin' nawth."
Finally her former muster left her
with the remark:
"Well, ! don't care where you go,
but I'm sorry for Ben. He was fool
for working for you. You don't half
deserve such a man."
II won have him longr' she flung
after him. with laugh.
The opposition with which she had
met seemed to have made her more
obstinate, and in spite of all Ben could
do she began to make preparations to
leave him. The money for the chick
ems and eggs had been growing and
was to have gone toward her hus-
bands ransom. but she finally sold all
her laying hens to increase the amount.
Then she calmly announced to her hus-
band:
"l'ze got money enough an I'zc goin'
nawth next week. Yo' kin stay down
hycah an be err slave eff yo' want to.
but I'ze goin' nawth."
Even eff. wanted to go nawth you
know ! ain half paid out yit"
well, can hep it, can spen' all
de bes' pat of my life down hycah.
where dey ain no 'vantages."
81 reckon dey's 'vnntages everywhah
TO anybody dat wants to wu'k."
Eyes. but what kin of wages does
yo' git? Why. de .Iohnsons say dey
had er lettali f'op Miss Sniff, an dey's
gettin' long fine in de nawth."
"De Jolinsons ain gwine?"
Isl Johnson u.s.
Then the woman stopped suddenly.
"Oh, it's 81 johnson? HUH"
He ain goin' wild me. He's jes'
goin' to see dat | git stated right aft
ah git tllal."
Its 81 Johnsony" he repeated.
"Tain't." said the woman. ITS
freedom"
Ben got up and went out of the
cabin
"Men's so 'spicious." she said. q
ain goin' nawth cause SIS goln'.
aim"
When Mr.. Raymond found out how
matters were really going lie went to
Ben where lie was ut work in the field.