Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-12-23
DAILY SHORT STORY
A CHRISTMAS EPISODE.

I1g0t snow EeSteu Oh Tue IuOSS uduSiuS
from the trees, and there was thin ice
on the pools. A young girl driving a
pony cart was coming down a road
and stopped before a cabin. A negro
woman, followed by a pickaninny four
years old, came out to where the cart
stood.
"Clarisse" said the girl, has your
missis said anything about what she
is going to do for you In the way of a
Christmas dinner"
NO, Missile Alice. she hain't said
nothin' bout dat. But me and my ole
man don keer bout no Christmas din
ner. We got a heap o trouble" She
drew near the cart and spoke low.
| while tears filled her eyes. Mars
goin' to sell Bobby"
Sell Bobby! Separate you from him
Surely, Clarisse, such thing hasn't
been done about here since She stop
ped. She was about to say since a
slave mother had killed herself after
separation from her child
Miss Alice Sinclair made an effort to
comfort the mother, but there was no
comfort. She knew that old DufOur,
who owned this family. would sacrifice
them To his own interest.
"Goodby. Clarisse." she said touch
ing her pony with the whip. God help
you
On Christmas morning q servant
from the Dufour mansion came to
Clarisse's cabin with an order for her
| and her husband to come up to the
house and bring Bobby. AS soon as
| rIar heard tho 60 ohio foil
over in a swoon. JEFF, her husband.
caught her in his arms.
Don, honey; dom do dat. We got
each udder, and mebbe Bobby won
hab tn 90 out O. de state. Wake up,
| honey"
CIarisse revived, but only to clasp
her boy. vowing that she and he should
die rather than he separated. But her
good man finally prevailed and she
consented to go to their master. AT
the house. assembled in the great hall
way. were IA number of the planters
and members of their families, includ-
ing Colonel Sinclair and his daughter
Alice. Dufour stood with his back to
the fireplace, while apart sat an I'M
attractive mana trader. Even those
| who used a dealer in negroes looked
down upon him.
Tomorrow. said Dufour in Il surly
| tone, Il have note TO pay of $500.
Mr.. Millikin, here from Savannah, Of
fers me the amount of my note for the
| boy IL any one present can afford
to buy the whole family I'll sell them
cheaper than / would separate. or to a
trader
| There was no response. 1t would
have required between 5000 and
81. 500 to buy the family, and the plant
ers In the parish were all struggling
! against slump in the price Of sugar.
| We'll. my friends continued Du-
four, "since you don't come forward
1 see no way but to carry out the sale
of the child. Mr.. Millikin. your offer
| is
| Zone moment, please"
The words came from Colonel Sin
clair. an elderly gentleman Of benign
| countenance, who rose as he spoke.
My friends" he said, my daughter
informed me of this sale. and notified
you This is Christmas morning
There are two ways of celebrating the
birth OF him who brought peace on
earth and good Will to men'-one In our
own families the other I'm the families
| Of the needy. We have already this
morning been occupied with the first
Here Is an opportunity to engage in the
second. I propose that we buy this
child and give him as a Christmas
present to his parents. / will head a
subscription for the purpose with $50"
| Colonel Sinclair" said a gentleman
sitting next to him, 81 will subscribe
an equal amount
| The slave parents caught the drift OF
the situation and listened eagerly fol
every word. There were no more fifty
dollar subscriptions, but the smaller
ones. including SIS from Alice Sinclair
given out OF her pin money, finally
| raised the amount subscribed to $3.50
! Every one present felt that he had sub
scribed more than he could afford. Du
four, who regarded the whole affair az
an interference with his rights. stood
grimly waiting: the negro trader was
fumbiing with his hat; the father and
mother of the child. who We're uncon
scious OF his and their peril, looked or
with an agonized suspense. Then AL
Il
"Mr Dufour. Will you not give some
thing" 'ia
| Dufour scowled. II must have $4O(
tomorrow Less will not serve" hs
said.
Then tie negro trader arose anc
spoke: Il know nothin' is expected
from me. u niger trader. I'm used Il
buyin' into families. and I've nothin
TO do with other families as long as
must take care of my own. Its my
own family that moves me now. Las
summer me and my wife had boy. W.
hain't got him now. We hain't got any
children at all. ] come away from
home on this trip a-purpose to git rio
| OF Christmas / wouldn't be there fol
no money. seem my boy can't be there
too. tell you what I'm goin' to do
Ny boy that's gone TO heaven gives ~
IN MAKE mn the amount TO buy thu