Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1912-12-05
The Redemptioner
A Story of American Colo
NAL Times.
By F. A. Mitchell

by a lass to her stepmother In sea.
port town in England. The family t,
which She belonged was large and
Its income small. rich man strick-
en- in years had taken a fancy 10 the
girl, and in those days children were
not expected to refuse to marry one
whom their parents provided for them
Anne Yeomans spoke the words with n
hot cheek and flashing eye and ut the
same time flung herself out of the
house and down the street
Now. don't you go and do anything
foolish" her stepmother called after
her, but she paid no attention to the
warning. moving on rapidly, as if her
only hope to get away from the hated
connection was to put space between
her and her home.
The town was built on side hill
and overlooked the harbor. A brisk
wind was blowing, and below ships at
anchor were rocking. the sails of one
pointing to windward tapping ready to
make sail
whittier away. my lass?" came Il
!
laid upon her arm
I'm running away" cried Anne pas
slonately. They're going to make me
marry an ugly old man that hate
and l won't
And where are you going?" asked
the woman
How do | know where Pm going
{ 'cinpa | ,NIo
The woman soothed her. won her
confidence and finally said to her
There's fine opportunity for such
maid as you to go across the sea to
the new country they call Virginia
Once out on the water you will leave
your stepmother and the old man they
intend to force you to marry, and
doubtless among the sturdy young men
of jamestown you will find husband
worthy of you. Why. not long ago a
shpload of young women were sent
over there. and all were married at
once and each to the man of her choice
DO you see that ship down in the har
Dor? She sails this afternoon for the
new country, and If you like you can
60 on her"
ALAS. | have no money to pay the
passage"
81 can arrange that for you. You
can go as redemptioner."
whats that" asked the girl.
You contract to work out your pas
sage money after you get to Virginia,
l will pay the amount to the captain
of the ship. who will see that you get
good mistress when you reach James
town. After you have earned the
money that has been spent for your
taking over you will be free to do as
you like"
! And Is the work hard?"
mot at all In summer you will
have to work but five days and a half,
and for two months. when the sun is
in the highest pitch of his heat, you
will be permitted to repose yourself
three hours in the day. In winter
there is little for the women to do but
build fires"
! The woman. dominating the girl. was
meanwhile leading her on. directing
her steps toward a dock. Anne suffer
ing herself to be led without resist
ance. When they reached the verge
the woman waved to the ship in the
offing, and boat was sent ashore.
I've u redemptioner for you," said
the woman. Here are 20 guineas for
the passage money, and see that the
captain returns them with goodly
profit"
Whereupon the men In the boat beck,
oned Anne to get in with them, and
when she drew back two of them got
out, and, one taking her by each arm,
they forced her into the boat, she not
being decided whether to go with them
willingly But it was now too late, for
she had fallen into the hands of those
who We're looking out for persons to
take to the American colony TO sell
into bondage.
So Anne was rowed to the ship and
placed below deck with others. some
of whom had been kidnapped for the
same purpose as she. There were also
persons who had been sentenced for
crime. the penalty having been chang
ed to transportation to Virginia One
of these was a woman who had been
sentenced to death for stealing 3s. Cd,
For forty days the little craft which
bore this human cargo destined for
semlslavery breasted the Atlantic's
huge pillows. finally turning her prov
into Chesapeake bay. passing the spot
on which now stands Fort Monroe,
through Hampton Roads. two centuries
later destined to be the scene of the
famous fight between the Monitor and
Merrimac. which changed the battle
ships of the world from wood TO steel,
then moving on up the yellow waters
of the James river. she cast anchor
opposite the settlement of jamestown.
A crowd of hungry looking men and
women stood on the shore gaping at
the newly arrived ship They looked
solitary and the place looked solitary.
There were houses making up some
thing that resembled town. but these
looked solitary too A church had been