The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-02-13
UNCLE NOAH'S FREEDOM
A COIN STOR '
sy cLARissA MAckiE.

Hessa as she tossed smoking sectlol
OF hoecake on 10 her husbands plate.
II Uncle Noah sighed and shook hi
white. woolly head. 81 dunno. Hessa
Somehow | CAN'T git de right inspira
ton TO 'proach de Luunel on dat sub
jec'."
Den / specs is got 10 go alone
De norf is n col place In winter. I've
been hearin'. an it'll be mighty lone
some for dis niger woman widout her
husband erlong, but mebbe III cotcl
de brownkitts er somethin er ruther
an die. DO yoh reckon dey buries po'
ded Niger folkses up dere, Noah?"
Hessa's voice ended in plaintive
moan.
| Noah shivered. "Of co'se dey buries
eberybody. old woman. only what's de
use Of goin' il yoh's so suah You'll die?
What's de matter wild Virginny for
awhileT'
The old man almost ducked under the
table AZ the flaming wrath in Hessa's
eyes. She pointed a scornful finger at
him.
4 II knowed It'll knowed IL. You'd
ruther stay heah in slavery den TO 90
norf an be free an earn sights of
munney an some day be ridin in yoh
own kerridge. Dey's big wages fob
black folkses up dere. an I'm goin'
alone tomorrer ef yoh's too chicken liv-
cred 10 come erlong too"
I'D like TO GO nightly, Hess, only
dunno whut de kunnel an ole miss
will do widout us" protested Noah
! weakly. Now, de kunne has only one
arm left
"Shucks"' exploded Aunt Hessa i'm
patiently. and forthwith she proceeded
10 convince her wavering husband that,
although they had both been born and
raised on Colonel Partidge's plantation
and had lived happily all through the
years of kind masters supervision,
now that President Lincoln had pro-
claimed that all slaves should he eman-
cipated on and after the 1st day Of
January, 1868. il was their bounden
duty to take advantage of the liberty
that had come 10 them and hasten
northward to the land of plenty of
money.
All the other slaves on the Partridge
plantation had run away during the
coloners absence on the battlefield.
Only Uncle Noah, the family butler
and Hessa, the cook. had remained
faithful. But relatives who were pre-
pairing to take advantage Of their new
ly acquired freedom were working upon
Hessa's feelings.
Colonel Partridge and his wife sat In
the small study adjoining the sitting
room. 1t was Il warmer room and more
easily heated by the pine logs I'm the
wide fireplace. Outside II was crisp
and cold, with light fall of snow on
the ground. Within the study IL was
warm and coy and comfortable
There was crimson glow over the
polished mahogany tables and chairs
and over the rows OF books on the
shelves. The heavy damask curtains
and table covers had vanished. They
were serving as blankets for soldiers In
the Confederate army.
What are you thinking about. Rich
ard?" asked Mrs. Partridge after awhile
She was knitting WOODEN socks for the
soldiers. and her delicate white fingers
worked ms willingly as they had ever
done on dainty embroidery. She was
a woman past middle age. and the
strenuous time she was passing
through was leaving It's blighting i'm
print upon her. She hrd sent three
sons to the war and had received them
back again-to be buried In the family
tomb. Her husband had gone forth
strong and hale and vigorous. and he
had come back minus one arm and
quite broken In health. with old age
pressing heavily upon his grief smitten
heart. With the desertion of his slaves
the revenue from his plantation dwin-
died to n mere pittance.
Ii Uncle Noah and his wife had not
remained faithful it would have gone
hard with the Partidges. The old but
Ter had not scorned to become man OF
all work about the place. and In add
ton to the little vegetable garden he
maintained there had been one COW
salvaged from the large herd that once
grazed on the pastures.
What are you thinking OF. dearf'
asked Mrs. Partridge after awhile.
The colonel looked up from his sad
contemplation of the Kissing fire.
81 was wondering what we would
do IL Noah and Hessa should decide to
go away" he answered quietly.
"Oh, Richard. have they spoken to
you?" Mrs. Partidge's gray eyes filed
with tears.
He shook his head. NO. but Blythe
says that nine of his negroes are going
tomorrow. and one of them told him
that our Hessa and Noah We're going
too"
"Without word to MS? Richard,
hardly think they would do It," falter
ed his wife.
"It Is their right. Catherine. Perhaps
they are afraid to speak to me.
wish they would go openly. | want
to give them something for new
start In life. They are old. Catherine.
Just as we are. but they are rs inno.
cant children I'm the facp of the world