The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-02-13


door Intel and rolled her dark eyes at
Colonel Partridge.
} "Scuse me. Marse Kunnel." she
said hurredly. "but tomorrow am de
day when Marsc Linkum pernOunces
all niggers free and ekwill-and- Noah
and me am gOin' norfr She hid her
face In her apron. and there was a
convulsive movement Of her fat shout
ders
ado you want to so, Hessa?" asked
the colonel quietly.
I'VE gotta go ole marse"' she wall
ed. Yves free. an we gotta go. Dey's
all goin' tomorrer mohnin'."
VERY well, Hessa, Wait a minute.
please"
Colonel Partridge opened drawer
in the mahogany desk and drew out
canvas bag. He emptied its contents
on the table. and Hessas eyes snap
ped at the pile of gold pieces.
| The colonel carefully counted the
gold into two piles and. gathering one
into heap. tossed IL into the canvas
bag and knotted the string around it,
! "Hessa. here is Il sum of money for
you and Noah. II is half of what |
have got. Take good care of it. be-
cause you will meet many dishonest
people who will try to take it away
from you. You have both been faith
full servants Nay, you have been
friends TO me and my family. Nay,
even more than that, IIesSa-you have
| been one Of us. If there is anything
we can do. II there is anything you
want TO make you comfortable, let us
know. Come and bid us goodby be-
fore you go" The colonels voice
broke queerly.
Hessa was standing there staring
from master To mistress. The bag or
gold pieces hung Imply from her hand.
She looked frightened. but some pur-
pose within impelled her to go on.
us mighty sorry. but ives gotta
go. is cooked up sight OF vittels,
Miss Catherine. Dey's col ham an
TO pies an n big fruit cake. an Noah
he's toted all de wood inter de cellar
an filed all de wood boxes amer
Hessa suddenly vanished. and pres
emily they heard the outer door close
loudly.
They did not look at each other after
that. The blow had fallen.
The great clock in the hall chimed.
8 and o and 10 and IL. The colonel
sat with his eyes fixed on book, but
not once during the hours did the
turning of n leaf break the silence.
Mrs. Partridge knitted increasingly,
only pausing to unravel her work and
reknit the skipped stitches.
Just after midnight there was the
noisy rattle of wagon wheels on the
highway, accompanied by negro voices
lifted in song and excited chatter. 1t
was undoubtedly the freed negroes on
their way north. and they were going
to stop for Hessa and Noah. There
must have been several box wagons,
for there was a din of confusion out.
side the Partridge gates. Then there
came loud talk from the negro quar-
tiers, and the colonel and his wife
heard Hessa's commanding tones rails
cd above the tumult
After awhile the wagons went away,
and all sound ceased Even the neg
lected fire had dwinded into sound
less breaking embers. and the candles
were burning low. Ii seemed rs
though an end had come to everything.
"Catherine"' said the colonel kindly.
Richard" Her voice trembled AS
their eyes met. Her hands flew up to
her face, and her tears fell unrestrained
The colonel knelt beside her. his one
arm around her slender shoulders.
'They were all we had left that made
IL seem like old times" she sobbed.
81 know, know" he soothed gently.
1t was some time before they looked
up to see in the dying candlelight Hes
sa's great bulk in the doorway. over
her shoulder peered Noah's rolling eyes
"Ah. Hessa. you have come to say
goodbye" said the colonel. lifting his
frail wife to her feet and leading her
to the emancipated slaves.
"No no, Marse Kunnel; we come ter
say 'Howdy' all over agin, Huccomc
dem niggers stopped heah. but Noah
an me we couldn't go away an leabe
yoh an Miss Catherine!'
dis am all de home we got in de
WORT. Dere won't any place cher look
jes' lax dis yere one" sobbed Noah,
sinking to his knees beside Hessa and
laying the bag of gold at the colonel's
feet.
"I.guess dat Marse Abe Linkum didn't
mean us niggers to break our hearts
goin' norf, so guess he won't care
SOS Yves happy. Noah. yoh lazy ole
niger. yoh mend de fab an make a
blaze In de bedchamber while | gifts
mob candles an makes milk punch.
I declare Of 1t amt tomorrer mornin
already" Hessa scolded everybody
back into smiles once more.
AS they went to their cabin after be-
loved master and mistress were abed
and sleeping Noah pinched his wlfe's
fat arm.
"Ole woman, yoh's free! Does yoh
feel any diffe'nt?' he demanded doubt
fully. His own face beamed content.
ment.
Hessa shook her arm free. "Oh. 90
erlong, do. Noah. Whit time | got To
be tinkin erbOut foolishness when I