The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1913-02-04
UNCLE NOAH S
FREEDOM
A Lincoln Day
Story
By cLARIssA MAcKIE


"Huccome yoh amt said muffin to ole
marse about itY' demanded Aunt
Hessa as she tossed a smoking section
Of hoscake on to her husbands plate.
Uncle Noah sighed and shook his
white, woolly head. q dunno, Hessa.
Somehow l CANT git de right inspira-
ton to 'proach de kunnel on dat sub
jec'."
Den 1 specs rs got to go alone.
De norf is a 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 I'll cotch
de brownkitts er somethin' er ruther
an die! Do yoh reckon dey buries POI
ded Niger folkses up dere, NoahT
Hessa's voice ended in a plaintive
moan.
Noah shivered. of co'se dey buries
eberybody. old woman. only what's de
use of goin' if yoh's so suah You'll die?
What's de matter wild Virginny for
awhileY'
The old man almost ducked under the
table at the flaming wrath in Hessa's
eyes She pointed scornful finger at
him
81 knowed It'll knowed 1t! You'd
ruther stay heah in slavery den to go
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 Pm goin'
alone tomorrer eff yoh's too chicken hv-
cred to come erlong toov'
"I'd like to go nightly, Hess, only l
dunno whut de kunnel an ole miss
will do widout u.s." protested Noah
weakly. NOW, de kunnel has only one
arm left
"Shucksp' exploded Aunt Hessa i'm
patiently, and forthwith she proceeded
to 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 be eman-
cipated on and after the 1st day of
January, 1853. 1t was their bounden
duty to take advantage of the liberty
that had come to them and hasten
northward to the land Of plenty of
money.
All the other slaves on the Partridge
plantation had run away during the
cOlonePs 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 warmer room and more
easily heated by the pine logs in the
wide fireplace Outside 1t was crisp
and cold. with light fall of snow on
the ground. Within the study it 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
ardT asked Mrs. Partridge after awhile
She was knitting wooden socks for the
soldiers, and her delicate white fingers
worked as willingly as they had ever
done on dainty embroidery. She was
woman past middle age, and the
strenuous time she was passing
through was leaving its blighting i'm
print upon her. She had 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 sdwin-
uleQ TO mere plttance.
If 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
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, dearY
asked Mrs. Partridge after awhile.
The colonel looked up from his sad
contemplation of the kissing fire.
Il was wondering what we would
do if Noah and Hessa should decide to
70 away" he answered quietly.
"Oh, Richard, have they spoken to
your" Mrs. Partidge's gray eyes filed
with tears
He shook his head mo, 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 US? Richard,
hardly think they would do it." falter-
ed his wife.
ut is their right. Catherine Perhaps
they are afraid to speak to me-
wish they would go openly. l want
TO give them something for a new
start In life. They are old. Catherine.
just as we are. but they are as inno-
cent children in the face of the world
they will meet But The colonel
bowed his white head and covered his
eyes with his hand.
There was heavy shutting step in
the hall, and the two looked up to see
Hessa's numbering form filling the
doorway. Her black fingers nervously
smoothed the crisp folds of her white
apron, and the snow turban that sur
mounted her dusky face shook tremu-
lousy.
Something In the old servants atti-
tude-something in the frightened I'M
certainty of her round face-reyealed
to the colonel and his wife the nature
of Hessa's errand. 1t had come at
last-the final blow-the desertion of
these two faithful retainers.
Come in, Hessa," said Mrs. Par
tidge gently.
Hessa leaned for support against the
door Intel and rolled her dark eyes at
Colonel Partridge.
"Scuse me, Marse Kunnel," she
said hurriedly, but tomorrow am de
day when Marse Llnkum pernounces
all niggers free and ekwill-and-Noa
and me am goin' norfw She hid her
face In her apron, and there was a
convulsiye movement of her fat shout
ders.