The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1913-06-19

Oh heSSd eFTduu. IL had come a
last-the tiual blow-the desertion o.
these two faithful retaIners.
Come In. Hessa." said Mrs Par
tidge gently.
Hessa leaned for support against th,
door Intel and rolled her dark eyes Al
Colonel Partridge
"Scuse me, Marse KunneL" she
said hurriedly. but tomorrow am dt
day when Marse Lnkum pernounces
all niggers free and ekwill-and-Noah
and me am goin' norfr' She hid her
face I'm her apron. and there was a
eonvulsive movement OF her fat shoul.
ders
DO you want to 60, HessaY asked
the colonel quietly.
I'VE gotta go, ole marseF' she wall.
ed yves free, an we gotta go. Dey's
all goin' tomorrer mohnln'."
Very we'll. Hessa. Wait a minute.
! please"
Colonel Partridge opened n drawer
In the mahogany desk and drew out
canvas bag. He emptied its contents
on the table, and Hessa's eyes snap
ped at the pile of gold pieces.
The colonel carefully counted the
gold into two piles and. gathering one
into a heap. tossed II into the canvas
bag and knotted the string around It.
"Hessa, here Is a sum Of money for
you and Noah. 1t is half OF what |
have got. Take good care OF 1t, be.
cause you Will meet many dishonest
people who will try to take It away
from you. You have both been faith.
ful servants Nay, you have been
friends to me and my family. Nay,
even more than that, Hessa-you have
been one Of us. II there is anything
We can, do, II there is anything you
want to make you comfortab Bile. let us
know. Come and bid us goodby be-
fore you 60" The colonel's voice
broke queerly.
Hessa was standing there staring
from master to mistress. The bag of
gold pieces hung Imply from her hand.
She looked frightened, but some pur.
pose within impelled her to go on.
rs mighty sorry, but we's gotta
go. Is cooked up sight of vittels,
Miss Catherine. Dey's a cor ham an
TO- pies an big fruit cake, an Noah
he's toted all de wood inter de cellar
an filled all de wood boxes an'-er'-
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 8 and 10 and IL. The colonel
sat with bis eyes fixed on a book. but
not once during the hours did the
turning Of 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. II
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 din Of confusion out.
side the Partridge gates. Then there
came loud talk from the negro quar-.
ters. and the colonei and his wife
heard Hessa's commanding tones rails
ed above the tumult.
After awhile the wagons went away.
and all sound ceased Even the neg
ected fire had dwindled into sound
ess breaking embers, and the candles
we're burning low. II seemed as
.hough an end had come to everything.
Catherine said the colonel kindly.
"RichardP Her voice trembled as
heir eyes met Her hands flew up to
Ter face, and her tears fell unrestrained
The colonel knelt beside her, his one
lrm around her slender shoulders.
They were all we had left that made
{ seem like old times" she sobbed
u know, | know" he soothed gently.
1t was some time before they looked
ID to see In the dying candlelight Hes.
as great bulk In the doorway. Over
er shoulder peered Noah's rolling eyes
"Ah. Hessa, you have come to say
oodbyf" said the colonel, lifting his
rail- wife to her feet and leading her
the emancipated slaves.
mo. no, Marse Kunnel; we come ter
ay 'Howdy' all over aginl Huccome
EN- niggers stopped heah, but Noah
n me we couldn't go away an leabe
oh an Miss Catherinelr
dis am all de home we got in de
'orf. Dere won't any place eber look
IS lax dis yere one" sobbed Noah,
mixing to his knees beside Hessa and
lying the bag Of gold at the colonel's
eet
Il guess dat Marse Abe Linkum didn't
Iean US niggers to break our hearts
DIN norf, so l guess he won't care
IS we's happy. Noah, yoh lazy ole
Igger. yoh mend de Cab an make a
aze In de bedehamber while / gits
oh candles an makes a milk punch.
declare ef 1t amt tomorrer mornin'
readyF' Hessa scolded everybody
lck into smiles once more.
As they went to their cabin after be- :
we'd master and mistress were abed
Id sleeping Noah pinched bis wife's n
t arm III
ole woman, yoh's freel Does yoh III
ell any diffe'ntl" he demanded doubt. II
lily His own face beamed content. IL
ent. Hi
Hessa shook her arm frees "Oh, go III
long. do. Noah! Whut time got to HI
t'inkin' erbout foolishness when I III
lnno ef dere's any eggs TO waffies In III
mohnin'7" Ill