The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1913-05-24
UNCLE NOAh'S
FREEDOM
"A Lincoln Day
Story
BY cLARIssA MAckIB

"Huccome yoh amt said nuiiin to ole
marse about itY' demanded Aunt
Hessa as she tossed smokjn. section
Of hoecake on to her husbands plate.
Uncle Noah sighed and shook his
white. woolly head. ~ dunno. Hessa.
Somehow cnin't git de right inspira.
ton to 'proach de kuunel on dat sub
jec'."
"Den I specs Is 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 erlonR. but mebbe I'll cotch
de brownkitts er somethin' er ruther
an die! Do yoh reckon dey buries po'
ded niger folkses up dere. Noahr'
Hessa's voice ended In . plainttve
moan.
Noah shivered. OF co'se dey buries
eberybody. old woman. only what's de
use of goin' II yoh's 10 suah yoh'll diet
Whats 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.
~ knowed it, knowed it! Yoh'd
ruther stay heah in slavery den to 60
norf an be free an earn sights Of
munney an some day be ridir' 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 to come erlong toow ~
I'D like to go nightly, Hess. only !
dunno whut de kunnel an ole miss
will do widout u.s." protested Noah
weakly. Now. de kunnel has only one
arm LETT
"Shuckst' 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 oil slaves should be eman-
cipated on and after the LIST day Of
January. 1868. 1t was their bounden
duty to tnke 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
colonel's 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
~ 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 1t was
warm and coy and comfortable.
There was a crimson glow over the
polished mahogany tables and chairs
and over the roas of books on the
shelves. The heavy damask curtains
and table covers had vanished. They
were serving az 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 az 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
hack again-to be buried in the family
tomb. Her husband had gone forth
strong and hale and vigorous, and be
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 mere pIttance.
II Uncle Noah and his wife had not
remained faithful 1t 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.
tion to the little vegetable garden he
maintained there had been one COW
salvaged from the large herd that once
graxed 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.
II was wondering what We would
DO II Noah and Hessa should decide to
60 away" he answered quietly.
"oh. Richard. have they spoken to
your Mrs. Pnrtidge's gray eyes filled
with tears.
He shook his head. mo. but Blythe
says that nine Of his negroes are COINS
tomorrow. and. one of them told hin
that our Hessa and Noah were goini
too"
without a word to us7 Richard.
hardly think they would do it." falter
- hIs S,IfA