Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1913-12-23

| sffH. ne HGtitG. when ne u2G tOlC that Un Christmas .he new owner ot
 Billy would arrive to take the boy | away. "tEis ;,fe;iks nly heart | Mars Arthur. g;iSped sam. "l for give you. but wouldn't forgive nc t:dder nlarster in de worl'.'' 1 Adelia St Clair learned the secret that her husband could not force him self to tell her from the boys mother who. frantic with grief. went to her tc entreat her to do something to save her | from being separated from her boy Tbe blow was almost as severe upon l the mistress as upon the slave. But l she kept her head and sent Susan away assuring her that if there was anything she could do to prevent the calamity | she would do it. but, knowing her hus. 1 bands fnanrial straits, she could give no hope.
 As soon as Sue had departed Mrs. St | Clair sent for her husband. The GUS tom of gambling was so prevalen! 1 among the planters of that day tha! she did not reproach him. She could not but recognize that he had been wenk to risk the happiness of fam. lily whom both he and she considered committed to their charge by Provi sdeDce, but she knew nothing was to be gained by holding up to him his sin and she knew he suffered keenly for | what he had done. She began at once 1 to confer with him upon some plan by | which a sum might be raised to buy back the boy. In vain they went over everything they possessed that could | possibly beAnortgaged. All such prop erty had been mortgaged already. Be. sides. there was no time to negotiate New Orleans was the nearest place | where such q matter could be attended 1 to. and to go there. make loan and return would require several days. Sam came in just as they had agreed that nothing could be done to save his boy to him. He looked anxiously from one to the other to see if there was any hope. St. Clair nodded to his wife to speak for both
 There is no time in which to pre- ] vent the separation." she said. Your master has received message that Billy will be called for tomorrow We can only promise that if we can keep q Knowledge of Billy's future where afonts we will buy him back if it | should be possible.' There was no comfort in this for i Sam. He knew his masters proneness fo drift financially and believed that he would get deeper and deeper in l Ieht. With q moan he turned away to impart the sad tidings to his wife. q. | The news that little Billy had been sold and was to be taken away on Christmas morning cast gloom over all, white and black. on the plantation.
 'Dis won't be no Christmas at all. ; said one.
 "Wha' mars go sell Billy fo' to go way on Chris'mas? He ought to had mo sense tl.Yn daE" said another.
 "Yo' shet I'D. nigga" said third. Mars wouldn't a, done dat if he hadn't had to done it.
 These criticisms. though plentiful l among the negroes. were not mingled | with much blame. They all knew their master and. had perfect conf dence in his intentions
 As soon as St. Clair had finished hls breakfast-a cup. of coffee--he left the plantation in order to avoid being pres cnt at Billy's departure. About 10 o'clock house servant announced to Mrs. St Clair that man. had come for Billy. Mrs. St. Clair went to a jewel box. where she found the re- mains of her jewels that had not been pledged. Taking mental inventory of them. she could not possibly make out their total worth at over $500. She sighed at not being able to find anything more.
 Taking the remnant of a property that had been fin her family for many l generations. she went downstairs. She
 was surprised to find q well dressed | man. not at all like one who might have been sent for negro boy. He rose deferentially as she entered.
 "I am surprised" she said. ''at see- ing n gentleman Are you the owner of the boy you have come for?'
 "Yes. madam"
 May ask who you are?" she added curiously.
 "A gambler. madam"
 "A gambler?"
 "Yes. madam. am the gentleman who won the boy from yonr husband"
 This looked hopeful Mrs St. Clair produced her jewels and was begin ming speech as to their value when the man interrupted her.
 "Is your husband at home madam?"
 "No. expect he went away to get rid of seeing this poor family lose their treasure"
 "l did not nosee. madam. when l took bill of sale from your husband that the property was to be delivered on Christmas day l have come my self to see Mir. St. Clair to impress <npon him the folly of playing cards for money with professional gambler.
 found him an easy prey" Taking out a wallet. he handed the lady a roll of bills and paper. then added "There is the amount, madam. I won