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UNCLE NOAH’S
FREEDOM
. A Lincoln “Day
Story
By CLARISSA MACKIG
"Huccoma yoh ain’t laid nuffln to oje
tsaraa about it?” demanded Aunt
Heaia aa aba tossed a smoking section
et boecake on to her husband’s plate.
Uncle Noah sighed and shook his
white, woolly head. “I dunno, Hessa.
Somehow I cnln't git da right lnsplra.
Con to ’preach da kuunel on dat sub-
Jac’.’’
fDan I specs I’s got to go alone.
Deinorf la a col’ place In winter, I’re
bean , heatin’, an’ It'll be mighty lone
some for dls nigger woman jvldout her
husband erlong, but mebbe I’ll cotch
da brownkltta er somethin' er rather
an’ dlel Do yoh reckon dey buries po’
dad nigger folkses up dere, Noah?"
Hessa’s voice ended In a plaintive
moan.
Noah shivered. "Of co'se dey buries
abarybody, old woman, only what's de
use of goto’ If yoh’s so suab yoh'lLdlel
.What's de matter wld Ylrglnny tor
awhile?”
The old man almost ducked under the
table at the darning wrath In Hessa’s
•yea She pointed a'scornful finger at
him
“I knowed It—I knowed It! Soh’d
rather stay heoh In slavery den to go
norf an’ be free an' earn sights of
munney an’ some day be tidin' In yoh
own kerrldge. Dey's big., wages fob
black folkses up dere, an’ I’m goln’
dona tomorrer et yoh’s too chicken llv-
ered to come erlong tool”
‘I'd like to go mightily, Hess, only 1
dunno whut de kunnel an’ ole miss
will do wldoot' us,” protested Noah
* weakly. “Now, de kunnel has only one
arm left”—
"Shucks I” exploded Aunt Hessa im
patiently, and forthwith she proceeded
to convince her wavering husband that,
although they had both been bom and
raised on Colonel Parttogo’s plantation
and had lived happily all through the
years of a kind master’s supervision,
now that President Lincoln had pro
claimed that all slaves should be eman
cipated on and after the 1st day of
January, 1863, It was their bounden
duty to take advantage of the liberty
that had come to them and hasten
northward te- the land of plenty of
money.
All the other slaves on the Fartldge
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-
- parlng-to take advantage of their new
ly acquired freedom were working upon
Hessa’s feelings.
->'• V * • ■ * - *> ■ *
’ Colonel Partidge and bis wife sat Is
tbs', small study adjoining the sitting
robm. It was a warmer room and more
easily heated by the pine logs , in the
wide fireplace. Outside It was crisp
*fid cold, with a light fall of snow on
the .ground. Within the study it was
warm and cozy and comfortable.
There was a crimson glow oyer the
polished mahogany tables and chairs
and over the rows of books on the
. shelves. The heavy damask curtains
and . table covers had vanisbed. They
were serving as blankets for soldiers in
the: Confederate army.
“What are you thinking about, Rich
ard?” asked Mrs. Partidge after awhile
She was knitting woolen socks for the
soldiers, and her delicate white fingers
. worked as willingly ns. they had ever
done on dainty embroidery. She was
a woman past middle age, and the
strenuous time she was passing
through was leaving Its blighting im
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 hole 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 dwin-
dlad to a mere nlttance.
If Uncle Noah and hla wlto bad not
remained faithful It would have gone
bard with the Partldgoe. Tbe old but
ler bad not ecorued to become man of
*11 work about the place, and la addi
tion to tbe little vegetable garden be
maintained there had been one cow
aalvaged from the large herd that once
grazed on tbe pastures.
“What ere you thinking of, dear?”
naked. Mrs. Partidge after awhile.
The colonel looked up from hie aad
contemplation of tbe hissing fire.
“I w*” wondering what we would
do U l,—.i end Hessa should decide to
go away,” -be answered quietly.
“Ob, Blchard, bave they spoken to
you?” Mrs. Partldge’s gray eye* filled
with tsars.
He shook bis bead. "No, but Blythe
■ays that nine of hla negroes are going
tomorrow, and ono ot them told him
that our Heasa and Noah were going
too.”
“Without a word to us? Blchard, I
hardly think they would do It,” falter
ed hie wife.
”It U their right, Catherine. Perhaps
they are afraid to apeak to me 1
with they would go openly. I want
to gtv* them something for a how
start in Ufa. They era old, Catherine,
Just as wo ere, but they are u Inno
cent children In the face of the world
they will meet. Bob’— The colonel
bowed his white bead and covend hla
tyta with Us hand.
Thar* was a heavy shuffling atop In
the hall, end the two looked up to ace
Heesa’e lumbering 'form filling tho
doorway. Her black fingers nervously
smoothed the crisp folds et her white
apron, and tbe anow turtwi that sur
mounted her dusky face ifook tremu-
lously.
Something In the old aervhnt’s atti
tude-something In the frightened un
certain? of her round fkoe-nvealod
KttMUgWtJWtliH ■"Ut tut Htw
ot liessa’i''erfirtia; It'OS comS'Jt
last—tbe final blow—the desertion of
these two faithful retainers.
S "Comd In. Hessa,” said Mrs. Par
tidge gently,
Hessa leaned for support ognlnat thd
door lintel and rolled her dark eyes at
Colonel Partidge.
"Scuso me, Marso Kunnel,” she
said hurriedly, “but tomorrow am do
day when Marse Llnkum pernouncea
all niggers free and ekwlll-and-Noah
and ma'am goln' norf I” She hid her.
face In her apron, and there wu e
convulsive movement of her fat sboul-
It Became an Important
Factor In a Man’a
Ufa
By EDWARD L. STANTON
'Do you want to go, Hesaa?” asked
the colonel quietly.
“We gotta go, olo mariel” (he waU-
ed. “We’a free, an’ we gotta go. Dey’s
all goto’ tomorrer mobnln’.’’
"Very well, Hesaa. Walt a mtnate,
please.”
Colonel Partidge opened a drawer
to the mahogany desk and draw ont a
canvas bag. He emptied Its contenta
oo tbe table, and Heasa'a eyes snap
ped at the pile of gold pieces.
The colooel carefully counted tbe
gold Into two plies and, gathering one
Into a heap, tossed it Into the canvas
tjag and knotted tbe string around It
“Hessa, here Is a sum-of money for
you and Noah. It la half of what I
have got Take good care-of lt t be
cause you will meet many dishonest
people, who will try to take.lt away
from you. You have both been faith
ful servants. ■ Nay, you have been
friends to mo and my family. Nny,
even more than that, Hessa—you bave
-been one of us. If there. Is anything
we can do, If there Is anything you
want to make you comfortable, let us
know. Come and bid us goodby be
fore yon go.” Tbe colonel’! voice
broke queerly.
Heasa was standing there staring
from mastefjo mistress. The bag of
gold pieces hung limply from ber band.
She looked frightened, but some pur-
pose within Impelled her to go on.'
“I’a mighty Borry, but we’s gotta
j. I’s cooked up a sight of vtttels,
Ulss Catherine. Dey’s a col’ ham an’
fo’ plea an’ a big fruit cake, an’ Noah
toted all de wood Inter de cellar
an’ filled all de wood boxes an’—er”—
Hessa suddenly vanished, and pres
ently 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 hell chimed
8 and 0 and 10 and 1L The colonel
sat with hla eyes fixed on a book, but
not once daring the honrs did the
turning of e leaf break the silence.
Mrs. Partidge knitted unceasingly,
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. It
was undoubtedly the freed negroes on
their way north, and they were going
to stop for Hessa and Noah. There
must hare been several box wagons,
for there was a din of confusion out
side the Partidge gates. Then there
came laud talk from the negro quar
ters, and the colonel and his wife
heard Hessa’s commanding tones rais
ed above tbe tumult
After awhile the wagons want away,
and all sound ceased. Erc-i too neg
lected fire had dwindled Into sound
less breaking embers, and the candles
were burning low. It seemed as
though an end had coma to everything.
“Catherine!” said the colonel kindly.
“Blchard!” 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
It Beem like old times,” she sobbed.
“I know, I know,” he soothed gently.
It was some time before they looked
up to see to tho dying candlelight Hes
sa’s great balk to tbe doorway. Over
her shoulder peered Noah’s rolling eyes
“Ah, Hessa, yon have come to say
goodby?” said tbe colonel, lifting his
frail wife to her feet and leading her
to the emancipated slaves.
“No, no, Uarse Kunnel; we come ter
say ‘Howdy* all over agtol Huccome
dam niggers stopped heeh, bnt Noah
an’ me we couldn’t go away an’ leabe
yob on’ Miss Catherine!”
"Dls am all de home wo got to de
worl’. Dere won’t any place eber look
Jea’ lak dls yere one,” sobbed Noah,
linking to hla knees beside Hesaa and
laying the bag of gold at tba colonel’s
feet
“I gntsa dat Muaa Aba linknm didn’t
mean na nlggara to break our hearts
goto’ norf, so I gtoss ho won’t care
ao’a we’a happy. Noah, yoh lazy ole
nigger, yoh mend da flah an’ make a
blaze to de bedchamber while I glta
moh candle* an’ makes a milk puneb
I declare *f It ain’t tomorrer mornln’
already!" Heist acolded everybody
back Into smllea once more.
Aa they went to their cabin after be
loved master and mistress were abed
and sleeping Noah pinched hla wife’s
fat arm.
“Ole woman, yoh’s free! Docs yob
feel any dlffe’ntV’ he demanded doubt
fully. Hla own face beamed content
ment —
Hesaa shook her arm free. “Ob, go
erlong. do,. Noah! Whut time I got to
bo finkin' erbout foolishness when I
dunno ef den’s any eggs to' waffles to
de mohnto'?”
—O
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I believe that too two mozt desirable
blessings on* can bava are youth and
health. Thera te a third that Is equal
ly Important, though much more tpt to
bo Ignored-tbat Is, absence of worry.!
I have bad an experience to toe last of
too three, or Its reverse, which Is toe
subject ef tola story.
If ever a child was bom Into toe
world to a perfectly normal condition.
I was that child. I grew to manhood
without an ache or n pain, and seeing
others taking medicine* and consulting
doctors I Would say to them; “Oat your
mind away from your ache* and pains.
Don’t worry end you will be as well as
I am. As for tbe doctors, they are only
good for serious matters; In small sick
nesses they are humbugs.”
One morning wben taking my bath 1
discovered a email lamp on my right
aide. I rubbed it and polled at It, and
I didn’t like It at all. For three days 1.
tried not to. think about It, than gave
np toe task and went to a doctor fa-,
moos for too treatment of all aorta of
“growths.” I waited two hours for a
consultation, daring which time I .was:
to an increasing state of terror.
“Doctor," I laid- when admitted to;
toe conanltlag room of toe great ape-,
clallst, “a little lamp.baa come to my,
aide. I fear It bode* something seri
ous.”
The doctor directed me to remove
anfilclent clothing tor him to make an
examination. After he had finished
he apeot some time putting away toe
Implements he had used, bnt said noth
ing. I Inferred toe worst, and It was
toe worst that ha finally communicat
ed to me.
"That lump,’’ ho said, “Is a malignant
growth which wo medical men call”—
he gave a long Latin name which 1
didn't remember five minutes— 1 “and
my duty Is to tell yon that If you have
any affairs that need to be settled yon
had better go to work upon them.”
I sank down to a chair and covered
my face wlto my bands. Tbe doctor
remained allent Presently, notwith
standing toe shock under which I snf
fared, I remembered tbat an anteroom
.wan full of patients who were waiting
to consult the great man, and I pro
ceeded to make certain Inquiries.
“How long have 1 to live, doctor?'
I asked.
“I don't know. Tbe records of such
coses as youre have usually proved
fatal within three to four months.”
“Shall 1 suffer much?”
"No; the disease will eat Into an ar
tery, when the end will be painless.”
I could think of no other Information
tbat 1 would need, so. rising from my
cbulr, 1 staggered unt of tbe room, glv-
lng place to the next patient, who was
to gain comfort or despair from tbe
eminent specialist Ho sent.me a bill
of $100 for telling me that I bad hot
four months at most to live, but under
tbe circumstances tbe money was noth
ing to me, and since toe doctor was
living at the rate of $30,000 a year It
was a good deal to him.
For toe first week after learning my
doom 1 gave myself up to meditation
upon my fate. At toe end ot that time
1 made up my mind tbat It wouldn’t
need a malignant something or other to
kill me or four months In which to do
toe work. 1 was preying upon myself
at a much more rapid rate. I resolved
to throw off the mental octopus tbat
had me to Its clutches and make toe
most of toe brief period that remained
to me.
I had $100,000 to 0 per cent bonds,
worth $150,000. There was no relative
who needed the money, and I resolved
to spend the moat of It to purchasing
whatever would keep my mtod off my
coming demise. I would need company
-eome one to be with mo most of too
time—and cast about for an associate.
I would spend a part of my tlmo' with a
man friend and tho reat wlto a woman
friend. For toe man I chose Arthur
Atherton and for tho woman Adel*
Sturgia, with both of whom 1 was on
familiar terms. I told them that I pro
posed to spend $100,000 within four
months and that to consideration of
their devoting their time to me for that
period I would divide toe remaining
$50,000 between them. Atherton was
out of business at to* time and had no
fortune. He looked very sympathetic
when I mad* my proposition, but 1
thought he was trying to conceal a
good deal of happiness. In a third ot a
year he would earn $25,000 besides en
joying luxuries that wouldn’t cost him
anything.
Aa to Adale, she said she would think
toe matter over. After doing so she
told m* that She would accept my prep
osition with an amendment that toe
amount I would spend should b* re
duced by $25,000 and added to to*
amount ot hat portion. Furtoarmore.
tola portion wu not to b* given to her,
but left to charity by will.
This did not seem to suit to* require-
manta of too cue, but Add* wu to*
only girl I knew that I thought would
b* able to lift m* out of myeelf, and 1
assented. I began by meeting Arthur
about’0 o’clock ovary morning and
spending to* time with him till about 1
to too afternoon. W* played billiards
and want wherever anything intonat
ing wu going on. later to to* after
noon i took Adele ont to my car, and
two or three tones to toe week w*
would go either to the opera or too the
ater. The other evening* I would spend
mostly with Arthur or wlto any one 1
happened to dnd to go about with me
Beside* this I gave theater parties,
dinners, tuppen-ln abort, took in far
more ways ot diverting my mtod from
my trouble than I could catalogue.
But, despite all I could do, my doom
bung heavy over me. One afternoon
whan I was with Adele I gave way to
tonTTvasuol valid Jg Euch'tfOHi tea
money I wag sr-endlng. There was a
real sympathy In ber far* when share-
piled:
‘There Is another way. of getting ont
of yourself which you bave not tried.”
. “What Is ltr I.aslied eagerly.
"Interest yourself,In tbe welfare of
others.”
“I never thought of that Do you
suppose It would work to mvjjsef
“i think it would fete yidrj!th- - • _
We were riding la toy c.r, . , y W
stood on toe sidewalk wlto newspapers I '
under hi*',arm be v-« ( trying to sell.
His feet were bare; bis sblrt was open
to front for want of buttons and for a
profusion of tatters; bis coat and tree
seri were toto. 1 drew up near him
and bought a paper, handing him a five
dollar .bill. He looked at It despondent
ly, thinking that he would lot* the sale
of a paper, for be conld not change It
“Never.mtod toe, change," I said,
and aa we moved away I saw .him
look at toe. bill, et me and. at the
bill again, while too expression on bis
face was a delight to me.
“By Jovel" I exclaimed, “it work*
first rate. I’m going back to get toe
poor little chap end do some more
of tt” . • ;■
I returned: to too bey, took him. toto
my car, and.we drove to a atore, where
I spent money for clothes for him aa
lavishly as.I bad tiean spending It on
myself. I couldn't .keep my eyes off
toe expression offender, of delight
that perpetually hovered on his fea
tores. I didn’t know what be needed,
but Adele did and thought of many
thing* that would add to hla comfort
'Now we raust-t^k* him home," ebe
said when' be was' warmly dressed,
aud, loaded down with packages, we
went to the car.and presently drew np
at a tenementhohse, where we tatou-
Isbed hie mother and bla brothere and
slstera by presenting blm to tbem In
hla new habiliments. I bad a rail of
bills to my. pocket which I distributed
among the children, left a check for
toe mother, and Adals and I drove
away, followed by tbe blessing* ot toe
family.
I had often returned to my room at
midnight to fee I the doom that hung
over me by contrast with tbe gayety
I bad experience^ more keenly than
before going. Tbs evening of my new
departure I spent with Adele, listen,
tog to plana ah* prepared for more
glvlog.toe next day, and whea 1 went
to bed felt greatev'ellef than at any
ton* since I bad I rerued that I must
die within the year. For the first time
since I heard tha announcement I went
to aleep with no room for It to my
mtod for thinking ot tbe happiness 1
had created.
. I seed not repeat the details ot my
charities, ot which this was toe be
ginning. 1 gained something In
strength ae well as spirits. I could not
see tbat to* lump tbat was to kill me
was Increasing, and 1 hoped that 1
might be permitted to live toe full
time toe doctor had allowed me. One
thing I noticed—I had leas use for Ar
tour Atherton and more for Adele
Sturgis. I spent my morning* recall
tog the pleased expressions of those 1
had benefited and my afternoons go-
tog about getting rid of my money
wlto Adele. The evenings I usually
spent with ber, (hiking over oar char
ltable work for toe next day.
One night when I was going to bed 1
.looked #t my lamp. It was appreciably
smaller. 1 felt of It, aad, whereas It
had been hard. It was now soft I won
dered If after all the great specialist
had not been mlataksn to my cate. Tbe
next morning I went to him agtto. He
examtued my symptom, aud I aaw at
once by bis expression that it was not
aa be bad expected. I aaw also tbat
what he was thinking about was bow
be should admit to me that he had
been mistaken without Injury to bis
professional dignity.
"This lump," he laid at laat, "la what
I told you to the drat place. But,” he
waited a moment before going on to
give me time to be Impressed—“but It
la a variety that Is harmless. I think It
will subside.” , .
! bad a $100 check to my pocket
ready tor blm and, banding It to him,
got out as quickly aa possible, fearing
tost he would change his oplnlou again
before I could make an exit I flew to
Adel* to announce tbe good news, and
wben I did so I met wlto tbe astonish
ment of my life. Sb* tried to congest,
ulate me, but words would not come
Then her relief found vent to tears, and
before I realized what I was doing 1
had taken her to my arms and waa
soothing her.
‘Ton have taught m* how to forget
death aa well as to Uva,”I said to bar,
"and If you consent wo will togathar
pursue happiness aa w* have begun It.
. Thanks to yon, more than half ot my
fortune remains, fend we will lay ont a
certain part of our Income to be glean
to those to distress."
There an blesslpge to disguise which
we cannot control, but there are also
bleuinga w* can control. Betty act ot
loving kindness ty such a blessing to
ourselves, though we are apt to coo-
alder It a sacrifice and fail to aa* It to
Its true character) The most fortunate
expenditure I evry mad* was toe fee 1
paid the graft epeclallxt for telling me
to prepare tor death, for to preparing
for death I prepared tor life Besides,
he was Instrumental to giving me my
dear wife
YOU
■■ 1 J
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Farmer Needs
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