A Daughter of Maryland — page 142: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

now. A DAUGHTER OF MARYLAND. 121 could not command her emotions enough to ask of the negro: ‘*S’posen Jones, where did you get that coat?’’ “TI didn’t git dat coat, missus. Yit am de turrible truf, suah’s yo’ bo’n. I hope to drop dead ef——’’ . ‘‘Stop! I want none of your lies. I don’t care how you came by the coat, but I want to know where you got it. Will you tell me?’’ ‘*’Fore de Lord, Missus Orry! if yo’ see me—S’posen Jones—wiv dat coat, I s’pose I hab to b’lieve yit. But I nebber b’lieve yit fro’ enny udder pusson in dis wo’ld. Dat big blubber, Sam Patch, mus’ put yit on me w’en I wuz sleep, an’ den I got up an’ jess walked off wiv yit on! Mighty queer dat t’ing happen in dat way.’”’ ‘fS’posen Jones, you grow worse and worse. I won’t harm you if you will tell me the truth. I do not care how you got it, but you must tell me where you got it.’’ The frightened fellow could only roll his eyes and clasp and unclasp his hands, until at last he blurted out: ‘“‘T hain’t a t’ief, missus. ’’ 3 ‘‘T never thought you were, S’posen. Did Mrs. Ralston give this coat to you?’’ In an instant his dark countenance lightened. ‘‘Dat’s yit, missus, suah’s yo’ bo’n. Monstrous strange I didn’t t’ink ob dat ’fore.’’ ‘Come with me back to the manor, and we will speak to the housekeeper about this.’’ -**T s’pec’s, Missus Orry, yo’ will be berry sorry, but yo’ mus’ ’scuse me, as I’se in orful paReY *pout dis time. Yo’ see de cake-walk——’’ - | ‘““You shall have time to go to that. Come with me 99 Falling farther and farther behind her as they went along, S’posen reluctantly followed his mistress to the manor, where they met Mrs. Ralston at the door. ‘‘Where did this coat come from, Mrs. Ralston?’’ asked ee VE) Soe. tr te , - P 4 ' ae ise | , comicb UA al, A? > ‘tae Se =. ; Ad » - | ) ~ / « - fu a . s of, . Sy » be ¥ « ‘ * i Le . | . hy a ; . => € * K < St SP ee et re J f 7 Sy " 4 7 ‘ oof ; > over CLS ee ‘or = = - % i "Y, ee * ge eee a ee Oe Tra ‘ an - *\i yt “~” LS inte Cop Awe Vw Py .. va oF et TPs At ee ~ . Sis = i a7 | | ,. “4 Pe tat _~ =~