Beadle's Dime Novels No. 126: Old Jupe — page 49: what you’re looking at

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

AT LAST 51 the rest of my life will be like this past month ?—eyery mo- ment a day !—waiting, waiting, in solitude, in prison! ‘‘Then said she, ‘I am very dreary, He will not come,’ she gaid ; She wept, ‘Iam aweary, aweary, Oh, God, that I were dead !’” “ What makes yer talk so, dis time, honey! See! dar’s de steamer turnin’ in, and dar’s Jupe on de shore.” Old auntie herself became now.so absorbed that she ceased even to chatter; the steamer slowly gained her dock; Clare kept her eyes on Jupe, who, she knew, would give the signal if the anxiously expected passenger was on board, But. Jupe did not give the signal; on the contrary, he walked up toward the jail with a lagging gait which plainly told of disappointment. Presently he was saying through the keyhole : “ Massa Bryant no come to-day, missus.” “ Ask him to go to the post-office, auntie.” : “Jupe, you trot off to de pos’-office, right smart, now ! Don’t yer dar’ come a-whinin’ roun’ back, widout no let- ter,” *. Mary leaned back against the casement, with her eyes closed, and a pallor and weariness upon her worn young face which Clare had never seen there before. She did not speak or stir until the key rattled in the lock, and the jailer came in with a letter. | “TJ think it’s Bryant’s handwriting, and it’s post-marked New Orleans,” he said,ags he handed it to Mrs. Bryant, and then had the delicacy to immediately retire. A. low cry of joy broke from Mary’s lips, as she grasped the letter, and scanned its direction. It was Luke’s handwriting, and it was sent from New Orleans, In that moment, all the trouble which had crushed her seemed but a feather’s weight. Breaking the seal, and drawing forth the note, she read : “Mary: T have heard of your criminal conduct and arrest. I feel that. ¢an not return to the neighborhood of my old friends to live under the shadow of the disgrace which you have breught upon me, - My passage is taken for California, a wild country, Said to be ablaze with gold; but it can not be wild enough to suit me. I ama ruined man—ruined by the woman I lovea connicloooks.com