Beadle's Dime Novels No. 126: Old Jupe — page 53: what you’re looking at

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

“DAT PITCHER.” 55 In the mean time, what had become of Jupe? J upe was a slave, and not free to follow the dictates of his heart. Many and anxious had been the consultations between him and his wife before the family left its Bristol home. The broken pitcher was produced from. its hiding-place beneath a stone in the cellar, and its contents counted again and again, as if counting would increase the sum. Including the three hun- dred dollars reward which Jupe had received for discovering the counterfeiters, there were five hundred dollars in that bank. The couple had already ealculated, that, as they grew older, their value would ‘lessen, so that when they got quite broken down and rheumatic, they could buy the privilege of taking care of themselves for a small sum, That time, how- ever, had not yet come. Jupe, though not over fifty, was prized on account of the uausual share of sagacity and in- vention which he possessed. Doubtless, five hundred dollars would be the Jeast his owner would take for him. Touched by compassion for Mrs. Bryant, and trusting im- plicitly in auntie’s promise that she would remit her hire to him every month, their master had consented to her accom- panying the little family to Jefferson City. But, as to Jupe’s going, he was not inclined to consent to it. Jupe might run away, and any how he was short of hands, and wanted him at home early in the spring. Jupe would not prevent Clare’s going ; indeed he highly approved of it, As to the consultation over the money in the broken pitch- cr, there was a secret in it which was not breathed to Mary or Mrs. Miller. “Yah, Jupe, dat’s jes’ it. You keep it hid till de time Come, den you buys yer freedom, an’ sets out on de scent, An’ min’ I tell you, Jupe, don’ ye nedber gib up, nebber no morn a bloodhoun’ w’at is runnin’ down poor nigger! Do ye keep de track till ye fotch um, and w’en ye gits um, do ye jes’ hol’’em and worry ’em, till you gits de hull story. Min’ if ye come back widout, I'll nebber hab nuffin to do Wid you ag’in. You needn't fret bout ws. Well get along fus’ rate. ll take car’ Miss Miller, Miss Mary, and de baby, S0 long as de Lord keeps my j’ints ’iled, so’s uy legs and ‘ms wull work widout creakin’. Now, J upe, can I trus’ you wid dat pitcher ?” COMICIOOKS.COM