Beadle's Dime Novels No. 126: Old Jupe — page 72: what you’re looking at

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

74 OLD JUPRE. “T isn’t afraid, massa,” said the negro firmly. “Ts come to talk ‘bout your wife—bout Miss Mary.” “I have no wife, Jupe; go back to your bed.” “No, massa. I’s been two year gittin’ here, an’ I ain’t gwine to keep my mouf shet, now. Wat yer s’pose I care fer Injuns, or fever, or hard work? De wust pain, all de time, was dis: I keep thinkin’, ‘Oh, Jupe, you’s so long gettin’ dar’, an’ all dis time young missus in dat prison, night an’ day.’ ” Luke got up and walked several times across the plateau ; then he came back and sat down by his visitor. “Who told you to come after me, Jupe ?” “ Clar’, she to? me. We made it out togedder; an’ we made it up dat I should hunt you up an’ tell you how cruel an’ unjus’ it was fer you to sen’ dat letter to your young wife.” “I sent no letter,” “Didn’t you?” asked Jupe, eagerly. “ Didn’t you write, after you heard dat she was—took up ?—write, an’ tell her how bad she was, an’ dat you was nebber comin’ home ?” “No. Isentno message. I couldn't write, Jupe. It was as if my heart and hand were palsied.” The silent man, who had never allowed his wife’s name to pass his lips, since that day when he had landed in New Orleans from Liverpool to hear the story which met him there, was opening his heart to the poor negro. “Ts glad of it! Vs glad of it! Its jus’ what Clar’ she to? me: ‘Dat bad sister done it all, says Clar’, ‘ an’ you mus’ fin’ Massa Bryant an’ tell him so, Tell him it’s Clar’s solum be- lief dat dat wicked gal made all de mischief, an’ Miss Mary is jis’ as innocent as a new-born babe.” “How could she have had any hand in the matter? She was not there at the time.” _ : “She was dar’ not long afore ; an’ Clar’, she tells me, right away, as soon as Miss Annette came, says she, ‘you jus’ look out; dat gal is a snake in de grass. She don’t lub Miss Mary one bit.” Now, Clar’, she says she will take her asservation dat Miss Annette put dat counterfeit money in Miss Bryant’s box, an’ took out de good gold, an’ she’s mighty sartin she put dem dies in de kag ~in de garret, ’cause Clar’ cotched -her comin’ down one day, an’she looked kind o’ flustered, an’ said 7, COMmuicoookxs.cohm