Beadle's Dime Novels No. 126: Old Jupe — page 83: what you’re looking at

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

SANTA CLAUS. 85 was dead, Master Bryant would never know the story he had been sent to tell, Miss Bryant would die in that mis- erable prison, Miss Miller would never see Miss Mary again, “de face ob de Lord was done sot ag’in de whole family.” Old Clare felt very lonesome and downeast that bleak and snowy evening. With a high heart and the courage of un- selfish love, she had worked, and planned, ’and hoped for three long years. At last she felt that she was breaking down under her load of care and suspense. “Oh, Lord, Jupe’s gone up to glory, I know, an’ I can’t ho? out much longer. All I asks is to keep up s{fenf to min’ dis babe till his mudder comes out o’ prison, like Peter in de Bible. “Maumy,” said the little fellow, unclosing his bright eyes, and patting her black face with his dimpled hand, “are you sure Santa Claus is going to put suffin nice in my ’tocking to- night ?” “ Bless yer little heart, honey, I’s sartain sure. J’s heard him creakin’ «round in de snow outside dis long time, but he won’t come down chimney ’till he sees yur fas’ asleep.” The great bright eyes, wide with wonder and excitement, stared at the open-mouthed chimney, and the little stocking hung near by, until sleep again got the better of them, and they winked off into innocent dreams of the bliss of to-mor- row. The old nurse held him long after he was sound asleep, quite forgetting to put him to bed beside his grandmother, who was moaning and turning in her slumber, in the bed- room off the larger apartment. | How came these three persons back in the little house which they had deserted to live in the town which held their Mary a prisoner? Alas! the small measure of prosperity which was first meted out to the convict, in having her friends close at hand, was taken away before the end of the first year. Upon Clare’s once failing to remit her monthly wages, her master had ordered her home. Being in Jefferson city, he enforced his mandate, by taking her with him. When the weeping slave went to the prison to announce the sad tidings, Mary, sore as was the Joss and grief to herself, at once decided that her mother and child must return also to their old home. Her mother was too feeble and broken to be trusted, in that strange comicbooks.conn