Beadle's Dime Novels No. 126: Old Jupe — page 88: what you’re looking at

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

90 OLL JUPE. All the bells of New Bristol rung out a sudden chime—the horns on the plantations blew ear-splitting blasts—the little fellow in Clare’s arms stirred at the sound, and she, arising, bore him out of the firelight into the shadow, away into the adjoining bed-room to lay him down. When she reappeared, a hand was on the latch, the door ‘slowly opened, and auntie, at the same time, opened her mouth to scream, but the intr uder held up @ warning finger in time. “Don’t scream, auntie; it is only Mary!” “Oh, good Lord!” whispered Clare, sinking down upon the floor in a flat “ cheese,” like a toad-stool which had been trod- den upon. “Is it you, or your ghos’, Miss Mary 2” “Myself, auntie; not my ghost at all. Don’t make a noise, for you will frighten the baby and my poor mother. It might kill mother, if the shock should be too sudden, They haye pardoned me out, at last, auntie. I see my boy is well.” Mary came and put her arms about Clare, kissing the cheek of her faithful servant. : “T shall not disturb them to-night, auntie ; [have seen him, and that is joy enough for once. I was standing at the win- dow a long time. You must break the news gently, in the morning, to mother, before I see her. If you will give me a cup of tea I will drink it, and go immediately to bed; for I wish to rise early. And mind you, don’t bring Luke in until I am up and dressed.” “Laws, missus, how can you wait ?” ‘Because I want him to love me, auntie. I can not bear it, if he turns away from me. And now I am so prison-worn and travel-worn, I wish to brighten up and put on another dress.” “ Dar’s suffin’ in dat, honey ; but I jes’ ’sure you dat boy’ll know his mudder.” “Have you something to put in the darling’s stocking ?” “You jes’ bet I ’tended to dat, missus !” “Tere’s something the convicts.who were there when he came away sent him,” and she took from her little bag a pair | of prison-made shoes, cunning things, finished in the most elaborate manner, a basket woven by one of the basket-makers, and several ingenious toys which the prisoners had pleased their fancies by making. commiclooOolkks.conn