Beadle's Dime Novels No. 126: Old Jupe — page 94: what you’re looking at

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

95 OLD JUPE. “Thank God for that, Mary,” said a voice behind her, and turning, there stood Luke in the door, His resolve to wait an answer to his letter had melted like the snow in the sun. He had stood outside for the last half- hour, every moment putting his hand on the latch and as ofien withdrawing it. But he heard what Mary said, and then, the barrier was overthrown, | We wiil let down the curtain on our little scene, only draw- ing it up again a. brief while later, for a glance at Auntie Clare. She stood there, alone, forgotten, her apron over her head, sobbing. | “Why, auntie, what is the matter?” asked Luke; wife and child had quite driven old black Clare out of his thoughts. “Jupe!” she moaned. “ You’s come home an’ not brought Jupe. Oh, I knowed he was done gone dead long ago! Oh, I’s sorry I eber druv him off. I misgib I wasn’t allers a good wife to him. Many’s de time Ps took de broomstick to him, jis’ ‘cause I was cross an’ tired. Td neber do it again, if I could only see Jupe once more, “ Well, auntie, dry your eyes, and put on your new calico, for Jupe will be here to-night, to live with us and be happy, all the remainder of his days, I hope, for he is one of my very best friends, auntie. There, tuere—don’t forget what you prom- ised about the broomstick.” Clare dropped her apron and stood gazing at him, during this speech, with eyes which opened wider and wider, Be- fore it was finished she began to laugh, an hysterical chuckle which shook her broad form like the breeze running through a circus-tent. , : “You's de same boy as eber, Massa Bryant,” she giggled, as s00n as she could speak, “allers bringin’ good news! You neber used to come in de house widout a message for some- body, dat was cakilated to refreshen ’em. De only pity is, eber you went away. If yer hadn’t done gone away, dar’ nebber would have been bad luck. My advice to Miss Mary is, nebber to let go yer coat-tail again.” [f J was her, Pd haba good slout apron-string, an’ ’'d keep you tied to it all your born days.” “ Yowll have to lend me one of your aprons, auntie—one of those that you used to tie around Jupe when you made commicloolkks. conn