Beadle's Dime Novels No. 213: Squatter Dick — page 90: what you’re looking at

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

92 EQUATTER DICK. “Whoo! oberséaly won't do so no mo’, ’ca’se ol’ Zach, done killed um; Knock um on de head. Now Zach, make queen of w'ite missee, fo’ little wile, den he gib her to ally- gator fo’ eat. Whoo!” “But my father will be uneasy—will think I am dead !” pleaded Ada. “Please, Zach., take me home, and he'll give you lots of money, and good clothes to wear.” “Now Zach. know fo’ suah dat you tell lie. OP marse he’d jest tie me up, an’ gib me some mo’ w'ippin’s like he did afore. Sides, itll do ’im goed to be skeered ’bout you fer a wile; it'll make his heart bleed like he did Crazy Zach.’s back.” * But—” “No use a-talkin’—not a mite; *twon't do nary bit o’ good. You's got to stay hyar. Better be ‘still, now,” and the negro arose and began kindling a fire just outside of the hut. This done, he relairied and opened a kind of pit in one cor- ner of the hut, lined with leaves and twigs, and took from it a whole ham and a small bag of corn meal. Then he sharp- ened his knife upon a smooth stone, turning to Ada ‘with a grim smile upon his distorted features. “ See, ol’ marse Sollars he berry kin’! Keep ol’ nigger in plenty bitals). Ho—ho—ho!” Ada was almost famished, and despite her novel and dan- gerous situation, her mouth watered at the sight of something to eat, coarse as the viands were. But she revolted at the idea of eating after his cookery, and rising to her feet, she said, with her most winning smile: “ Please let me do the cooking, good Zach. A king, you know, should have somebody to wait upon him.” , “Ho—ho! dat'sso. Zach. be king, an’ hab w’ite missee fo’ wait ‘pon im! Good; you cook meat, den I'll eat um,” and the negro, in high glee at the idea, resigned his knife to Ada, and occupied her seat, chuckling ong to himself as he watched her every motion. Ada soon prepared the ham for toasting, as there were no cooking utensils to be seen, and then looked around for water to mix the meal with. Zach. beheld her dilemma, and arising, he picked up an old battered oe can, and disappeared * through the doorway. “Dar, missee,” said Zaeb., as he” dit. dowit tae tay! tea conmiclooOoks. conn