Beadle's Dime Novels No. 33: Maum Guinea and Her Plantation Children — page 100: what you’re looking at

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

92 MAUM GUINEA. “Sy do I? said he, ‘ but de Lord’s work must be done.’ “TI was just like ice, wid fright and horror. When dey went out, I stood shivering in de dark. Purty soon, I tought I heerd a scream, but I wasn’t certain; den, in a few minutes more, I heerd *em go to de stables and take out all de horses, and ride away. I darsn’t stir, till mornin’; den, wid de first light, I heerd old Dinah screeching wild and loud, and going out, I met her coming from de house, wring- ing her hands, and her-eyes sticking out. ‘Come! come! she says; ‘Oh, Lord-a-mercy! Oh, Lord-a-mercy? I knew already, but I kept still, and run after her into de house. Dar, just dragged from der beds, in der night-clo’es, was massa and missus, stone dead, der throats cut, like as dey were pigs, and de carpet soaked full of bleod. I jist gib one look, and run into de little bedroom off deyr’s, war I knew Miss Katie slept. Ob, Christ! I see it now! I nebber shall forget it! Ebery night, w’en I wake up in de dark, I see her, jest as I see her den—dat beautiful chile—lying in her purty bed, murdered—her dimpling troat all cut straight across, and de blood gluing her shining curls to her neck and . cheek. She was so sweet and kind, Katie was, and only ten years ole. She was like my own pickaninnies tome. She'd allers been fond of me, ’kase I took care of her w’en she was baby, de first year I was married. Dar she lay, de inno- cent—no mudder, no fadder, to straighten her little limbs, and wash dat cruel blood away. I sot down on de edge of de bed, -and held her hand, and cried ober it, and kissed her poor little face. De whole plantation was awake, and takin’ on awful. ‘Most of de men had jined de prs seme! and goiie off, and de women was hollerin’ and prayin’.. De ober- seer was dead too, and I felt glad when I heard it. Bat I couldn’t feel glad when I looked at little Katie. I tought over how I felt when I found my husband, most killed with conmmiclooolks.conn