Beadle's Dime Novels No. 33: Maum Guinea and Her Plantation Children — page 17: what you’re looking at

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

_ MAUM. it that he stopped and looked at her, “It’s comin’ Cris’mas, Maum Ginny.” 3 He was on his way back to the house, and paused before the cook’s cabin, in the door of which sat the woman who addressed him. She was_a tall, good-looking person, also a mulatto, although two or three shades darker than the boy, Sees ae procs nd sarklo pita ot the dark features of her race so pleasantly ; stern, even com- manding in appearance, with a strange look in her eyes which’ might be sadness or might be hate, or both—nobody could cially honored by her addressing him, waiting for her to say more. Maum Guinea was a new-comer, compared with himself. He had been born on the plantation, and brought up with his young master, changing gradually from his plaything, to be teased and worried like a good-natured dog, to his servant and valet, with all the ease and privileges of a favored house-slave. Maum Guinea had been with them but five or six years, Colonel Fairfax having purchased her during one of his visits to New Orleans, his former cook having become too old to move with the desired alacrity. She had the confidence and respect of the family in a high degree, and was liked by all the slaves ; though to the latter she was an object of mystery and conjecture. Her moody silence in the midst of their thought- less _gayety, her ability to keep her own counsel, the gloomy fire of her eyes, awakened their awe, while her gentleness to the sick, her skill in nursing, her accomplishments in cooking, and the many favors she contrived to do them all, inspired their affection. Maum Guinea's advice was law with house-servants and field-hands. They came to her iv their joys and troubles, Comicsookscom :