Our Nig | Page 6

a partner in Jim's business, wished her to remain in her
present home; but she declined, and returned to her hovel again, with
obstacles threefold more insurmountable than before. Seth
accompanied her, giving her a weekly allowance which furnished most
of the food necessary for the four inmates. After a time, work failed;
their means were reduced.
How Mag toiled and suffered, yielding to fits of desperation, bursts of
anger, and uttering curses too fearful to repeat. When both were
supplied with work, they prospered; if idle, they were hungry together.
In this way their inter- ests became united; they planned for the future
together. Mag had lived an outcast for years. She had ceased to feel the
gushings of peni- tence; she had crushed the sharp agonies of an
awakened conscience. She had no longings for a purer heart, a better
life. Far easier to descend lower. She entered the darkness of perpetual
infamy. She asked not the rite of civilization or Christianity. Her will
made her the wife of Seth. Soon followed scenes familiar and trying.
"It's no use," said Seth one day; "we must give the children away, and
try to get work in some other place."
"Who'll take the black devils?" snarled Mag.
"They're none of mine," said Seth; "what you growling about?"
"Nobody will want any thing of mine, or yours either," she replied.
"We'll make 'em, p'r'aps," he said. "There's Frado's six years old, and
pretty, if she is yours, and white folks'll say so. She'd be a prize
somewhere," he continued, tipping his chair back against the wall, and
placing his feet upon the rounds, as if he had much more to say when in
the right position.
Frado, as they called one of Mag's children, was a beautiful mulatto,
with long, curly black hair, and handsome, roguish eyes, sparkling with
an exuberance of spirit almost beyond restraint.
Hearing her name mentioned, she looked up from her play, to see what
Seth had to say of her.
"Wouldn't the Bellmonts take her?" asked Seth.
"Bellmonts?" shouted Mag. "His wife is a right she-devil! and if--"

"Hadn't they better be all together?" inter- rupted Seth, reminding her
of a like epithet used in reference to her little ones.
Without seeming to notice him, she continued, "She can't keep a girl in
the house over a week; and Mr. Bellmont wants to hire a boy to work
for him, but he can't find one that will live in the house with her; she's
so ugly, they can't."
"Well, we've got to make a move soon," answered Seth; "if you go with
me, we shall go right off. Had you rather spare the other one?" asked
Seth, after a short pause.
"One's as bad as t'other," replied Mag. "Frado is such a wild, frolicky
thing, and means to do jest as she's a mind to; she won't go if she don't
want to. I don't want to tell her she is to be given away."
"I will," said Seth. "Come here, Frado?"
The child seemed to have some dim fore- shadowing of evil, and
declined.
"Come here," he continued; "I want to tell you something."
She came reluctantly. He took her hand and said: "We're going to move,
by-'m-bye; will you go?"
"No!" screamed she; and giving a sudden jerk which destroyed Seth's
equilibrium, left him sprawling on the floor, while she escaped through
the open door.
"She's a hard one," said Seth, brushing his patched coat sleeve. "I'd risk
her at Bell- mont's."
They discussed the expediency of a speedy departure. Seth would first
seek employment, and then return for Mag. They would take with them
what they could carry, and leave the rest with Pete Greene, and come
for them when they were wanted. They were long in arrang- ing affairs
satisfactorily, and were not a little startled at the close of their
conference to find Frado missing. They thought approaching night
would bring her. Twilight passed into dark- ness, and she did not come.
They thought she had understood their plans, and had, perhaps,
permanently withdrawn. They could not rest without making some
effort to ascertain her retreat. Seth went in pursuit, and returned without
her. They rallied others when they dis- covered that another little
colored girl was miss- ing, a favorite playmate of Frado's. All effort
proved unavailing. Mag felt sure her fears were realized, and that she
might never see her again. Before her anxieties became realities, both

were safely returned, and from them and their attendant they learned
that they went to walk, and not minding the direction soon found
themselves lost. They had climbed fences and walls, passed through
thickets and marshes, and when night approached selected a thick
cluster of shrubbery as a covert for the night. They were