Unfettered: A NovelGriggs, Sutton E. (Sutton Elbert)
General
Unfettered: A Novel
Griggs, Sutton E. (Sutton Elbert)
African Americans -- Fiction; United States -- Race relations -- Fiction
"Ha, ha, ha!" laughed Aunt Catherine. "That aint so bad, Lenie," she said.
"I sole my soul ter Jesus long ergo, an' w'en he takes it, dese doctahs kin
do whut dey choose wid my pore ole body." Morlene now burst into tears.
Lovingly Aunt Catherine stroked Morlene's hair with her hand, saying:
"Bettah be laughin' fur joy, chile, fur er few more risin's an' settin's ub
de sun an' I'll be in glory." Unable to longer endure the contemplation of
Aunt Catherine's sufferings and approaching end, Morlene arose and fled to
her room.
A few days after the conversation herein recorded Aunt Catherine passed
peacefully away. The doctors that had purchased the body presented
themselves and laid claim thereto. Morlene told them the story of Aunt
Catherine's life of faithful service and subsequent sufferings, and begged
the boon of taking the body back to Tennessee for burial. Her request was
refused, however, the physicians deciding that they would not allow a
matter of sentiment to stand in the way of advancing the interests of
science. Taking the tin box, so solemnly committed to her charge, Morlene
turned her face toward Tennessee, journeying thither to fulfill the last
request of Aunt Catherine.
For some time Morlene had been pondering a proper course to be pursued
toward Harry for the future, and her approaching visit to R----accentuated
the matter. More and more she began to regard him as an unbalanced
enthusiast, whose errors, in view of his outlook, were not altogether
unnatural. Pity, deep pity, stole into her heart for poor Harry, and she
decided, as her train was speeding onward, to return to him in the hope of
widening his horizon and giving him a clearer view of what was required of
an American citizen. If she would be of service to Harry, her train must
move at a faster rate than that at which it is now traveling.
CHAPTER XX.
THE BYSTANDERS CHEER.
From his quest of Morlene, on the morning of her escape, Harry returned to
his home in a sullen mood. Morlene's lack of appreciation of his
disinterested patriotism which her course revealed to him, was a blow in
itself, apart from his loss of her as a wife. The fact that he had lost his
wife and had not slept any during the whole night did not, however, cause
him to remain away from his accustomed labor that day. Cooking his own
breakfast, he ate his solitary meal and went forth to his daily task.
Anxious to learn what view others took of the happening of the previous
night, he purchased a copy of a morning paper and read its comments
thereon. It was the same paper that had commented so favorably upon what it
termed the "Warthell Movement." Harry turned immediately to the editorial
columns and read far enough to see that his act was being condemned.
Thereupon he tore the paper into shreds, threw it to the ground and
trampled upon it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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