Jessie. Have you seen Stub? has he returned from the office? Ah! here he is. (Enter Stub, l., through gate, dejectedly. Jessie runs up to him.) O Stub, have you brought no letter?
Stub. Jes none at all, Miss Jessie; dat ar' post-officer am jes got no heart. I begged an' begged: no use. Squire Johnson, he got his arms full, an' Miss Summer's a dozen. I tried to steal one, but he jes keep his eye onto me all de time. No use, no use.
Jessie. Oh! what can have become of him?
Stub. Dunno', Miss Jessie. He was jes de bes' feller, was Massa Harry; an' now he's gone an' done somfin', I know he has. When de cap'n what picked me up in ole Virginny, in de war,—when he was a-dying in de horse-fiddle, says he to me, says he, Stub, I'm a-gwine; an' when I's gone, you jes get up Norf. You'll find my brudder Harry up dar, an' you jes stick as clus to him as you's stuck to me, an' you'll find friends up dar. An' when it was all ober, here I come. An', Miss Jessie, I lub Massa Harry almos' as much as I did de cap'n; an' I'd do any ting for him an' you, who he lub so dearly.
Jessie. I know you would, Stub. Heaven only knows when he will return to us. If he comes not soon, my heart will break. (Weeps; goes and sits on bench.)
Stub. Pore little lamb! She wants a letter: she shall hab one too. Massa Harry won't write: den, by golly, I'll jes make up a special mail-train, an' go down dere to de city, an' fotch one. It's jes easy 'nuff to slip down dere, an' hunt Massa Harry up, an' I'll do it. Say nuffin' to nobody, but slip off to-morrow mornin' an' hunt him up. (Exit r., i.e.)
Kitty (comes down from gate). Jessie, here's a surprise. Mr. Thornton is coming up the road.
Jessie (springing up). Mr. Thornton? Heaven be praised! News of Harry at last! (Runs up to gate, meets Mr. Thornton, takes his hand; they come down.) O Mr. Thornton! Harry, what of Harry?
Thornton. Miss Jessie, I am the bearer of bad tidings. Would it were otherwise!