The St. Cloud journal., 1873-07-10
the air! Sec if you can reach the bot

IL: ii &;.ss, !. M. ~ -. =,
the air! See if you can reach tho bot.
tom Of the hill q soon Is / CAM
In tho ovsraowipg lightnsss Of my
heart Il started-1 was as feet as .
deer in those dsys-sud ran down the
slipping hillside, carpeted with imooth
pine.straw. Of course, reached the
bottom long before Ross !; and, as I
paused for breath, q small black figure
oarted at me from some unsupported
quarter.
"Miss Beryl, granny says, will you
please, ma'am, come there p
"What does your granny want ?"
asked I, impatiently. I knew very
we'll that the "granny" IN question was
old S5lvy, whose cabin stood near by
and felt little inclined for an hours
gossip over her rheumatism and asth-
ma.
II dunno, ma'Am," said the boy
sylvys grandohild and: :factotum-sbut
she sent me to de big house fur you,
and when she heard you was ont in de
woods, she tole me to keep watch till
you come, and tell you she wanted
Pa'tic'lar to see YOU"
| "Pshaw !" said I pettishly. "Well,
tell her I will be there 10 . minute.''
As the boy ran of; I stopped to ex.
plain to Ross Why I could not accom-
pany him to the house. "Old Sylvy
wants to tell me about the dreadful
misery in her back, and low she can't
sleep OF nights, but has to sit by the
fire and smoke" I said with . gr1mace.
"1u come IS soon Is I can !; good.by." !"
| "suppose I go in and Offer her . OIL
gar. to let you off duty 2" he said laugh.
ing.
Bot I declined his offer, and so We
parted, he going on to the house with
bis easy. swinging tread, whistling Is
he went; while I ran up the steps Of old
syl7y's piazza, and tried to open the
door. To my surprise, it was fasteu-
ed.
"sylvy! sylvy r. said I, rafting it
impatient1y. "Let me int isIW
After minute, I heard fumblius
at the latch, then the door opened slow.
ly, and Sylvy's face-nothing more
appeared.
''1s that you, Miss Beryl?" she ask
ed peering cautiously out.
"Of course it's me u" answered I, too
impatient to consider grammar. "Whe
else should it be p
~ Ak your pardon for keepin' you
waitin', ma'am," she said, opening the
door with her usual courtesy-for Syl.
w was negro of the old school, and
often boasted that she had been 'staught
manners by her ole missis"- a.
body can't be too pa'tic'hr' when
they've got reason for wsntin' no tat
tiers about. Walk in, ma'am. I hope
your health's pretty well this even
ing"
"Oh, 1 am always WE'LL" said I, with
the boastful superiority of youth.
elbow is your rheumatism ?''
"Aboat as usual, thank you, 'am,"
she answered, in tone which shows
that an answer Is absently given.
This in itself surprised me, for Sylvy
was always only too ready to talk of
her ailments; but when I saw her
carefully bolt the door again, I at once
inquired what was the matter. "Why
do you ehut up your house 80 closely
this beautiful evening ?" I asked. cit
is horribly warm p Which was not
surprising, since large fire was burn.
ing IN the. .capacious chimney.
"There's some isn't warm, if it is a
beautiful evening, Miss Berylp' said
she, solemnly and mysteriously. Then
she pointed 10 the corner where her
bed stood, generally covered with a
guilt of bright and wonderful device,
but now occupied, as glance showed
me, by 9 motionless and recumbe1t
figure. "There's one az will never be
warm agiu in this VERDI" said she,
tremblingly. "You can go and look
at her, Mis- Beryl. How she ever got
here, and she so fur gone, the Lord
only knows
"What are you talking about 7" ask.
cd I. "Who is it, Why didn't you
send for Aunt Kendall if anybody is
sick ?'''
"Send fur Miss Kendall.!" repeated
Sylvy, oontemptaously. "What 1
gwine send fur her fur? SHE'S so
afeard Of ole master, she dasen't say
her soul's. her own. If he'd . bin at
home, I'd sent for nobody" pursued
she, de6antly. "I'd gone as straight
to him as my old feet could carry me.
But he amt here, and I'm only an ole
nigger, 90 I thought maybe you'd
know best, Miss Beryl, what's to be
done"
! II have not an idea what you are
talking about r. cried I, bewildered.
"What is the matter? Of course,
if anybody is gerry ill, you ought to
send for the doctor.'' 49,.
l "ls's too late for doctors to do any
good to her," said she, shaking he,
head. "Come and look at her yourself;
Miss Beryl! You amt much Of one
J to judge, but You can tell death when