Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1875-11-04

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No answer. They were truthful chill
dren.
AUNT Mariav' again called Miss En-
nerby.
"Marm?' said Nanny with an un.
steady voice.
"Go down this moment"
Four little hands clutched Nanny
silently, but convulsiyely, and she replied
by condescending to beg humbly for per-
mission to remain, but it was of no avail ;
she was sent downstairs, the door locked.
and two little motherless babies were left
to cling to each other in an agony of
terror, foolish and wild and groundless, of
course, but so real to them and so mex
| pressibly horrible that few grown persons
| ever have an experience approaching it.
The next day Nanny petted and
caressed them even more than usual, and
took them out under the trees, and then
she said to them: =" Nebber mind chill
lun. Don't you all be skeered tonight
cos Nanny gwine to be right at de do
Nanny gwine to lay down right close
outside de do eff Miss Edner locks it; an
efyou all gifts 'fraid, you jcs' say Nam
myp kind o. easy, an Nanny she gwine
| ter say Meow, meow!' like 'twere cat
meowin'."
What you goin' to say meow for,
Mammy" asked Nelly.
"'Cos l kyarIt arnser no oder way,
honey" said Nanny "Ef was to talk
human, course Miss Edner would cotch
me. Cord bless my babies! Now don't
you all be skeered, ZOOS dar amt muffin to
be skeered bout, nohow; de good Lord is
a-watchin' NV you night an day, an
holdin NV you in de holler Nv His ham ;
an Mammy's gwine ter roll yo' bed close
side de do an den she gwine ter lay right
| down by it an stay dar tell spang
day"
Sure enough, the door was again
| locked and Nanny sent down stars
| Presently there arose little soft, hesitating,
doubling voices, Nanny. Mammy!"
| Meown' came from the hall
| "Mammyr'
Meow! meowi"
Then there were little giggles and wills
| pers, and the next time Mammy's name
was called they could hardly do it for
laughing: Nanny! Mammyr
Meow. meow"
ooh, Nanny"
"Me-o,c.i"
Nanny was alarmed less Miss Elmer
gave such an expressive "meow" that it
produced an unrestrained burst of laugh
ter, whereupon Nanny ventured to whis-
per Hishe, chillunp' and the sounds
presently subsidized again into gIggles and
whispers. Then Nanny placed her
mouth to the crack at the sill of the door
and whispered again, $50 orn to sleep
now, chillun, eos sumbody might hear
you. Don't make me meow no mo-.
Nanny amt gwine away"
And Nanny did not 90 away. The
giggling grew faint and the whispers few,
and presently the drowsy lids fell quietly
over the sweet blue eyes, and all was still
but Nanny never moved till mornings
cheerful beams dispersed the shadowy
terrors of the night. Only when it had
become broad day. and she knew her
babies no longer trcmbled-only then,
chilled and weary, she gathered up her
stiff old limbs and softly crcpt away.
Night after night: Nanny! Nam
my, :,
the door.
Oh, Nanny"
Meow! meow,'
Till one night Miss Ennerby, wearing
red flannel sacque, her hair in disgust
ing little crimping- plaits, acandle flaring
in one hand and broom raised IN the
| other-Miss Ennerby came suddenly from
her room with intent to punish the cat,
and beheld-Mammy!
Little was said at the moment, but that
little was to the purpose. Miss Ennerby
was angry at having been so successfully
imposed upon, and Nanny was not only
| angry at having been discovered, but
alarmed as TO the consequences for her
| children, her ideas being very indefinite
| as to the extent of Miss Ennerby's author
ity. Very little was said at the moment,
but the next evening, rs Nanny was
about taking the children off to bed, Miss
Ennerby sent for Uncle Sawncy, OBTAINING
| Nanny till he came
When punishment was to he admins
tered on the plantation ii was the duty of
| the oyersecrto dot, and as Uncle Sawney
| was acting III that capacity this year, he
was sent for to perform his functions.
No one at first understood the position
of affairs--ncither Nanny nor Uncle
Sawney, who stood to receive Miss En-
| nerby's orders; neither the children, who
| were waiting to be taken 10 bed, nor the
| housemaids, who, feeling that something
unusual was about to take place, were
lowering curiously in the rear and when
they did, when it became apparent that
| Uncle Savney had been sent for to punish
Nanny, the state of feeling is quite in
dcscribable. Uncle Sawney himself was
aghast
Good Lord. Miss Edner," he ex-
claimed, Il darzrt touch that Niger
Mas Jack nd peel me all ODER Lord ha'
mussy, Mas Jack nd have me on de
block fus' trader cum along
Il will be responsible to your master, :"
said Miss Ennerby.
Uncle Sawney scratched his head and