Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-06-13
A PERFECT TREASURE.


my husband, 81 begin to believe IN
spiritusIism. You know we have only
one servant nOw-CarOline; yet things
disappear as strangely as ever, and
neither she nor / can tell when they
go, nor how, nor where"
There was a faint ripple under
Edwards mustsche, but he did not
raise his eyes from Cobb on Equity, only
asking il Caroline also were q convert to
spiritualism.
"And YOU know" l continued, with
out pausing to answer the question, "you
know last night and the night before
you were from home, and l heard some
thing both nights in the dressing-room,
opening and shutting the doors, and
moving the chairs softly about; and you
had gone, and so had Caroline"
"Why do you allow Caroline to go
when you know I am to be away?"
inquired Nr. Smith. 81 thought you
were afraid to remain alone"
al am, and I wouldn't, only Caroline
says che feels so badly not to go to
church; she finds it such an aid, such
n help, in trying to do right and keep
in the straight path; and / know exact
ly how che feels, for the more attend
religious exercises, the more l am dis
posed toward the exercise OF religion.
However, l told her this morning that
YOU had an engagement for this evening
and she positively could not leave, be-
cause was afraid; and then l told her
about the noises in the dressing-room.
at first she laughed, and attempted to
convince me that / was mistaken; but
finding | was not to be convinced, she
concluded that was correct, and became
Immediately so alarmed that she
hesitated to enter the dressing-roo M,
though the sun streamed through the
windows. She said ] was perfectly right
not to go in last night; she would not
have done it for anything in the world
"And why did you not?"
tThe idea! Why if it wasn't spirits
it was robbers, and they would have
knocked me down, Of COURSE" l indig-
nantly replied.
"Well, my dear, twenty-five cents
worth of srnica would have set that all
straight; and as it is, you risked losing
your bracelets and your earrings, and
all the rest Of the fOolery that lies on
your toilet table,
"But any man had rather give his
wife more bracelets and earrings than
hear her whine; and you know always
whine when l am sick, and Of course il
would make me sick to be knocked
down.
every true" said Edward, hastily
f'I had rather give a woman barrel OF
bracelets than hear her whine once,
But as l asked before, is Caroline also a
spiritualist?'
"Well, no; Caroline suspects the
cook"
"I will have cook searched, my dear, u
said Edward, returning to CO66 on
Equity.
"Oh, no." l hastily interrupted, "be-
cause 1 promised Caroline that
no action sho uld be taken in the mat.
ter. 1t was the only means by which l
could induce her to tell me; you know
negroes are so afraid of each other.
gave her my word, so Of course there is
nothing to be done. Besides, though
don't suppose Caroline means to tell a
story about it, really think she must
be mistaken; because the kitchen, you
know, is in the yard, and cook never
comes near the house except once day,
when she goes to the stOre-room."
Caroline being one Of your old ser
wants, your weakness for her is perhaps
natural, and ! do not cere to deny that
she is a perfect treasure, as you every
where proclaim her to be; but does it
not strike you as just a little bit odd
that we should continue TO lose so many
OF our household srticlesP
SIT does indeed" was my reply.
''She and l were talking about it this
morning"
For some reason Edward suddenly
lost his patience, and said, "You do not
suspect the cook; Caroline is the only
other servant; articles Of one kind or
another constantly disappear; yet Car
oline is still treasure, and you trem-
BILE to see her talking at the gate with
Mrs. Jones's servant lest Mrs. Jones
should be negotiating for her services.
Caroline, as far as | am concerned, is a
treasure should be glad to lay up in
heaven, or any other Out-of-the-Way
place where am not likely to meet
with her again"
"Wellw 1 exclaimed, with that turn
for logic that runs in our family" "Well,
l think it would be hard if Caroline
were made responsible for my not hav-
ing been born q detective. How can
she help it that am not acute enough
to discover what battles you also, or |
presume you would make known the
crimin6lW
Edward was sileneed. What was
there left to say, should like to know?
But be covered his defeat with laugh,
which was no credit to him, for it is far
nobler to yield frankly than to deny
your foe the glory Of an honest victory.
Yes, am ashamed t. say that Edward
laughed, as if to intimate that he knew
more than he chose to say, which, to
use one of his own technicalities, was
falsi - falsi something, forget what;
but it means that while you don't eX-
Rctly tell story, you come so near it
you ought to be ashamed of yourself.
However" resumed, 81 told Caro-
line that she positively could not go out
tonight; So"
At this point Caroline entered, alter
nately Wiping her eyes and twisting the
corner of her apron, her voice at very
high treble and every note treDaOIO.
(which you know, Miss Texie, don't
nuvvur ak to go noWhar ceppin tbs to
church."
This remark was open to criticism,
the above request having been made
almost every night for at least two
months; but was afraid to say so, and
evading the twinkle of Edwards eye, l
merely inquired the cause Of her emo
ton,
al ies seen my pa negro men ceased
to be "daddies" after the surrendeT) i
jes geen my pa, which he comes by here
on his way to de drugsteT's, as he say
how sister Lie were on de pint o sick
ness, and he were gwine for a discrip-
shun, as thought how ef you could
spar me tonight"
SIS she very sick, Caroline?
Because MIR. Smith has AL engage
ment for this evening, and l shall have
to go somewhere too ifyou are not here,
for l am really afraid to remain alone,
Don't you remember 1 told you so this
mOrning?n
"Lor, Miss Texie! Good as you is,
don't you know amt muffin gwine ter
hurt you? Whar's yo fsith?"
81 hope have faith, Caroline; but /
shall exercise it somewhere else if you
and Mr.. Smith leave the house." said 1 =
"WelI, eff dat don't beat my time /!
What you feered on, Miss Texie?"
"RObbeTs, and-and-pshaW, Caro-
line! how do | know what l am afraid
Of? 1 am just afraid so, like anybody
else; but l am afraid, and that is suf-
ficient.u
Then there was embarrassed silence.
Edward studied Cobb on Equity, Caro-
line twisted the corner Of her apron and
winked conspicousiy; played with my
nut-crscker. At length Caroline re-
sumed:
"Efyou could jes spare me, Miss Texie,
to slip round to Sister Lies reckly
arter dark, so eff emmy thing was ter hap
pen L could shake all my skirts clear OF
dom my duty; but eff she was to be
ceaseded dOut my bein dar to tell her
farWell, l nuVVur cOuld forUiy nnvself