The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1879-02-27
THE FAITHFUL GUEST.

THE FAITHFUL GUEST.
There was something, I forget what,
to take my grandIat and grand mother
away from home one day in October of
/ the year lived with them in Burns
| Hollow. u may have been d funeral or
some religious meeting, tor they both
| drove off dressed in their best in the gig,
I with old Ajax nCrnessed 20 It ; and ter
| had tucked u graudma's iron gray silk
| skirt and ran back 70 the house for
grandpa spectacies, sod had seen the
! gig vanish in the distance, I felt lonely.
! Burns Hollow was q lonesome, ram5 m5iing
mansion, which might have sheltered a
! regiment, aud had a gh0stly air about II
| wneu one wandered through the upper
| rooms alone.
! TneTe were but two servants III the
! kitchen. Hannah Oakgs and the Irish
led Anthony. l heard them laughing
! merrily together, for, though Hannah
was an old woman, she was full Of fun,
auu in five minutes the door opened and
| Hannah came IN with the tray.
Please, miss" said she, as she set it
| down, may l run over to Mapietcn to-
/ night? My sisters daughter had bay
| lasJ night, they say, and want to see il,
! nat raily-lt's the first we ever had OF
| grandniece or nephew"
VINO brought the news / p ked
! Anthony. miss" said Han ID. " He
met George-lhat's my niece husband
when hs was out alter the COW, = nv
| ing as she ALWAYS Is, and tOld nlu 10 tell
HSnnah she's Il grandauut.'
" You may go" l said, but don {
! stay late. Grandpa and grandma may
! be away all night, and l feel nervous.
| To be sure, there Is AuthoDy, bat never
| rely Oh him Be certain not t. stay
! late" I repeSted this Injunction with a
! sort of fright stealing over me-a pre-
sentiment of evil, I might say-and
something prompted me to add: Be
| back by g." Why, ] cannot say; but !
! felt as if by 9 l should be in some peculiar
| danger.
Hannah promised, ana, after doing all
| required, went away, and l heard hen
| heavy shoes on the garden walk outside
| Early IS it was, I Ead dropped the cur
! tain and lighted the wsz candle on tbs
maRyel, and I sat long after M tea, find,
! ing a certain companiCnship in it, as
women of all ages viii.
| sat thus long time, and was startled
| from my reverie by rap at the dOor-a
! timid sort of rap, 50 | knew at once that
it vas not member Of the house nor az
intimate friend. l waited, expecting
Anthony to open the door, but finding
he did not went to it myeelt.
1t had grown quite dark, and the moon
rose late that night. At frat I could
only make out crOuching figure at the
bDttOm of the porch but when | spoke
it advanced, and by the light of the hail
lamp I saw black man. | had always
had a sort of fear Of s negro, and instiL ct.
lively shrunk away, bat As l did so he
spoke in husky whisper: " This is
Massa MOrtOn's. isn't it ?"
Yes" l replied, but grandfather
is out"
retreated as he advanced
please, miss he said, Judge b
sent me here. He said massa 'ud hell
me on. Let me stay here - night, miss
Is trabb.ed FIVE days since | left him
hidin' ike. Is awful hungry, Pear.
ike I'd drop, and ole m8ssa's sTter me
For de lub OBJ beabeu, miss, let me hide
lsymewheres, and glib me les a crust
Massa Morton 'ud help me-, snd it's kept
NE up. EIissUs viii, I know
I knew thav grandfather had gi7er
succor TO some of these poor wTetche
before; but fe'J that I might be dom,
wrong by admitting stranger in bis sb
sence.
Caution and pity struggled with me
At last said, " You have a note iron
she Judge, I suppose, sir p
mad some writin' ~ a rapcr," zai,
lhe man, g hu5 rs lost it da Iig.l !
rained so. All miss, Is teliin' the tru.
Judge sent me, sure IS Is 4 sinner. /
been helped along 50 lar, and pears lIk
| get to CSuady. Can 60 back noy. ass
Wi.e's dar, and the yoUag uns. e.
clas,r a Ye2r ago- Miss, III prsy ftr go
ebry day OF nay life e. you'll be so Esc
/ 10 me. Tank you, miss
: For somehow when he spoke Of vi
, and children I had stepped back and ls
: him in.
r It was the back hall door to aiica th
3 rap had come, and the kitchen was clio.
st hand l led him Jbither When
: saw how worn lie va. hCw wretchec
: how his eyes Listened. aHi w inde
: his Toug'. b!us shirt his BE bert ;
s. that you could count the pa-aes, Z fsrrC
my caution. 1 brought cut cid mes
and bread. drew a mug OF cider. an
!. spread them on tie table. TIE negr
ate, and lelt him 10 lind Anthony.
!
n his lodging throughout tue light
- To nay surprise, Anthony was nowheI
T about the house or garden
r Hannah must have taken him wit
h her across the lonely road to Mauletol
1t was natuFSI, but l was angry.
/ Yet / lOnged Tor Rannah's return. su
1 listened very anxiously until the cloc
struck nine. Then, instead Of her f03
q steps, heard the patter OF raindro,
\ and tue rumbling thunder, and lookin
: out saw that heavy storm was con
q ing on.
9 Now, certainly, grandpa and grandm
would Lot come, and Hannah, waitiu
: fer the storm 70 pass, would not be hel
: for hours. However, my lear OF tie Il;
u gro was quite gone, and felt a certai
e pride in conducting myself bravely III
e der these trying circumstances.
l. Accordingly l went zap stairs foun
i in the attic sundry pillows and bolster
and carried -hem kitchenward.