Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1879-05-23

Udy IOT LILO pdoo V1AOO o"JS' "N o"A
parsley's up, and our onions are doing
nicely. And you used to DO SO forward ~
So Miss Peppard, who was dear little,
sweet-faced, wonderfully bright old lady,
living in the incest and most comfortable
manner on a small income, with a faith
full colored servant woman few years
younger than herself, a rolypoly dog, a
tortoise-shell cat, and three birds, had two
reasons for being sorely vexed-the loss of
her money and the loss of the days which
she expected would start the green things
s growing,
s.All the money had,' she said to Pe-
| teona-called Ona for short-as she rocked
nervously backward and forth in her rock
ing chair, her eyes sparkling and her
cheeks flushed. 81 only wish I could catch
the thief I'd send him to jail as sure as
the grass is green"
That's sho' enuf. Miss Peppar' p
Peteona always dropped the 'sd"-''an
it'd sarve 'em zackley right, wen dey was
ketched, to be drug to de lookup by de
heels.'' Then. after slight pause, which
was Ona's way, she added an after-thought :
"Dono, dough: sp'ose dey might as well
take de pore wretch by de head.
''All the money I had,'' repeated Miss
Peppard;' five and twenty dollars; and I
can't get any more for two weeks. for bor-
row I never did and never will. And
there's tho garden all laid out and ready
for planting, and Mrs. Brown sets out her
lettuces and cabbage plants tomorrow
morning, and she'll be sending them here
with her compliments. indeed before
ours have begun to head"
eff she do, I'll frow dem ODER de fence"
said Ona "Better eat them, dough,
guess. Her compliments can't hurt 'em. :"
''And, oh! my conscience!" Miss Pep
pard went on (she could invoke her icon
scisnce'' thus lightly, dear old lady, be-
cause she had nothing on it), "baby's pic
ture was in that pocketbook. And can't
get another. Polly said it was the last,
and the photographer don't come that way
but once year."
''Well, well, you are poor SOUL" SYM
pathized Peteona, ''to 60 and lose dat ar
picter-dat lubly thing JUS like horned
angel. An yer sisters onliest chile-'cept
five. Wish had dat robber yere dis min
nit; I'd box his ears 50 he couldn't set
down fur week."
HE wouldn't be here long," said her
mistress. "Of all things in the wide world,
I hate thief. I'd have him put where
/ ho3J 81 for NJ
least.'
| "Might be she; dar's she robbers, y
suggested Ona; ''an' dey's all wuss den
caterpillars. Caterpillars takes ysu' things
| right fore yo' eses-don't sneak in 20
| pockit. Take cup of'tea, Miss Peppar'.
Oars no use frettin' no mo-. An de cats
been settin' on yer for half an hour,
wantin' you to notice her, pore thing. She
just came in off of de po'ch minnit ago."
Miss Peppard took the tea and spoke to
the cat; but she couldn't help fretting;
| and she slept but little that night, and
awoke the next morning almost as vexed
| as ever, and denounced the thief at inter
walls Of about half and hour from breakfast
until dinner, although Peteona emphatic
| ally remarked: "Dar's no use cussin' and
| swearin', Miss Peppar'; can't do no good
Wish 1 had dat robbin' debbil here
| dough-"
And after dinner, for which Ona served
soothing little stew and cooling cream
custard, the old lady became little calm
or, and retired to her own room to write
letter to her sister Polly, who lived away
off in Michigan; and she had just written:
"And can't make a strawberry bed this
summer as intended, and, dear! dearl how
shall miss baby's plcture!'' when Pete
ona opened the door sans ceremonie, as
she always did, and walked in with mys-
FERROUS air. 'Pusson want to see you Miss
Peppar'- pusson bout boys age,
I guess.'
"What does he look like, and where did
you leave him ?'' asked the old lady, lay
ing down her pen. and looking a little
alarmed.
"Out OH de po'ch. lock de do An
he's dirty. ragged Teller. Shall broom
him off, Miss Peppar'? Looks as do he
ought to be broemed off or glib sumfin to
eat-pors bony, dirty. soul.''
s'I'll come right down." said Miss Pep
pard; and down she went. And there on
the porch stood dirty, ragged, forlorn
looking boy about twelve years of age,
looking exceedingly ebony" and half star
we'd sure enough. He pulled off his apollo
gy for cap when Miss Peppard opened
| the door, but said never word until the
old lady asked him, in mild voice she
never spoke unkindly to dirt and rags:
''Well, my boy, what do you want?''
"Then you lost your pocket. book, yister-
day ?" he blurted out.
s'Yes'' said she eagerly. 'sThat is, it
was stolen from me; for felt it in my
pocket moment before I missed it. Do
you know the thief %
sim him." was the answer; and he
raised pair of dark eyes, that looked like
the eyes Of hunted animal, to her face. :
'sMy conscience!' exclaimed the old
lady, and fell into chair that stood near
while Peteona darted out and seized him,
shouting: "Golly! got yo' wish mighty
soon dis time, Miss Peppar'. Run for de
constable. I'll hold him. Could hold a
dozen like him-or two or free"
"Let him alone, Ona," said her mistress,
while the boy stood without making the
slightest resistance.
s'Ain't he to be drug to tho lookup ?"
asked Ona, with toss of her turbaned
head.
"Wait till we hear what he has to say"
said Miss Peppard. Then, turning to the
boy she asked as mildly as ever: "Of course
you haven't brought me back"
"Yes, I have" interrupted he. "Here
tits, money and all, 'cept what had to