South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1880-07-30
TONY.

N "'Soiy 80 - fiSliS III
tie girl OF eight years well could look.
Tony, bright mulatto boy about
sixteen years old, was swinging him
self on the lower branches of the pear
tree, while most OF the very top hung
a single large pear, on which Bianche's
eyes were fixed.
Can't git dat Or pear, Missy, no
how he answered. You hearn mas
81 say dat pear amt to be pulled by
nobody, Gaze de storm bowed all de
oders down, and he wants it TO Git
ripe, so he KIN see wot kind oh fruit
1t Is. 'Pli git you some nice ripe
peaches eft you wants 'em.'
L don't want no peaches; I don't
want nothin' but that pearl tie child
cried, getting more and more angry.
Papa won't care when he knows /
took it. You know that, too, you bad
Tony. It's just because you're so
cross and lazy that you won't get it
for me!'
Blanche Somers was an only and
much spoiled child, spoiled by her
indulgent parents. Yet she was sweet
naturod and warih-heartcd, prompt
to attack injustice, and could never
see suffering of any kind without do
ing her best to relieve it.
AS for Tony, from the time Missy
could toddlo about, he had been her
shadow. He carried her in his arms
when she was tired, he taught her
lisping tongue its first accents and
being an honest, steady boy, Mr.. and
Mrs. Somers were quite willing to trust
their treasure in his care.
Very rarely had Tony ventured to
oppose Missy's most unreasonable ex-
actions: But though he loved the
child, he was al the Same time very
much afraid Of what the slaves called
'massa's tantrums which meant the
bursts of temper in which Mr.. Somers
sometimes INDUCED.
mo, no, Missy he continued, 'taiht
n mite of use akin for dat ar pear
1t mought Jest as much be CROWN in
de moon, fur as you and me is con-
sarred. 'Taint SIGH n Wonderful pear.
nohow, come to look at it. / reckon
kin git you one in de orchard Jest
40 big
But it was no longer the size or
lusciousness of the pear which made
it desirable to the wilful child. She
wanted to have her own way, and this
rebellion in her vassal waa rot to be
endured. She had coaXed HIM to get
the fruit, and he had refused then
she had stormed at him, and there he
sat in the tree, swinging his legs and
whiting piece of bark.
She seatbd herself oh the ground
and began to cry; not loudly or VIC
lently, but in pitiful, pathetic man
ner, like broken hearted child trying
to suppress her aobs.
This was too much for Tony's ten
der heart, ard he slid down the tree
and came to her. 'Wot my pretty hit
tie Missy cryin bout 2 he asked, pi-
tyingly. Hush up, honey, and Tony'll
| git you dc hooking birds nest full OBJ
eggs, you've been Begin fur so long.
| didn't like to take it, but reckon
de muddGr- bird kin lay moro eggs
Come along, Missy
AT any other time Blanche would
have fairly screamed with delight at
this tempting proposal, but Just now
she had other matters in hand. Yes,
she would have the birds nest, but
she would have the pear too; and the
longer she looked 1T il, the more
beautiful it seemed.
So she cried on, softly, looking so
woebegone that Tony was ready to
join her and cry too.
j don't want the nest now, Tony ,
she sobbed; decd | don't. But I'n
sick and hot, aid seems to me I do
want that pear so bad I'll take a
fever and die if you don't get it for
me; or I'll have spasms, and then
what'll ntqmma and papa say p
a year before, Blanche, during a
severe illness, had suffered from con
vUlsions, which returned several times
after her recovery. Sudden fright.
or violent emotion Of any kind, had
therefore been forbidden by her ply
siciah, and Tony, remembering that
injunction, lelI more peTpleXed IMAM
cvor.
I'll tell papa 1 took it, Blanche
went on. Papa isn't going 20 scold
me. OTony, dear Tony, getit for mel
Tony rose rucfully, unable to DENY
her any longer, but with the remon-
brance of 'massa's' threats making his
very heart quake. But then wasn't
Missy's will ms supreme with 'massa'
as with the mcancst slave on the plan
tation? lie couldn't be punished for
obeyihg her orders.
SO he climbed the tree, and as he
was coming down with the fruit in
his hand, fOdrd himself confronted by
the stern face Of ms angry master.
Mr.. Somers was decidedly in a tan
trum' that mortiing. Thieves had on.
tered his orchard during tic night
and rihed the trees Of their choicest
I r. 4 4