The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-06-25

were riddied through and through.
but the outer leaves We're fair and
sound.
Marty was weak and sick from hum
ger. She felt this disappointmen was
more than she could bear. She drew
her apron over her head and sat down
on the kitchen steps without word.
Bugby stood looking at the heap of
| cabbages. Where was his holiday din
ner now of chicken pie, his Breakfast
| lie kicked the cabbage as hard as he
| could.
Nanny he said the next moment.
they den'tslook bad at all. An'-an'n
cycling her furtively- MR. Frisby don't
pick de outest leaves off. He just tum-
bles 'em in de cellar 'mong de rest. He's
| got a waeon-loads dab. An his
voice got very thick and fast--"he
wouldn't nebber know whose dem dar
cabbages was
Marty took down her apron. Cor
nelius Bughy johnson, am you thief
It's bad enuff TO lose de cabbages, but
! don't let me tink my boys gone gone
toh de debbil'
In the grain, Buggy was honest.
TIM not a thiefn' he howled, and
kicked the eabbages again. but I'm
so hungry I'm sick. nanny"
Il know. sonny Marty turned into the
cabin desperately, to see if there were
any of their poor little belongings which
she could sell. But who would buy the
WORKOUT chairs and table from a negro
cabin?
<rll go down to the village an see if
kin git days work for our vittals,
Bug. An do yoh take two or three oh
de cabbages an show TO Mr. Frisby, an
tof. IL x4tIev- aanff cnn1
him any"
lug set off on his errand with half a
dozen of the cabbages lying on the bot
tom of the push-cart.
Never had such savory smells tor
mented his nostrils as came that morn
ing through the frosty air. Buckwheat
cakes. sauSa0es hot co1leei And he was
so ravenously hungry!
At Frisby's shop door, too, hung
chickens, ducks, strings of pudding. His
mouth watered; he stopped at the steps
with his push cart. Why not sell Fris-
by the eabbages and buy ehicken2 He
could tell his nanny that Frisby had
given 1t to him. Why not? He stood
irresolute The devil was fighting as.
hard for the soul of the little black boy
as for that of any saint.
Presently he ran up the steps carrying
a cabbage, and went up to Frisby who
was busy taking an order from a lady
in black.
''Ah. Bug! brought the cabbagesP
Put them in the cellar Tom will pay
you"
Seer burst out Bugby. '.Dey're
wormy; dcy're all done gone wormy!
Nanny hain't got one to sell you.n -
Then he turned and kicked the cabbage
furiously down the steps. You ole
cheat Clar out o my sight!'' he scream
ed.
The lady, who was young, laughed.
s.What ails the child?' she said '4Who
is hep
It's Martyrs boy Bug, Miss Given"
said the grocer. "a very honest woman.
Now, h:,lf-a-dozen wealthy farmers have
sold me worny cabbages within the
week. And l think it likely Marty de-
pended on hers for her winters living.
What else did you say? Any canned
goods?''
Miss Given came down the steps a
moment later Bug still stood cycling
the cabbages with a kind of blank des-
pair, which was so funny on his ugly
little phin that she laughed again.
What were you going to trade for
thenP Come, Bug. tell me all about
it
'sFd be glad to trade de whole eighty
for hoe cake, an OATS fac almost
.sobbed Bug.
The Young lady looked grave. ''Have
YOU had no breakfast. Is il so bad as
that? Here, jump up behind on this
phaeton. | am-going to drive ont home,
and YOU shall have your breakfast and
something to take home"
Miss Given heard Bugs whole story
before she reached home cabbages,
chicken pie. lost father and all Her
cheeks were warm and her eyes wet as
she stopped at the door and lung the
moment. Bugby,'' she said, running up
the steps into a broad hall where sever
al gentlemen stood smoking and chat
ting.
''Who Is your groom. Elsie said her
father. "A new discoveryP
II want to tell you about him." she
said, eagerly land you, DIR. Coyt,"
turning to an old gentleman near. ''Just
listen to this and she told Bugs story.
81 call that heroism." when she had
ended, ''if it was about nothing better
than cabbages- and bacon"
DR. Coyt, who was a gentleman from
the neighborhood of New York on a
visit to her father, had listened intent
".
.s1'his is very singular he said, Il
half suspect-Did the boy tell you his
fathers name?"
"No. But their master was Col.
Denharn, of Louisa County"
Il thought so! Send my coachman
here.'' he said to servant passing
''And. Miss Given, please cali your
boy"
a stalwart. middle-aged colored man
entered. Miss Given looked at him anx-
iously. lie had manly, honest face,
but sad one, like most of his race.
tsCassius, said the doctor. did you
leave any family in yirginia?''
"a wife an chile, sab. went back
for dem when dc war was ober, but dey
was gone, nobody knew whar. | neb-
Der hope to see dem. / done glib up de
hopes oh dat. sab. long ago.
f'What did you cali your boy?n
Cornelius Buggy, sah.n
Oats my name. = said shrili voice
behind him.
Cassius turned. stepped back, looking
at the boy, then at the doctor. His
breath failed him.
"Do-do you mean to say dis is my
ehile?'' he sfammered.
al believe it is. my boy
ssGod hev mercy on mep' He took
Bug up by the shoulders, let him down,
laughed and sobbed in a way pitiful to
.sea IN n Sfrony man stWhar- Whar4s