The Red Cloud chief., 1882-07-13

mer'
A moment jsscr . ssucy. trim looking
eiri appesrod m In doorway In answer
70 the pcpoptory sppmoas.
.Sanbd Ann,'' setd Nanny Label
with glEm emphasis, pointing with hel
stick the trembIfak Isham. who had
retressed = few ssep. In case q hasfy
fight Skosid seem advisable. "did vel
tell dat DIR ls'sn COMBS you wanted
ter marry himT'
Ishsm looked imploringiy 1t Salindy
Ann. who had said that very thing.
Saiindy Ann glanced II hin,. and theu
at the outssretehed stick. with which she
had m intimate and psinful acqusint.
ance. and her heart failed her.
EMO, Nanny shc said. faitcringly.
"'clar 70 goodness I neber id.
You hear dat, niger. don you?'
inquired Mamma Isabel. irjumphsniiy.
Of the detected Ishsm- you claf
yourself oa'n desc ere premises. an
don you kaye no tracks ahin' you. an
cf you cher sets 20 foot inside o my
palms agin. youth 'pcnt de day. or Dc
night elder. An you kin tell all de mig
gers what a ter marry Salindy Ann
an come an bib wild me. dat we eats
snakes an toads an lizards an pole
cats a n buzzards. an' do debil comes
ter supper wild us cherry Sat'day night
Now clar out"
He clared.
But lsham was much in love with
Saiindy Ann. and wen forgave her base
desertion Of him In time Of need. He
was horribly afraid she might think him
finally disposed of. and turn her aiten-
ton tn ON other suitor, and he racked
his brain for n method Of impartiny TO
her his faithfulness. Not for worlds
even with Salindy Ann thrown in
would he have crossed "dem palms"
in defiance Of Nanny Isabei's prohibit
ton. but surely the road was free to all.
Isham was q good banio-player. and a
leader in the church choir, SO he son
cluded that he would screnade his lady
love. But unluckily for MIN he an
nOunced bis intention TO several Of his
confreres, Boosting in an ~unguarded
moment that he "warn't 'fraid Of
Nanny liable. don keer ef she Is a
witch-'oman." One Of Nanny Isabers
cronies repeated this to her. and with a
malicious chuckle she resolved 10 be
ready for him.
One moonlight night. about twelve
o'clock, our hero wended his way TO the
cherished yet dreaded spot. and there.
just outside Of the palms" he poured
forth his soul in melody. He warbled
Of Dinah:
Her eyes 30 bright dey shines at night
when dc moon am gone away
Of Cindy, whose
.ncck's 30 long am stringy,
i feared she'll ncbcr de-
Of Nellie. who
"was n lady,
Ny dark Virginia brfde:"
OF Susannah the forsaken. and Lucy the
betrayed, feeling more and more coura-
.geous rs the end Of each song found
him still unmolested. At last "snapr'
went a string. and he looked round for
a convenient place to sit down and
mend it. Close TO the fence was a Sec
ton Of a big pine log, and npon that ne
ensconced himself. He iinkered the
string. he tuned Little. and sang q
great deal more, enjoying himself IA
mously, and feeling uncommonly
brave. At last the moon disappeared
under a cloud, the night grew chilly,
and Isham concluded to leave. with the
pleasing consciousness that Salindy Ann
must have appreciated his devotion.
I He prepared to arise, but his hair
was the only portion of him that rose.
He could not nov from his seal. He
wriggled and twisted. he pulled and
tugged. his eyes nearly popping ouref
his head, and his teeth chattering with
fear; iron chains could not have bound
him faster.
lord have marcy pom me-" Ne
calculated presently. dropping his ban
10 and clasping his hands. "De ole
oman done trick me sho huff dis time.
o Lordy! o Lordyr' He dared not call
out, for fear of worse consequences; he
could not get up; he had not n spark of |
courage to be kept up by whistling or
singing. The clouds grew thicker. the
night darker, the wind colder. Every
now and then the captive made an
attempt tn escape. or muttered
a prayer for dekverancc. but he mainly
preserved the quiet of abject despair.
At last. accidentally turning his head
the cabin. he thought he saw
through the palings something white
him. Yes, there it was.
and now he heard n sfealthy step. Near.
err and neareri il came. its outlines vague.
its proportions gigantic. 1t reached the
fcnce beneath which Isham was cover. |
Ing. a huge white something stretched1
over the fence Immediately above his
head, and a dull, horrible groan salutcd
his ears.
There was . shrek, . wild struggle
rending Of garments, and 3 sound az fly-
ing feet and the place that had known
sham knew him no mora ~ "a
Early next morning Nanny Isabel
might have been seen Just outside her
garden fence picking up . banjo. andf
tisengaging from q pine log the gar.
which had clothed the neither
of Isham Coomb& She seemed to
,njoy the performance immensely. for
HE chuckled as she said to herself e
intervals:
Didn't know / was a-sett;n' at de
windy = watchin' on him, an, a-hearin,
III dat miowin'. 81 he hadn't cot
Town. I'd = had him some odder way.
Alwus knowed l cud make good glue.
An den dat OF white cow-he! hef her,
md the old woman almost bent double
With delight.
"Salindy Ann" she said, re-enternc
cabin with her trophies. Lyon see
lase yer things? Well. dey's all ycu
Der will see o dat fool Is am Coombs.s'
Salindy Ann didn't believe her; but 4
: was true. Isham Coombs left the /,
ountry; but before he went he gave !:
1ch ahsrfowing account Of his nights /,
dKenture that Salindy Ann neyer. bad !,
mother oder till her grandmotharss
cath. which. luckily foe her prospects,
nok place not very long afterward-i,
3dyperss Ba<ar. - - i,
Oceans Myriads. ID