The National tribune., 1885-07-09

seemed suddenly to rivet his attention. In ar
| instant his face grew violently red-in another
| as excessively pale. For some minutes he con
| tinued to scrutinize the drawing minutely
| where he sat. Atlength he arose, took candle
| from the table, and proceeded to seat himself
| upon sea-cheSt in the farthest corner of the
room. Here again he made an anxious exami-
nation of the paper turning it in all directions
He said nothing, however, and his conduc
greatly astonished me yet thought it prudent
not to exacerbate the growing moodiness OF hi:
temper by any comment Presently he took
from his coat pocket wallet, placed the paper
carefully in it, aud deposited both in writing
desk, which he locked. He now grew more
composed in his demeanor; but his original all
of enthusiasm had quite disappeared. Yet he
seemed not so much sulky rs distracted As the
evening wore away he became more and more
absorbed in revcrie from which no sallies OF
mine could arouse him. 1t had been my in
tention to pass the night at the hut, as l had
frequently done before, but, seeing my host in
this mood, / deemed it proper to take leave.
He did not press me to remain, but, as l de-
parted, he shook my hand with even more than
his usual cordiality.
1t was about month after this land during
the interval l had seen nothing of Legrand)
when received visit, at Charleston, from his
man, Jupiter. / had never seen the good old
negro look so dispirited, and l feared that some
serious disaster had befallen my friend.
"Well, Jup," said l, what is the matter
now?-how is your master?"
why, to speak de troof, massa, him not so
berry well as mought be-"
Not well! l am truly sorry to hear it.
What does he complain Off"
Oar! dat'S it him neber plain of notin-
but him berry sick for all dat"
=" pery sick, Jupiter!-why didn't you say so
at once? Is he confined to bed?"
No, dat he aint he amt find nowhar-
dat's just whar de shoe pnch-my mind is got
to be berry hebby bout poor Massa WILL"
Jupiter, should like to understand what
it is you are talking about. You say your
master is sick. Hasn't he told you what ails
him?"
why, massa, tain WORT while for to git mad
about de matter-Massa Will say nofin at all
aint de matter wild him-but den what make
him go about looking dis here way, wild he
head down and he soldiers up, and as white as
a gose? And den he keep a syphon all de
time"
Keeps a what, Jupiter?"
Keeps syphon wild de iggurs on de slate
de queerest tiggurs ebber did see. Ise gittin
to be skeered. L tell you. Hab for to keep
mighty tight eye pom him mowers. fodder
day he glib Tie slip fore de sun up and was gone
de whole oh de blessed day. had big stick
ready cut for to glib him deuced good beating
when he did come-but Ise sich a fool dat
hadn't de heart arter all-he look so berry
poorly"
"Eh h?-what?-ah yes!-upon the whole I
think you had better not be too severe with
the poor fellow-dOn't fog him, Jupiter-he
can't very well stand it-but can you form no
idea OF what has occaSioned this illness, or
rather this change of conduct? Has anything
unpleasant happened since l saw you?
No, maSsa dey aint bin noffin unpleasant
since den-'twas fore den Fm feared-twas de
berry day you was dare"
How? what do you mean?"
why, maSsa, mean de bug-dare now"
"The what?"
"De bug-Fm berry sartain dat Massa Will
bin bat somewhere bout de head by dat goole-
bug"
And what cause have you, Jupiter, for
such supposition
Claws enuff, massa and mouff too. neb-
Der did see such deuced bug-he kick and
he bite cherry ting what cum near him. Massa
Will cotch him fuss, but had for to let him 90
gin mighty quick, i tell you-den was de time
he must ha got de bite. / didn't like de look
OBJ de bug mouf, myself, no how, SO l wouldn't
take hold oh him wild my finger, but ! cotch
him wild piece OBJ paper dat / found. / rap
him up in de paper and stuff pieces oh it in he
mouf-dat was de way"
And you think, then, that your master was
really bitten by the beetle, and that the bite
made him sici2"
:. / don't tnk noffin about i'll nose it. What
make him dream bout de goole SO much, if taint
cause he bit by de goole-bugp Ise heerd bout
dem goole-bugs fore dis"
But how do you know he dreams about
gold?"
How / know? why cause he talk about it
in he sleep-dat's how I nose"
well, Jup. perhaps you are right; but to
what fortunate circumstance am to attribute
the honor of visit from you to-dayp"
What de matter, massa?"
Did you bring any message from Mr.. Le-
grand2"
mo. massa I bring dis here pissel;" and
here Jupiter handed me note, which ran
thus:
My Dear: Why have not seen you for so
long timer hope you have not been so foolish
To take offense at any little brasquerie of mine
but no, that Is improbable.
Since saw you have had great cause for anx-
iety. I have something to tell you, yet scarcely
know how to tell it. or whether should tell it ut
all.
have not been quite well for some days past, and
poor old Jup annoys me. almost beyond endurance
by his well-Ineant attentions. Would you believe
1.-THE had prepared huge stick, the other day
with which to chastise me for giving him the Slip
and spending the day, sots among the hills on the
mainland. verify believe that my ill looks alone
saved me feggng
have made no addition to my cabinet since we
met.
If you can, in any way, make it convenient come
over with Jupiter. DO come. L wish to you
to-ftagb, upon business OF Importance. L
you that 1t IS of the highest Importance.
Ever yours, WILLIAM LFGRAND.
There was something in the tone of this note
which gave me great uneasness. Its whole
style differed materially from that of Legrand
What could he be dreaming of? What new
cretchet possessed his excitable brain? What
business of the highest importance" could he
possibly have to transact? Jupiters account
of him boded no good. | dreaded lest the con-
tinued pressure of misfortune had, at length
fairly unsettled the reason of my friend
Without moments hesitation, therefore, Ipre-
pared to accompany the negro.
Upon reaching the wharf noticed a scythe
and three spades, all apparently new, lying in
the bottom of the boat in which we were to
embark.
What is the meaning of all this Jup?" /
inquired.
Him syfe, massa, and spade"
Very true; but what are they doing here?"
Him de syfe and de spade what Massa Will
sis pom my buying for him in de town, and dc
debbils own lot of money had to glib for en-"
But what, in the name of all that is mys-
teriOus is your Massa VIII going to do with
scythes aud spades?"
OATS more dan know, and debbil take me
if don't blieve tits more dan he know, too
But it's all cum of de bug.
Finding that no satisfaction was to be obtained
of Jupiter, whose whole intellect seemed to be
absorbed by "de bug" i now stepped into the
boat and made sail. With fair and strong
breeze we soon ran into the little cove to the
northward of Fort Moultrie, and walk of
some two miles brought us to the hut 1t was
about three in the afternoon when we arrived
4 ,Rpr3nn a IN n auf,