The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-09-29
UNCLE IKE'S LETTER.
BY ADELAIDE RALSTON.

Uncle Ike shambed mp to the open window where l sat sewing, took off his battered straw hat, and bowed low in his humble, old fashioned way. "Miss Lucy, will you do me de favor to read dis letter to mel" he asked, fumbling awkwardly in his pocket as he spoke, and presently bringing to view a. dirty yellow en- velope, which he held out to me with a trembling hand.
 "Why, who can be writing to you, Uncle Ike?" I asked, smiling at the look of expectancy on his black face.
 "Dat's jes what Pse been axing myself ebber scncc de pos'- master gib me dat letter!' he exclaimed, in voice that shook with excitement.
 "Now, wus t'inkin', as come up from de cabin, dat maybe hit mought be from Mandy. ldreampt las night dat 1 seed her a-comin' along de little lane wonder, jes' as nateral as she ebber looked in her life, an somehow l can't git datdfeam outen my mind.
 "When 1 woke up dis mornin', I 'clare to gracious if l don't 'spect to see Mandy bustlin' aroun' in de cabin, dat dream was so plain befo' my eyes An when l got dis letter, so onex- pected-like,-de very fust l ebber got in my life,-I said to myself, May be dat dreams a-gwine to come true. Maybe Fse gwine to see my Mandy sho 'nough" But read de letter, please, Miss Lucy, fur Pse jes' on net ties to know what's in it"
 opened the letter little gingerly it must be confessed, for it had the odor of onions and tobacco clinging to it, and looked as if it might have been fished out of some rubbish pile. Uncle Ike leaned eagerly forward, his mouth wide open, and his dim eyes fixed in- tently on my face, waiting tor me to begin.
 1t was very remarkable letter. remarkable in more ways than one. In the first place, it was not dated at all, and the words were jumbled together in manner that would have puzzled an expert at reading. How ever, by dint of hard study and fre- quent pauses, managed to decipher thO AAOSS VA kt1 0bOl 06 d5 ! could make it out, it ran thus:
 "mi deer husban talk mi Pen in han to Rite an Hop when yu reeve 1t Will find yu enjoy ir The Same blessin man rum logan county IP here d" or to ago an TSis Me that weeks ago am Comin to you rite Strate wher can Pax my cloes haint thot uv Marryin nc %oos for me s% Bay S so the Ms more Frum your TroO wife mandy fields ths rose is redd the vilets blue candy Is sw est al so is yu."
 4.I said hit mout be from Mandy P cried Uncle Ike, when I had finished He was rubbing his wrinkled handl together, twisting his black face into all sorts of shapes, and acting alto. gether in such ridiculous manner that l dropped the letter and laughed till the tears ran down my cheeks.
 "Why, Uncle Ike," said, when could ind voice to speak, "I didn' know you had wife anywhere in thu worldl l was under the impression that you had a strong notion of court ing Dinah. l notice that you go t the bottoms nearly every week"
 "Sho! Miss Lucy, does you tink Ti be fool enough to marry dat moon. eyed nigger3 Why, dat Dinay couldn' hold candle to my ole 'oman r ana Uncle Ike gave sniff of contempt.
 I ain't a-courtin' ob nobody dowi in dem swampe, honey. Lord 1 Lord how my ole heart does beat vid ioy dis mawnin'i To t'ink dnt Mandy hain't forgot mo in all dese lcns vears an dat she's alibe an we'll ks' dai