West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1888-08-17
heah hit 'u'd be all right But deir

Ou yduuCi CSDOASJ SN~ ->~fAS ssA 49,
railroad halfway. An heah t is er
Thursday bout sundown.' Mandy
turned her face to his, but his eyes
| looked away, and he had given him
| self up to reflection. Presently he
said, as if addressing no one in par
ticular:
"My ole Mis- tell me oncet, 'Siah,
| ses she, des so, wien de heart es sick
an lonesome, deir ain no med'ci
like work. Eff you got ter set down
an study bout hit, hits gointer eat,
es dis heah sickness; but eff yon es
| er-workin', hit gifts out into suthin'
else Lord, but she live up ter hit
too: an wen .Marse Sam az shot ct
Chinck 'nhominy, es dey say, she tu'n
en- an. cut up cyarpets fur de sogers,
an knit socks, an scrape lint twell
bimeby hit uz all done; an one day
I seen 'er pickm' cotton in de orchud
patch like er common niger, an l
ses den, 'Ole Mis-, hits er sin an er
shame fur you ter do like dat An
right deir she lif' up 'er hans, dat
de sun almos' shine trOo, an say,
Gimme work ter do, Slab; gimme
work ter dor An lemme tell yer
right deir too / broke down. But
hit KEEP 'er up, an she ain dead yit,
but as peart as anybody. Yes, sir,
work es er big ting for hebby eyes"
On the face of the yellow woman
over her babe thought was dawn
ing. A new spirit shonc in her eyes,
and quickening breath shook her
form. AS she gazed upon the old
man be took a pair of silyer-rim-
med spectacles from his pocket and
adjusted them. Then he drew out
worn Bible. The woman sank
back again, but the thought in her
eyes remained.
ISIS Mandy" said he, ''let de Lord
speak, fur deir s trouble in sto' fur
you an, yourn." Charlotte rested
her chm upon her hand, and her
knitting, which she had drawn out,
dropped to the ground. The old
man began, but his progress was
slow. He had to spell out many
words, and explain as he read:
"'De Lord es my sheppud, l shall
not want
"'He makes me to lay down in
green pastures, e leads me beside
de still waters
"'He resto'ith my soul, he leads
up de pay er de righteous fur es
name sake
"'Yea, though l walk troo de val
ley er do shadder or death, I'll fear
no devil
"'Fur thou art wild me, thy rod
an thv staff dey comforts me-
"'Thou prepares er table fur me
en- de presunce NV my enemies; thou
a-n-o i-n-t-e-t-h my head with oil,
an my cup hit runs over
"An' wen hits all done wat says
de prophet? Wen de hard heart
done lay down hits load an de feet
been en- de valley an de shadder, an
by de waters an cross de pastures
er-fearin' nuth'n', wat den?
"'Sholyp ses he, 'sholy!-oh,
hit s er great word is dat sholy,-
'sholy goodness an mussy shall fol,
ler me all de days er my life, an I'll
dwell den en- de house er de Lord
Bless him fur de promise!
'Siah closed his book, and drew
off his glasses, and wiped them care
fully upon the lining of his coat.
But the young woman stood up with
the new thought fairly speaking in
her round brown eyes. and a new
vigor trembling in her frame.
"Tek de baby, Nanny" she al
most shouted, placing little Ben in
the Others lap. "I'm er-goin,-
dou't you heah?-Pm goin' troo de
valley an de shadde- an by de wa
ters an !cross de pastures twell He
show me Marse Bob! l bin bline,
Nanny, 1 bin bline, but / amt
bline now! He done op'n my eyes
an see de way-Good-bye! Good
bye, Nanny! Goodbye, Unc' 'Siah!
Keep de baby en- yo' bed, Nanny,
en- de night, an don't let i'm cry fur
me. En- de valley an de shadder
an by de pastures!-En yo' bed,
Nanny"
She turned away. Her voice died
out as she passed beyond the live
oaks. Then, and then only, did Unc'
'Siah lift up his face from his hands
and fix it skyward.
"De Lord, he has spoke at las.
Hit s all right, Sis Charlotte. De
Lords ham es er reachin' out fur
Ben. Dat es Bills knife"
Old Charlotte spoke not. Bend
ing until her head rested against the
one ragged garment of the sleeping
child, she rocked him in silence.
The old man gazed upon her doubt
fully, but presently he rose, and in
silence too limped out across the
field.
TO be Continued.