The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-09-29

po'try. used to say dat berry varse to her ebery time I went to see her, when I was a-courtin' of her, an she bain't forgot hit yitl Bress de Lord I feel jes' like gittin' down on my knees right heah, am offerin' up a pra'ar. An now, Miss Lucy, if you ain't in no hurry bout sowin' dem flower seed, Tll jes' run back to the cabin an go to fixin' up t'ings little. Mandy allus was de peartest 'oman I ebber sot eyes on, an l don't want her to find speck ob dirt down dar. I reckon I'd better hunt up pane ob glass for de winder; dem rags am pa- pers does look mighty onnery."
 "But stop moment, Uncle Ike," I said, as he turned away. "You must tell me something about Mandy. Why have you been separated so long?"
 "Scuse me, honey, for not 'splainin' t'ipgs, but it pears as if Ps clean lost my senses eber sence you read me dat letter." and Uncle Ike removed his hat again, while the smile on his face deepened into broad grin.
 "You see," he went on, "when me an Mandy was sot free, we had no money worf talkin' bout, SO Mandy she said maybe I'd better run de riber awhile, an' she'd hire out somewhar to cook, so's we could sabe little. We'll, l agreed, an went off on de riber, an was gone six months.
 'l was tooken wid fever down in New Orleans, an had no chance to send any money home. When l did git back found dat Mandy had been gone away nigh on to four months. She went oil to Ioway wid some white folks, who wanted her for nuss, an dat's de las' I eber heerd O my ole 'oman till to-day.
 H's roamed round heap sence den, but 1 hain't neber come across Mandy, nor foun' any body dat knowed whar she was. An to t'ink dat I's foun' her after all desc years-hit jes' seems too good to be truew
 "It seems that she has found you, Uncle Ike," l said, "for there is noth- ing about the letter to tell where it came from. So, you see, you don't know where she is living, after all."
 Uncle Ike's countenance fell.
 "Is dat SOP" he exclaimed in tone of keen disappointment. "But hit don't matter Tong as she's comin'," he added, his face brightening again.
 "Of course not" l said, quickly, seeing that he was eager to be gone. "I shall run down to the cabin some time to- morrow, and help you to fix up things"
 "Tank you, Miss Lucy. You neb- Der forgits ole Ike, an when Mandy comes, you'll find her mighty good hand to help about de house. Oar ain't any ting under de sun dat 'oman can't do p and with chuckle of de- light, Uncle Ike went off down the lane.
 That night, when told Brother Robert about the letter, and Uncle lke's plan for having everything in order before Mandy's arrival, he agreed to join me in helping to fix up the little cabin.
 "I hope Mandy will prove a good cook" he said, "for am tired of see- ing you in the kitchen so much, and you really need some one to help you."
 Early the next morning I heard somebody singing, and looking out of my bedroom window, saw Uncle Ike, going in and out of the little cabin, bringing out glass and putty to mend the broken window, yet pausing a moment to take a look at the little square flower- bed he had made in the corner of the fence, or to trim branch of the maple tree that shaded the house, always humming a song as he worked, with an occasional furtive look down the lane, as if he half-expected to sec Mandy coming.
 At noon l heard the twang of his banjo, as he rested for little while in the doorway. In the evening he came shuffiing to the kitchen door, and asked to see me.
 "Miss Lucy, would ye min givin' me few hollyhock seeds, am some ob dat larkspur an sweet mint in de gyarden2 1 nebber had no idee ob maxim fower-bed till now, but know Mandy'll want a little gyarden ob her own to work in when she hain't got nothin' else to do."
 "Take anything you want, Uncle Ike, and make your garden as pretty as you can," said. 'I shall give you curtain for your window, and if you care to use it you may have the little stove in the woodshed. Don't stop to thank me-" I added, smiling at the quaint courtesy he gave me, sbut plant your flowers at once, for who knows but that Mandy may come to- day."
 For week afterward Uncle Ike's face beamed with happiness and hope, And as had no particular need o1 him just then, I allowed him to spend the greater part of his time down al | the cabin where he huesed h;p,ool,