The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-02-07

The gray light of early morn was robbing the
night of its uncanny influences. A subtle thrill
permeated the air. the fields, the forest-like
the slow revival of suspended Pulse. The
witchery and the terror were departing from
the face of the earth, though the moon still
hung a waning silver disc in the western sky.
With great effort, Brer Eph slowly rose to
his feel and held on by the palings.
"ls dish yer me er some one else? Whas de
rees'n vain ter home?'
He rubbed his forehead slowly, then stared
lntently at plain, white tombstone inside the
fence. Then he sighed with a sense of relief:
"leck'n dat ain my grade stone after all.
This set him thinking ruefully of that chicken
race and its reSult-So realistic, yet terrible.
How'd Use git back hyar; dass W at wan
ter know? DaSs de berry same chicken a
comm now l cotch las night. Hit mus be
hit sholy mus; nd yit, hahn Miss Suze
Georgy game libn' up dar in my ole chist ?"
Again he pondered, then Strengthened him.
self with an air of decision
''Dass ernutf er dish yer foolshness. Use
gwine ter fin oat-I is. Eff dey fool dis Niger
wifi Sech bim blamin' ez dat onct dey don do
hit ergin.'
He started home at as rapid pace as his
stifened limbs would allow of, though not
without nervous glances toward the great
house to see if his retreat was observed. The
sun was nearly visible when he opened his own
door and stood within, looking about him.
His bed lay as he had left 1t the day before
there was no sign of blood or feathers OH the
floor. He looked under the hearthstone-no
key lay beneath; he raised himself, puzzled,
yet with thrill of hope within him. Then,
to the chest, and-behod!-the key was in
the lock, as usual He flung the lid up-not a
sign of chicken within.
"Grashus! Has Use bin dreamin' after
all? De witches mus er bin or ridin' me,
shore"
Slowly the truth dawned upon him that he
must have slept during his self-appointed
vigil, while waiting the proper time to raid his
old masters hen roost. He laughed and
actually danced with delight. Suddenly he
paused, frowning.
"Hol on dar, Eph! Yo'se preacher yit-
yo' cain dance. Seem like yose gittin' ter be
plum FOOL
Then WEAKNESS again came over him, and
sundry qualms of conscience, and fear lest
this blest reality should also prove illusory.
81 feel sorter bad | does" he said. Oars
Misty in my ole bones nd yeck Use bet
tab git ernudder nap % sleep.
He pinned too the door, and mentally ask
ing the good Lord not to "brung dat ar fetched
chicken back ergin," lay down and fell into a
deep sleep.
The sun was high when Bre'r Eph once
more awoke. His head ached, hisathroat was
drink from the water piggin on the shelf out
side. Then he drew back with cold chills
moving up and down his spine On the door
step was covered basket with placard
thereon in large letters:
BRE'R VALENTINE TO BRE'R EPH:
HERE | Is. '"
ooh, my good Lord, hab mercy Hyur dat
ar VALENTINE shore huff p - he exclaimed
wringing his hands.
Then he pshed and pshawed at himself ''for
fool niger and finally raised the lid with
trembling fingers. A large fat fowl-trussed
and skewered for the oven-was inside. Moth
ing plore--J7es IA card on which was written :
"FRoM MISS SUzE."
Bre'r Eph took the basket up gingerly and
set it inside. Then he drank water as though
his whole interior was dry reservoir waiting
to be filed Finally, he sat down before the
basket and regarded its contents muSingly.
"Tse a pore useless niger, 1 is. / vain
fifth to be no preacher, l vain. But L lern
one less'n Won fergit offn my min ez long
ez Bre'r Ephs head stay hot"
Bre'r Eph had chicken for dinner that day
not of his own stealing, hoWever,-for which
he was devoutly thankful.
His friends, after this, began to notice that
"Bre'r Eph wan quite SO full OBJ hissef ez
he use ter be-"
He consequently grew to be a better preach
er, as he became a truer man. He never tired
of matchmaking his hearers at Postum Trot
and elsewhere with the virtues of honesty ;
and when the hat returned to him with only a
scattering coin or two therein, he 'lowed ez
dat WIZ mon yearns, anyhow"
As for chickens, he hardly ever heard an
early morning crow without sigh, and the
name of Bror Valentine was always more or
less of terror to HIM especially when heard
from the lips of Young MarSe IIarb, whose
ingenuity, uniting with the kindness of IN ss
Suze." had under the auspices of "Bre'r
WallDtne," rebuked and comGorted him
when the effect of his sin and his escape had
reached such a bewildering climax.