Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-04-25

be ready In half that time"
81 hope so, I'm sure.' and the young man
looked at his watch impatiently. The morn
Ing had been very trying one, for the hus-
band had left his wife at home sick to como
for Aunt Prue. She was an invaluable
servant when she was fairly wound up for
duty, but when she was off duty it was like
pulling teeth TO get her ready to take up
her work again, and upon this occasion she
had been unusually exasperating.
She became periodically depressed and
unhappy unless she could attend church
among her own people, a privilege which
she greatly priced, for she was devoted
Christian, and in view of the fact that she
would be closely confined to business dur
ing his wIfe's illness she had been granted
two weeks holiday, but the ten-Inle drive
had never seemed so unreasonably long as
on this Sabbath morning, with his wife's
parting words in his ear: "Hurry, Carroll,
for every five minutes will seem like an hour
while you are gone.'
He had found Aunt Prue just getting out
her "meetin'n clothes when he arrived,
and had urged her to return with him at
once, but she was immovable.
"Laws, Massa Carl, | cudden't tink OBJ
it." she said, obstinately.. "Brudder Pen
rose am going ter preach an l cudden't
miss it nohow. We kin go home directly
after de meetin' an mIssy'n be all right"
She had fused and dawdled over her
meeting preparations until Mr.. Hastings
patience was almost exhausted before he
succeeded III getting her landed on the
church steps.
''Brudder" Penrose preached unusually
long that morning, and Mr.. Hastings paced
the church steps, impatiently waiting for
Aunt Prue to come out. The last hymn was
sung, the people began to come out, still no
Aunt Prue, and Mr. Hastin gs went insidein
search of her. There she was, shaking
hands and exhorting as she came slowly
down the aisle, as if she had all day before
her. The sight was exasperating, and Mr..
Hastings was excusable for speaking sharp
" as ne took her tat arm in his strong
grasp, saying, sternly: snow, Aunt Prue,
III not be triled with any longer. The
wagon is at the door and you must 90 with
out further delay"
The old woman was actually impressed,
for she had never seen her employer so
nearly in a passion, and she trotted down
the aisle without looking TO the right or left,
and it seemed as if start was going TO be
made at last
She looked in Els face as they reached the
W. 1.
of totiu me home troo de dust wild my very
bes' meetin' gownd onl'' Her humble tones
touched him, ana he looked into her faith
full black face inquiringly. 'Now, Aunt
Prue, if I let you change your dress, will
you promise to hurryp'
"HTry, Massa Carl my chile, I'll hurry
SO fas' it'll make de sparks fly, see eff l dom"
Mr.. Hastings laughed in spite of himself.
"Very well, sunty, l Il give you just five
minutes TO get on your tcggery and if
YOU'RE not ready in that time l shall go home
without you and hire big Sally to nurse my
wife"
He could hardly have used more effica-
cious threat, for big Sally was Aunt Prues
special aversion, and the idea OF the OBJ
noxious person attending her beloved
Missy was more than she could bear.
'Massa Carl" she began, reproschfully,
but the magnitude of the subject choked
her, and her sentence remained unfinished.
The five minutes passed by with three
minutes of grace added, and Aunt Prue ap-
pearcd in the doorway equipped for her
homeward drive bundle in one hand,
basket in the other, followed by several
Juvenile darkies bearing bundles of greater
or less magnitude.
The packing in occupied another five min
utes, and after that each youngster had TO
be embraced, and Mr.. Hastings patience
was worn 10 narrow thread by the time
Aunt Prue was ready to hoist her fat form
over the wheel to the back seat.
Here, give me that basket" he said,
sharply, as she tried TO accomplish the feat
with large basket in her hand.
Laws, Massa Carl, dems aigs," cried
Aunt Prue in alarm as he tried to take the
basket from her hand
:'Eggs ~ snapoed Dir. Hastings. grimly;