The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-06-09

passed through. -.
Tho cart was full Of something-no
doubt of that bat at first Doctor BOD
did not make much of a show. IL was
Cbrjsiopher Columbus, seated on the
buclboard and shouting to tho OK,
that chiefly struck the cye-"Chrls'o-
pher Columbus, sweiiin wa his OWL
insicnincance, dat boy" Nom Khody
remarked severely; for Nom Rhody
did notbclicvcin fOrwardncssin youth.
However. Christopher, though he
cat exalted did not command tho eye
for lone. when the cart halted IN front
If tho cabin assigned To- Doctor Bops
exclusive use. there was seen III Inc
midst Of n motley array of squat ana
bulging jugs, a dwariish iigure' ciaa
in diney brown, and crouchfng VIII
arms a.lsimbo, so that he was iaruiS
TO be distinguished from the unconih
vessels that surrounded him, save Tor
Inc briohtand sciniillating black eyes
Illuminating his obon face ana dart
ing fire at every glance. .u,.
When nj Mawso Toms approach,
he removed his dingy cap, ana re-
vealcd a peaked head as white as snow,
tho effect was so startling tnas 'ns
awe stricken negroes fell back, ana
some Of the pickaninnies stiiled yen
IN their III Tiers SKIRTS.
"Sho' cuorc. massa,' said Doctor
Bob. with q cleaning grin; as nc
scrambled ont Of the cart. When he
stood upon his feet, his resemblance 70
lis squatty jugs was more marked anu
more ludicrOus than ever.
He was very short and very bow
legged, with pronounced paunch,
which ho supported with his two
hands. lie said he was thousand
years old, and tho negroes believed ~
but he had none Of the feebleneSs,
none Of the apathy OF age.
Doctor Bob en- he jug neoer iail'
he said TO Mawsc Tom. with another
qrin. as he proceeded to remove the
numerous vessels of different sizes,
and TO set them within the cabin door
Lastly, he took from the cart a long,
stout. llnotty stick, black and polished,
and cut into three spikes at the top
At sight Of this there was more pro
nounccd retreat on the part OF the be-
holders, and some Of tho very young
ones ran away bowling.
Doctor Bob evidently enjoyed the
commolion he excited; his eyes twin
Hcd and glanced, taking IN every
movement of the crowd, while he
raised his stick aloft, waved IT around
his bead. mutiering strange words
then. walking backward around the
cabin. he cast handful after handful
OF "a curious kind Of hard, shrivcled
red berry or bean, which he took from
his pockets, and Of which lus supply
seemed 10 be inexhaustlblc.
This done, he paused in front Of the
door waved his hands thrice which
the NEGROES seemed to accept as n dis
missal. for with one accord they strag-
elcd away; few Of the older ones,
whether through inherited tradition,
whether through an instructive sense
of dccorum characteristic of many of
their race, advanced, one by one, did
obcisance TO Doctor Bob, and solcmniy
retired
Doctor Bob entered his cabin, and
and was seen 10 more until about noon
the next day. This was the time fixed
f0rthc initiation Of his ministraiions 10
Aunt Tempe lie began by walking
backward around her cabin, as he had
walked around his own. throwing
handful after handful Of his shrivelcd
scarlet beans There were not so many
witnesses on this occasion. for the ne
croes were ct work, but Mis- Mamie
was present, and Nom Rhody.
Aunt Icmpc's cabin with its little
garden was one Of the tidicst on tho
plantation. Her little flower bed had
been gay all summer with four
o'ciocks' and "old maids, which tod
ding baby Tom would pull and lay
on her pillow, saying: Pity lowers,
make Nom Tempe well.
At first Aunt Tempe smiled at the
child and fceblv str0yc 10 stroke ms
cwls, but she had not smiled now for
many days. When, however, Doctor
Bob looked at her and said: Doctor
Bob know; Doctor Bob cuore," Aunt
Tempe smiled once more.
TO Mis- Nanuic's great alarm-ior It
was O chilly day in November and
Aunt Tempe was almost skeleton
Doctor Bob uncovered his patients
feet, and with great solcmnity LAID
his staff across tho sOles OF Aunt
Tempes feet. uitcring some caballstic
words that Nom Rhody evidently UNI
dcrsiood, for she made a response III
similar gbberish, ut which Doctor
Bob seemed greatly pleased.
lie Row too, his position in the
middle OF the room, fixed his eyes on
Aunt Tempe, and bending his crooked
legs TO a.n extraordinary angle, began
swagiug slowly back and forth, way
ing his arms aud grooming q Wild
chant
Ills voice never rose above this low,
m0uOtonous grooming, but his move
mcnt presently grew faster and faster,
and at that instant Nom KINDLY en-
tered upon the same performance,
which vas maintained with great
vipor until both fell to the floor cx-
haustcd. Doctor Bob was the first TO
recover lie removed his staff from
Aunt Tcmpes feet with one hand, and
with the other he held up to view two
small balls of hair.
"Sce umN hc said to Mis- Mamie.
Come outcn foots, bat titbeled dc /
body froo."
"Do You expect me to believe such
nousensep said Mis- Mamie, indig- |
nantly.
Honey. honey" painted Nom Rho
dv. "doan balk de cuore.'
I'm gwsn see" muttcrcd Doctor |
Bob. i'm dudgoon, as he wrapped the
balls of hair in a fabric, the like of |
which Mis- Mamie had never seen be |
fore. lie then left the cabin, but pres /
entity returned with one ofhis smallest
Jugs full Of q steaming liquid; this he
placed at Aunt Tcmpe's feet, and |
covered all closely with marvellous
patchwork.
I'm DO better, chl" he said to Mis- !
Mamie. Jerking bis thumb toward the |
bed. Certainly Aunt Tempe was no
rsr.t.la