The Red Cloud chief., 1889-04-12

moved his dingy cap. aud revealed . peaked
head ~ white ~ snow, the effect was 50
Startling. that the awe-stricken negroes fell
back, and some Of the ~pickaninnies s;ified q
yell in their mothers skirts.
"Sho cuore. nassa,'' said Doctor Bob,
1 with a cleaning grin, a. he scrambled ont
OF the cart. When he stood upon his feet,
\ his resemblance TO his sQuatty jugs was
| more marked and more ludicrous than ever.
He was very short, and very bow-legged,
| with . pronounced paunch, which he sup
ported with his two hands. He said he was
. thousand years old, and the negroes be-
lieved il, but he had none CT the fee bleness,
none Of the apathy Of g
"Doc;or Bob en- he jug neber fail" ne said
TO "awseT Tom, with another grin, as he
pru. ,c1ed to remove the numerous vessels
Of different sizes, and to set them within
the cabin door.
Lastly, he took from the cart q long.
stout, knotty stick, black and polished. and
cut into three spikes ut the top. At sight OF
this there was a more pronounced retreat
on the part of the behOlders, and some Of
the very young ones ran away bowling.
Doctor Bob evidently enjoyed the COM
motion he excited: his eyes twinkled and
glanced. taking in every movement Of the
CTOVU, WutIe Le IdiSAsu lis StlCh dlOIJ,
waved it around his head, muttering strange
words; then, walking backward around the
cabin, he cast handful after handful Of .
curious kind Of hard, shriveled, red berry,
or bean, which he took from his pockets.
and Of which his supply seemed To he mex
haustible.
This done, he paused in front OF the door,
waved his hands thrice. which the negroes
seemed to accept As u dismissal, for with
one accord. they struggled away; a few Of
the older ones. whether through inherited
tradition, whether through an instructive
sense Of decOrum characteristic Of their
race, advanced, one BY one, did Obeisance TO
Doctor Bob. and solemnly retired.
Doctor Bob entered his cabin, and was
seen no more until about noon next day.
This was the time fixed for the initiation OF
his ministrations to Aunt Tempe. He began
by walking backward around her cabin, as
no had walked around his own, throwing
handful after handful Of his shriveled
scarlet beans. There were not so many wit
nesses on this occasion, for the negroes
were ut work, but Mis- Mamie WAS present,
and Nom Rhody.
Aunt Temples cabin with its little garden
WA one Of the tidiSst Of the plantation.
Her little fi,wer-bed had been gay all sum-
mer with "four-O'clocks' and ''old maids"
which toddling baby Tom would pull and
lay on her pillow, saying: ''Pitty towers.
make Nom Tempe We'll"
Al first Aunt Tempe smiled ct thec child
and feebly strOve to stroke his curls. but she
had not smiled now for manyd days. When,
however. Doctor Bob lOoked at her and said:
'sDoctor Bob know; Doctor Bob ~cuOre,"
Aunt Tempe smiled once more.
To Mis- Nannie's great alarm-fOr II was
Q chilly day in November and Aunt Tempe
was almost Q skeleton-DoctOr Bob un-
covered his patients feet. and. with great
solemnity, laid his staff across Aunt Tempe's
feet. utteriug some cabslistic words that
Nom Rhcdv evidently understood. for she
made . response in similar gibberish. Mt
which Doctor Bob seemed greatly pleased.
He now took his position In the middle Of
tn room. fixed his eyes on Aunt Tempe.
end bending his crooked legs to N extra
ordinary angle began swaying slowly back
and forth, waving his armA and grooming .
wild chant
His voice never rose above this low, mo-
n~otonous grooming. but his movement
presently grew faster and faster, and at
| thai instant Nom Rhody entered upon the
| same performance, which WAS maintained
| with great vigor until both fell TO the iOor
exhausted. Doctor Bob was the first 10 re
cover. He removed his staff from Aunt
Tempe's feet with one hand. and with the
other he held up to view two small balls Of
hair.
..Scc umr- he Aaid TO Mis- Mamie. Come
outen fOots, but trabclled de body froo."
do you expect me 10 believe such non
senscr" said Mis- Mamie. Indignantly.
Honey. honey painted Nom Rhody,
''doan' baik de cuore!'
I'm wan See" muttered Doctor Bob, In
| dudgcon. ~ ne wrapped the balls q hair in
. fabric. the like Of which Mis- Mamie had
| never seen before. He then left the cabin.
|! but presently returned with one cf his
smallest jugs full Of . steamine liquid: this
he placed Ut AuntT cmpe's feet. and cDverd
oil closely with the marvellous patchwork.
I'm no better, ehr" he said to Mis- Nan
| ME. jerking his thumb toward the bed. Ger
/ tainiy Aunt Tempe was no Wcrse.
So the ..powwow." as NAwse Tom called
il, went on lay after day with this diner.
| ence, that II took place after dark when
! more Of the negroes-speial selections OF
| Mon Rhcdy's-Ou6 b. present 10 assist
| in the mi~nisarasiOuA and Nswse Tom came
to look o. instead OF Ms nui
Every night Doctor Bob drew bigger and
i 0k0KV8 VOAk9 "a OoAt AEoAA num- S4tS
feet and put . bigger jug Of some mys-
| serious stcamiug compound in her bed. and
Aunt Tempe began 70 recover the power OF
| speech and the use Of her hands.
Al last when for eight consecutive days
| he had exhibited tho4e mysterious balls OF
| hair. supposed % travel through Aunt
| Tempc's body and come out II her feet. and
| Aunt Tempe ill the while visibly growing
better. on the moruins Of b ninth day.
| that being Friday. Doctor Bob announced
| that she would be loceed from the
N suudowu, and that wh0ever bad been H.
ssrumeusal in putting Il upon her would
| .,drap in de traekA" and oaly Doctor Bo6's
uercy could save that person from ehs
| effects Of that same" kunjef."
At Doctor Bob's reQuisitton. III the
| uexrcos were summoned n shutdown to
| march Ia procession mound Aunt Temps
| cabin. ole Ms and NAIVE Tom and Ms
| Mamie being there - lockers-oa With al
| the children. exccp: baby Tom. Who was
aaieep On q blanket In front Of AuaSTempe'e
IRE
Aunt Tempe iay On her bed opposite Tie
| door. which Wa wide open that eGreos
might be allowed the invisible '-kunlef,"
and thai she mieat b ssea Of sach one N
he processioa. Sc ~ vssJ feeble ssiil
not having yes recovered tAe power 70 move
heeself freely. Doctor Bob stood outss0A
facing tho dcee. q sul1c3sot distance 70
allow the processioa - Pss bssussa ~
lasatAs cahan.