Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-04-11


the negroes stopped work and assembled t.
receive the Industrious doctor-all excep
Unc' Primus. Primus was mauling rails IL
the woods, and he went on mauling rails.
But he was not missed from the compan,
that crowded around the big gate, as tn,
cart approached. Little Miss Nan and Rol
and Susy were mounted on the topmost rec
bar, and Nom Rhody was there with baby
Tom in her arms; score OF little picka
ninnies swarmed over the fence-rails, anC
lost their balance and tumbled into the
sand, and picked themselves up again afraid
to cry. The older degrees formed line on
each side Of the way, bowling obsequiously
as the cart passed through.
The cart was very full of something
doubt OF that, but at first Doctor Bob did
NOT make much Of a show. 1t was Christie
pher Columbus seated on the blackboard,
and shouting to the OK, that chiefly struck
the christopher Columbus, swellin'
| wild his own insigniicance, dat boy" Nom
Rhody remarked severely; for Nom Rhody
did not believe in forwardness in youth.
However, Christopher, though he sat ex-
allied, did not command the eye for long;
when the cart halted in front of the cabin
| assigned to Doctor Bob's exclusive use,
there was seen in the midst of motley ar
| ray of squat and bullying jugs, a dwarfsh
figure, clad in dingy brown, and crouchipg
with arms akimbO, so that he was hardly to
be distinguished from the uncouth vessels
that surrounded him, save for the bright
and scintillating black eyes Illuminating his
ebony face, and darling fire at every glance.
When, at Mawse Toms approach, he re-
moved his dingy cap, and revealed a peaked
head as white as snow, the effect was so
%I.,t
back, and some of the pickaninnies stifled a
yell in their mothers skirts.
'Sho' cuore, massa," said Doctor Bob,
with cleaning grin, as he scrambled out
of the cart When he stood upon his feet,
his resemblance to his sauatty 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 |
a thousand years old, and the negroes be- |
lieved it, but he had none Of the feebleness, |
none Of the apathy of age.
Doctor Bob en- he jug neber fail," he said |
to Nawse Tom, with another grin, as he
pro, oeded to remove the numerous vessels
OF different sizes, and to set them within
the cabin door,
Lastly, he took from the cart long
stout, knotty stick, black and polished, and
cut into three spikes at the top. At sight of
this there was 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
'rowd, while he raised his stick aloft,
waved it around his head, muttering strange
words; then, walking backward around the
'abin, he cast handful after handful of a
furious kind of hard shriveled, red berry,
n bean, which he took from his pockets,
md OF which his supply seemed to be mex
laustible
This done, he paused in front of the door.
waved his hands thrice, which the negroes
eemed to accept as dismissal for with
ne accord, they struggled away; few of s
he older ones, whether through inherited ,
tradition, whether through an instructive .
ense OF decorum characteristic of their
ace, advanced, one by one, did obeisance to
Doctor Bob, and solemnly retired. 1
Doctor Bob entered his cabin, and was i
cen no more until about noon next day. .
his was the time fixed for the initiation of
is ministrations to Aunt Tempe. He began
y walking backward around her cabin, as v
e had walked around his own, throwing S
andful after handful of his shriveled h
carlet beans. There were not so many wit 9
esses on this occasion, for the negroes
ere at work, but Mis- Mamie was present. Z
nd Nom Rhody. II
Aunt Temples cabin with its little garden "
as one of the tidiest on the plantation.
er little 1ower-bed had been gay all sum-
er with "four-o'clocks" and 'old maids.n |,
hich toddling baby Tom would pull and q
y on her pillow, saying: s.Pitty towers, n
AXE Nom Tempe we'll" r
At first Aunt Tempe smiled at the child ~
Id feebly strove to stroke his curls, but she
i'd not smiled now for many days. When. p
,weyer, Doctor Bob looked at her and said II
Doctor Bob know; Doctor Bob cuore," n
unit Tempe smiled once more. H.
To Mis- Nannie's great alarm-for it was :
chilly day in November and Aunt Tempe "
as almost a skeleton-Doctor Bob I'M e
vered his patients feet, and, with great e;
lemnlty, laid his staff across Aunt Temples ir
ct, utterlng some cabalistic words that M
ON Rhody evidently understood, for she !.
ade response in similar gibberish, at | ~
hich Doctor Bob seemed greatly pleased. Ia
de now took his position in the middle of al
g room, fixed his eyes on Aunt Tempe, OF
ID bending his crooked legs to an extra .,
binary angle. began swaying slowly back
"a forth, waving his arms, and grooming a
i'd chant d.
His voice never rose above this low. mo- m
tonous grooming, but his movement 10
esently grew faster and faster, and at :,
at instant Nom Rhody entered upon the III
me performance, which was maintained OF
tn great vigor until both fell to the floor m
hausted. Doctor Bob was the first to re- RI
yer. He removed his staff from Aunt -,
mpe's feet with one hand, and with the ~
her ne held up to view two small balls of I'll
ir. st
See um!'' he said to Mis- Mamie. s'Come III
ten foots, but trabelled de body froo." ON
DO you expect me to believe such nom vi
lsel" said Mis- Mamie, Indignantly.
Honey, honey" painted Nom Rhody. m
oan' balk de cuOrep' ey
'Um gwan see," muttered Doctor Bob. in al
dgeon, as ne wrapped the balls of hair in -
abric, the like of which Mis- Mamie had VI
YER seen before. He then left the cabin. Ia
presently returned with one of his un
allest jugs full of steaming LIQUID; this M;
placed at Aunt Temples feet, and covered mr.
closely with the marvellous patchwork. =.
I'm no better, eh!' he said to Mis- Nam WI
!, jerking his thumb toward the bed. Ger an
My Aunt Tempe was no worse. tai
20 the ''powwow," as Mawse Tom called in,
went on day after day with this differ NJ.
'e, that it took place after dark when r.
re OF the negroes-special selections of ne
m Rhody's-could be present to assist" at
the ministrations, and Mawse Tom came on
ook on, instead Of Mis- Mamie. no
very night Doctor Bob drew bigger and
ger balls OF hair from Aunt Temples
t and put bigger jug of some mys- sn'
lous steaming compound in her bed, and a c
mt Tempe began to recover the power of of
ech and the use of her hands