The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1890-04-05
ONE OF THE OLD MASTERS.

The old planter lay dying. He had
been a long time ailing, worn down by
anxiety and trouble, borne uncomplain-
ingly and in silence, he was now going
of slow disease, and lay in the middle
ground, between the here and the here
after, awaiting his summons.
He had once been a Sea Island nabob,
he was now pauper; all he and his wife
had to depend on was the meager salary
of grandson, lad of 1S. But, reduced
as he was, Mr.. Conner was never too
poor to lend a helping hand to any Of his
former slaves, who were old and feeble
like himself.
And now in his last illness three of
them came to assist his wife in nursing
him. They were old Daddy Zack, the
former coachman (whose carriage and
horses had long since vanished)i Tobe,
the chief butler, whose pantry had be-
come thing of the past, and old Maum
Dinah, the former cook, whose turtle
soup had once had coast wide reputa-
ton.
Maum Dinah, now Mrs. Ragsdi, made
a precarious living at securing; and
Daddy Zack, now Mr.. Zackery Rake
straw, yet more uncertain one, as a
vender of scrubbing brushes. Tobe, now
Tobias Conner, was well to do citizen
and chief cook at the hotel. Neverthe-
less he threw up his place and came to
nurse his old master, and between him
and the two old darkies deadly rivalry
ragged as to who should be nurse.
Worn out with watching, old Mrs. Con
ner had gone to lie down, leaving the
patient In charge of Tobe. He was tall,
very black man of 40, and some red
marks on his face made him look tattooed
and gave him fierce appearance.
The sick man was in mild delirium,
his mind wandering back quarter of q
century to the days of his prosperity. He
talked incessantly, but received only
monosyllable answers from Tobe, who
was naturally taoiturn. With some diff
Guilty he succeeded in lulling his patient
to sleep, when the door slowly creake6
open and old Zack, taking advantage Of
his mistress absence, crept in in crying
shoes.
"Who is that?" asked the old man
rousing up.
"Me, sub, Sach'riah, suh," said Mr.
Zachery Rakestraw, going back to his
plantation name.
"Well, zack, what is it2 Have you at
tended to the horses?"
Old Zack was speechless, till a fierce
nod from Tobe, who was his nephew
made him mutter, Eyes, suh."
"Where are the horsesY" asked Mr.
Conner, noticing the pantomime.
"Dey done gone, stammered old Zack
"Tell 'em dey in the ya'd, you oil
fool" muttered the respectful nephew,
"Dey in de ya'd, sub, repeated zack
"de stable ya'd, mean"
SADDLE Mazeppa and bring him rounC
for me to ride, and Tobe, help me Oh
with my clothes" He struggled to rise
but Tobe gently laid him back upon tn
pillow.
"Not today, mausser; you ent wei
nuff Wha' you come in yer an star
him fer?" he added, turning fiercely o.
old Zack.
81 wanter see 'em, sho e my maus
ser well as yourn," said the old man i
an aggrieved tone,
"Dats so, said Maum Dinah, joinin
Daddy Zack at the door.
Mr.. Conner ceased to struggle wit
Tobe to inquire: "Whos there?"
"Dinah, sur" said the old woman
"dunno you know me, mausser2"
"Of course, Dinah; l have invited Co
, | ~, naNa. -, q
me today give us good dinner, Dlnah.
At this old Dinah grew as ashy pale q
she could, for both the gentlemen ha
been in their graves for thirty year
! "Good Laudr' she muttered, "who gwiI
cook fer sperits?' and she hastily T.
treated.
eyes, said Mr.. Conner, whose though
now ran in a new channels "they'll bot
come in their sail boats, Flyaway an
, Waterwitch; you know them, Tobe2'
Eyes, mausser, said the imperturb
e BILE negro.
5 And my boat, the seagun, wal
you to get her out
= "Yes, mausser."
"We'n have race this evening; s
that everything is ready"
Eyes, mausser."
n "rll take Zack with me TO steer.n
e At this Daddy Zack shuddered. 81
st go in no sperit boat, he muttered, al
shuffied out.
2 "Save you right fer comm yer WI
you had no business" muttered Tot
''De idy ob mindin delirious pussonl
"She is the fastest sailer on the sound
continued the old man
N Eyes, mausser," repeated the impal
"a i've Tobe.
le ''she's built for speed, forty feet 10
y and foot wide"
"Good Laudl" CALCULATED Tobe, thro,
off his guard, "what a lie Dat al
nuthin' but er hoss trough" After a II
ment be recovered from his surprise, a
said in beguiling accents, "S'posen y
tex er nap, suh, befo' the gentlems
u come, so you'll feel fresh en- llbelyn
He gently turned the sick man ov
,'eo' smoothed the pillow under his head a
ul soothed him to sleep.
'' Summer had passed and autumn b
pc come, aud nature was preparing hers
Pc 70 meet the death that winter brin