The daily critic., 1890-11-24

A.Nl Ni'WH HNIl Aunt N.|..t..
foiiahlv u gviue 'cr rit h.r n
Ter on'. au den I DE bound Sill. .1a
Ter Doc lively
The little creature rueed
pretty mouth and began t0 vU."u..
sis her eyes went from face no fio. 8..
catching sight of Liiah, who DIS.
covered his breath iu rebellion - iH-
The pepper sauce, some mysteri0u su-.
within her seemed 10 stir, she smiled
reached ont her little hard and Ca.a.N
p finger of one OF his brown paws wUH
rurlIe OF content
Liiah picked mp from the hearth la.
BIO of green vine which had dr1nae
unnoticel from ihe haby's unconscious
band. Ilil dc dove he II. "dtt
de lawd is lone saun} inter dc Iltk
WI 'gr green LEST in her ban
From that moment tie baby grew au1
thriy.d in the waiter oirt cabin Us In
mates, from Aunt Ctndv herself larn
in \iuy, The Youngest child, a15ref Her
Why declared That even the pigs uiti
NOT tu cuut when She was aslgep Bat
60 was 90 T'iah most Of all that she a'u1u
with all the strength of her baby heart
aud Liiah never wcaliod of 'IHIn1
her around the crowded room. or no and
down the Uttered gallery Aunt CinIy
mindful Cf the past Qraniours uf her
own white folks, cast about for some
high.souudina name for the precious
waif But they called her D6vio, and
there she abode, % white flower ringed
around by dark loving faces, while the
waters rose and fen and rose again rs
The crtvasse was partly closed or the
iJvru broke a'rteh.
One morning nuariy two months la'er,
Aunt Ciudv. Cluving p basket Of fresh
eggs, aud followed by Isl IA, approached
the little railway station q mile or s1
from Bethel Churgh just as the train
vlizzed away.
A light carriage, drawn by two sleek
horses, was waiting ot the station. Its
owner. busy about The harness looked
around as Aunt Cindy came up
"Dullaw l' she exclaimed, breaking
into a broad grin "Ef dat ain li'l'
Marse Jack Mannln' Howdy, Marse
Jack ~
The young man shook hands with
Der heartily. "Why, Aunt Ciudy,"
lie said, who ever would have thought
Of seeing you away up here
Aunt Cindy laughed. Sol Wash 'n'tou
wuz cr pow fol han ter travel, " she re.
piled. "Hoccum you here yo'salf.
Marse Jsck2 An whar is you lef'
Miss Mamie ~
His bright face clouded anSiously.
Il have bought the -Four Oaks Planta.
tion over on the river" he said.
Mamie Is inside. Go and see her,
Aunt Cindy."
The young and delicate looking
woman, who was seated In the little
waiting room, threw herself, with a
wild sob, into the arms OF the faithful
soul who had nursed her when she was
a baby.
"Oh. nanny nanny 20 she noaned.
What's dc matter. honey Aunt
Cindy asked, lendcrly slroking her
dbtk cuils.
The story which Mrs. Manning iol (,
through her tears, was sud one FOlr
Oaks Plantation, where they had bcsu
living hnt few months. was quite
near the river When the evee gave
way, and the water began rapidly w
rise. they had taken refuge. with their
baby and some Of the house servants,
in the managers cottage, a short dis
tnnCe In the rear There they passed
day and part Of a night In the greatest
anxiety. Toward midnight the rush Of
water became so threatening that they
determined 10 take again 10 the slSifIs
that had brought them over. She her.
self was on the gallery, helping her hus-
band and the negroes 20 get the boats
ready, when the house su ldenly parted
In the middle, as II cleft by a knife,
and In the dense darkness one end Of
II crashed down into the roaring food
The baby, sleeping In her CRIB within,
was drowned.
And oh, nanny" the young
mother sObbed, when she had iiuished
the story and told how they were taken,
half drowned themselves from the
wreck, by relief boat, III / could only
have seen my baby once more But
her little body was swept away with the
broken timbeTs. The deepest channel
OF the creyasse now IS just where the
house stood. My baby-my little
baby
Aunt Clndy started involuntarily.
Miss Nannie, she said, after a mo
ments silence, "hit wuZ er pOW'ful
Fiction De losin er dat baby boy"
My baby was a girl, nanny, IN
teTTupied Mrs. Manning, sobbing sfresh.
with blue eyes and brown hair that
Eulltu hli over utI lEdQs
''Jes LAX yO'n useter, honey" Aunt
Cindy's voice bad a ring of excitement
IN II. She got up and went out TO
where Liiah sat on the edge of the plat
form swinging his heels. A moment
later he set of, wh0Oping, by a short
cut toward home. with the hound run
ming alongside. Mr. Manning was
walking deieetedly up and down the
platform. "Alarse Jack, said Aunt
Ciudy, 10 q wheedling tone, you
knows dat Is knoWed you an Miss
Mamie since you want kuee-high ter
er duck.
Indeed you have, said Mr.. 1lau
ming feeling in his pocket for some
loose change.
An dat ! nussed Miss Mamie when
she wuz er baby; an dat / close her
mas eyes when she died
Yes. he said again, kiudly.
An / wants you ter 'suade Miss
Mamie ter drive down ter my cabin.
You has plenty o. 'ime. Hit ain fur,
an Miss Mamie might be hope up by
seeing o. De chillen.
Ii needed no coaXing % induce Mrs.
Manning 10 90. She cluug 10 Aunt
Cindy, whose familiar presence seemed
10 soothe her. and they got in the car
Iiage
The road vas q roundabout one,
owing 70 the gullies and pitfalls left by
the hopd and by the time they came In
sight Of The cabin the yOuug woman
vas quiet and almost cheerful
The lark looked f0rloTn enough,
dingy line around the walls showed ihs
point al which the water had stood for
many weeks, lhe gallery was rOtdng
and falling iu the steps, which bad
been swept away. had been replaced by
a shaky COntIiyance Of boards. The
fences were an down and the d0or-yard