Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1890-02-28

ebony lace and durting nro a. every glance.
When, at Mawse Toms approach, ho re-
moved his dingy cap. and revealed peaked
head as white as snow, tho effect was so
startling. that the awe-s,rlcken negroes fell
back and some Of the pickaninnies sii'ied u
yell In their mothers skirts.
"Sho' cuore. massl" said Doctor Bob,
with glcaming grin, as he scrambled out
of the cart When he stood upon his feet,
his resemblance to his sduatty jugs was
more marked aud moro ludicrous than ever.
He was very short, aud very how-legged,
with pronounced paunch, which he sup
ported with his two hands He said he was
thousand years Old, and the negroes be-
lleved II, but he hRd none Of the feebleness,
none of the apathy OF age.
doctor Bob en- he jug neber fail, >" he said
TO Mawse Tom, with another grin, us he
proceeded TO remove the humorous vessels
OF different size5, 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 tho top. AT sight OF
this there was a more pronounced retreat
on the part Of the oeholders, and some OF
the very young ones ran away bowling.
Doctor Bob evidently enjoyed the COM
motion he excited; his eyes twlnkled and
glanced, taking in every movement OF tho
crowd, while no raised his stick aloft,
waved it around his head, muttering strange
words; thon, walking backward ar und tho
cabin, he cast handful after handful OF q
curious kind Of hard, shriyoed red berry,
or bean, which he took from his pockets,
and OF which his supply seemed to be mex
haustble.
u,t-E. a L.. Il, - th.,
waved his hands thrice, which the negroes
seemed 10 accept as Dismissal, for with
one accord, they struggled away; few OF
the older ones, whether through inherited
tradition, whether through nn instructive
sense OF decorum characteristic OF their
race, advanced, one by one, did obeisance TO
Doctor Bob, aud 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
he had walked around his own, throwing
handful after handful OF his shriyelod
scarlet beans. There were not so many wit
nesses on this occasion, for the negroes
were at work. but Mis- Mamie was present.
and Nom Rhody.
Aunt ltulllt CuUlu WIN It's lllNlc kulutu
was one OF tho tidiost on the plantation.
Her little il,wor.bed had been gay all sum
mer with "four-o'clocksn and 'old maids"
which toddling baby Tom would pull and
lay on her pillow saying; "Pltty towers,
make Nom Tempe we'll"
At first Aunt Tempe smiled at the child
and feebly strove TO strolre hiscurls, but she
had not smiled now for many days. When,
4 n.l, Iaa al 4 hs,. nd "a .
doctor Bob know; Doctor Bob cuore,"
Aunt Tempe smiled once more.
To Mis- Nannie's great alarm-for 1t was
a chilly day in November and Aunt Tempo
was almost a slseleton--Doctor Bob un-
covered his patients feet, and, with great
solemnity, laid his staff across Aunt Tempe's
feet, tutoring some cabalistic words that
Nom Rhody evidently understood, for she
made response in similar gibberish, at
which Doctor Bob seemed greatly pleased.
He now took his position in the middle OF
tho room, fixed his eyes on Aunt Tempe,
and bending his crooked legs to an extra
ordinary angle began swaying slowly back
and forth, waving his arms, and grooming a
wild chant.
His voice mover rose above this low, mo-
notonous grooming, but his movement
pTcSonlil bIcW luhA'l ihNetAf oha Nv
that instant Nom Rhody entered upon the
same performance, which was maintained
with great vigor until both fell to the floor
exhausted. Doctor Bob was the first TO re-
cover. Ho removed his staff from Aunt
Temples feet with one hand, and with the
other he held up TO view two small balls OF
| hair.
"soe umi'' he said to Mis- Mamie. "Come
outen foots, but trabellod de body froo."
"Do you expect me to believe such non
scnsol" snd Mis- Mamie, Indignantly.
Honey, honey" painted Nom Rhody,
''doau' balS dc cuore'
''lIm gwan sce, muttered Doctor Bob In
dudgeon. rs he wrapped the balls Of hair IN
"a fabric, soc like OF which Mis- Mamie had
never seen before Ho then left the cabin,
but prescntly returned with one of hls
smallest jugs full OF steaming liquid; this
he placed at Aunt Tompe's feet, and covered
all closely with the marvellous patchwork.
"Um no bcttor chi" he said to Mis- Nam
ME, Jerking his thumb toward the bed. Ger
taiuly Aunt Tempe was no worse.
SO the 'powwow,n as Mawse Tom callod
1t, went on Jay after day with this differ
encc, that 1t took place after dark when
moro Of tho negroes-special- seloctions- Of