Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1890-07-05

him IN hee presence, and me hsd nevee
learned the art Of mailing talk" She
did not speak until they reached the
fence inclosing old Gilbert's deserted
dwelling.
"This is the place." she said, and
pushed open the sagging gate before the
captain could offer to assist her. "You
will never see all that sec in this poor
spot" she added; but she held the gate
open, and the captain smiled and stepped
inside.
A dense thicket of plum bushes had
grown up at the back Of the house, and
the dry stalks Of the self sown Palma
Christi bean occupied all the little space
in front; the path TO the broken door
step was overgrown with rank knot grass
that had lost its greenness. and all about
the half fallen and abandoned little
dwelling there brooded melancholy
calm, intensified by the fast gathering
shadows.
"The negroes say this place is haunt
ed" Missy said, sbut am the only ghost
that fits this way. / like to come here
when am sad"
"And are you sad nowS' John Fletcher
asked, impulsively, with deeper sympa-
thy than he dared to show.
A moments pause followed; then
Missy said, in q light tone, a. II she
would dismiss the subject:
"There is no reason why should be
very gay-just now"
Her brave endurance, her proud re-
serve, touched John Fletcher more deeply
than any complaining. An infinite ten
- IL. L.
contemplated this child-he was more
than ten years her senior-so ethereal, 80
young to be thus overshadowed by sor-
row and infirmity.
"'Just nowT" he repeated, with pas
sionate wish to comfort her. "But this
will not last! You are so young; life 10
only beginning. There is happiness in
store for you; ] lam sure of it!'
Even while he spoke he perceived,
with thrill of glad wonder, that Wini-
fred made a slight involuntary move
ment, as if she would draw nearer to
him, and on the instant he was by her
side.
But she had not heard a word he said.
She was gazing intently into the depths
of the plum thicket, with painting breath
"IdI 10
thatf' she gasped, in terrified whisper,
and clutched the captains arm.
'Do not be frightened" he said, as he
laid his hand on hers, which was cold
and trembling. "There is nothing here
to harm you"
"There! Do you not see?' she whis-
pered fearfully, cor am l going mad?"
4 And with stifled scream Winifred
Thorne hid her eyes against the Yankee
captains arm.
at is only an old negro" he answered,
as what had seemed a shadow emerged
| from the thicket and assumed definite
! form.
"An old negro" Missy repeated, and
shivered from head to foot. ''Are there,
indeed, such things as ghosts?" But she
familiar greeting:
"Why, Missy! Missy! huh you dor
The voice, the words, electrified her.
She abandoned fear; she sprang forward;
she seemed to fly to meet the appafition
coming along the grass grown path, and,
stretching out her hands, she clasped
them over old Gibert's toll hardened fin
gers, while her crutch fell forgotten on
the ground.
''At last! Oh, at lastv' Her voice
rang out upon the twilight stiffness, full
of an infinite pathos of thanksgiving
Somehow, John Fletcher was not as
pleased as he should have been; he felt
himself deserted He picked up the
crutch and stood irresolute, 10th to leave,
vet uncertain whether it became him to
stay.
''Tubbe Shot! old Gilbert responded,
with a chuckle of supreme satisfaction.
"IIits me! En- you is dat growed, Missy,
en- prutty ez pink! Lawd love de chile"
''Brer Nicholas? Where is Brer Mich
olas?'
missy, amt Mawse Nicholas here at
home%' asked old Gilbert, anxiously.
''Nor' cried Missy, sharply. "Oh, why
do you ask that"
"Den Missy, chile, dunno whey is
Mawse Nicholas said the old man, slow
ly and sorrowfully.
Missy's head dropped; her slight form
swayed like reed. Capt Fletcher
sprang forward and saved her from fall
ing.
"Why. l lowed you wuz mawster,"
said old Gilbert, bewildered; "en, praise
be ter glory-I do bullieve--you sho'ly
is-Mawse Gin'ral Fletcher in de Fed'ral
armyr'
That's my name, but not my rank"
the captain replied, as he placed Wini-
fred on the doorstep.
"Thank you; wasn't going to fall"
said she, with averted head.
John Fletcher felt snubbed decidedly;
yet he did not like to leave Winifred,
though she ignored his presence-or
rather she was oblivious of him.
"It was on this very top STEP she
said to old Gilbert, reproachfully, that
you promised to keep track of Brer
Nicholas, and now you do not know
where he is"
Honey" returned old Gilbert, mildly,
"what kin po' ole no count niger DO
in de stir o de nations? don my top
bes' ter keep Mawse Nick outen de wah,
but he wuz jes dat heady, go he
would
"Of course" said Missy, proudly.
II tor him he. wuz gwan git hissef
shot ter pieces, foolin' long o dat wah,
but he amt pay no 'tention; en- I fol-
lered him, en- cotch up wild him when
he wuz faerly ridded wild bullets"
Missy covered her face with her hands
and turned away from Capt Fletcher
with a shudder.
The movement might have been in
voluntary, but it was impossible to mis-.
understand it. John Fletcher gave the
crutch to old Gilbert and went away;
but he could not go fast enough to avoid