The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-06-01

ger is nos ter de eend OF his row.
| doan 'zaetly re-collict. had it on ter {
scrap o paper MawSe Nick writ me, en-
a tally stack besides, which could oner-
stan better, but log 'em boz, long with
my rlrrnberilla, on de fel' o battle. 1,
you been in de wah, msws*erg'
Eyes" said the colonel.
''Praise be ter glory!" CALCULATED old
Gilbert. Den YOU KIN onerstan' de WIZ
Pow'fu scatterin' times, en- hit druv de
amount plum outen my min. So1ne OF
hit WIZ what Missse-Eirey sont him. en- ]
| had ter purten' LAX hit Wuz ell mine ter
git him ter borrer hit Hit wuz ike
| Mawse Nick wuz nv chile Not butez
onerstan' hit, ncawster, you wuz boun
| ter shet yo' eyes beginst him fur cree
ton, the old man fastened TO amend.
EN- wuz after him cawstant ter sen
! you his 'pentaDce, but my min rnisgfve
me, all along. dat Miss Roxy she wuz
wukin' be2inst Mswse Nick's 'pentance.
You members Miss Roxy White, 1naws-
ter?'
The colonel nodded.
''She wuz po'ful holp TO Mawse Nick.
| en- a mighty good oman; but"-and he
paused and looked around as though Miss
| Roxy might be eavesdropping-~ she
amt quality. Miss Roxy is po'ful sot in
her own notions, EN- she is plum bound
up in dat chile, Mawse Nick's little boy.
en- she is dat feard o losin' holt on him,
! hukkom she amt no incouridgemint ter
Mawse Nick to turn his desires home
wlds"
The olonel glanced up quickly with a
look OF enlightenment; he was beginning
to understand his sons obstinate silence
'But now-now we will bring him
back Winifred entreated.
GIVE shall see" the colonel said. and
sighed. He could not consent to lay bare
his heart, and he changed the subject.
''Now that you are your own man, what
are you going to do, Gilbert2'' he asked,
with amused curiosity.
Il been studyin' bout that" old Gil
bert answered, hesitatingly. ''Pse alters
lowed to be homes, en- paid you fur de
mueL7
$50 you didr' exclaimed the colonel,
with sudden recollection; and he roseand
unlocked the scored drawer of his secre-
tary.
But den hit pears ter me lax 1 stole
yo' niggerf' pursued old Gilbert with a
furdve grin. Amt boun' ter wuk out
dat time stole myself? Maybe 1 better
git lie yers vice on hit?"
'No!7 said Missy.
The colonel smiled. ''Well, do you
want to stay on here at Thorne HIP he
asked, as he took out the little bag that
held the price of the mule.
''Hit wuz a good house, en- good lam I
had here" said old Gilbert. with a re-
gretful sigh; "but hit is dat busted down,
en- dat growed up. En- ez for dat muel,
hit wuz a short lived nluel fur de money;
hit TUX n died in less n six months"
''I.H give you deed to the house and
land, making it yours for Iife," said the
colonel.
''Weu, tubbe sho, you kin spare dat
much" said old Gilbert complacently.
''Eln' eff OATS yo' viii en- pleasure, maws-
ter, WHY pass my cawnsenk"
How much an acute sense Of his own
advantage, how much of afectionate
fidelity and the power of habit, went to
the making of this consent it Is impossi-
bic to say.
"As to the price of the mule" contin-
ued the colonel, there Is the money just
as you left it," And he tossed the bag of
coin to old Gilbert, who grinned and
twisted with mingled embarrassment
and satisfaction. But l would like to
know how you contrived to convey IT to
me, and how YOU contrived to convey
yourself away
Old Gilbert hung his head sheepishly,
and glanced at Missy, VINO said, as the
quick blood mounted to her forehead:
ut was me managed it!T
Her father looked at her with smile |
of sad perplexity.
''Hit wuz jes' der she wuz so sot on
Mawse Nick, tubbe sho," old Gilbert ex-
planned. as he h0gged the remnant of his
savings. "Cept1l' had done los track /
of him, l wOuldn't nuver have come back I
bedout him, long o my pronl1s5 ter
Missy. But what Po' no count Niger |
can't manage, sh'oly a man o gumption, |
LAX mawster, kin 70 shortly bring ter
pass"
''Oh, my father!" Wnrifredsxclaimed.
''You will bring him bach: And life
viii be sweet once more, and We can for
get the war"
I'VE win see the colonel said, and
sighed lie had not the hearu ~ IrnIal.--
her that there was no certainty that
still lived.
sWelll wellID said old Gilbert, with a
subdued chuckle, as he slipped down
from his perch Oh the bek "'Ef amt
been 'etonished ortten my manners at
gitrin' home. How is Hixsle-virey, tubbe
shos"
''She is wei, and she wS1 be so glad to
see YOU" said Missy. Come TO the
house and you shall have Christmas
dinner. After all, this is not such sor-
rowful Christmas dSJ."
Yet she wiped away the tears az she
went
Old GiToert's appearance at tire ''gret
house created a h1hbuo OF excitement
that penetrated 90 She room where John
Fletcher sat in moody meditation Five
weeks had he been guest at Thorne
Hin, aud his immovsble resolve was
taken; he would 20 Oh the morrow: be
would run any risk rs4her than remain
longer under this roof. now that he knew
the fate that threatened MIN
But on the morrow Jehn FbetcheZ WIS
again an Invalid. Hs had contracted
chill from exposure - The riGht air, and
Cor some DAYS following be was sArio<zs-
" IL; but though the ooloDefs co1rtesy
never tagged. and Alzs Eivua Wa
prompt with kind attentions, his I'm