The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-04-27

pr7ing foT BITS wild me in case O. need. -
Old Gilbert drew from his pocket a Ions
black plug of tobacco, which he looked
enthusiastically. ''Hft'swuth all O. two
bits" hesaid, and sighed; tebut dis nigger
is a church member in full standin', en-
ain gwan tell no lie, lessen satan gil
me-"
He laid aside the harness be was patch
ing, and went cut into the grove, where,
after assuring himself that there was no
one to see him, he shut his eyes, whirled
around and threw the tobacco as far as
he could send it. ''Now," he said, Z" I'm
plum out, kin ak fur pass ter go ter
Eden. Hits my bounden duty ter look
after dat boy"
The pass was readily granted, and
while yet the sun was high in the sky
old Gilbert set forth, attired in his glory,
with the shadow of the cherished UNI
brella over him.
''Hits two hours be sun, Mawse Nick,
he said cheerily, as he passed the piazza,
sen kin come home by de light O de
moon. Use freed too many 'possums ter
be skeered o de woods by moonlight"
Nicholas laughed to himself with the
unspollen thought, Il verify believe all
the old chap wanted was a chance to hoist
that umbrella"
1t was two miles to Eden, and old
Gilbert, as he trudged along, had no more
idea than a child how he should proceed
in order to learn the secret of his young
masters nightly rides, butwith firm be-
lief in the righteousness of his under
taking, he hoped for the guidance of a
special providence.
maybe [ ain gwan fin out nothin'
but gwan to do my bes',' he said to
himself. "Sperreted young gemmenS lax
nv Mawse Nick is sartin sho' ter get
talked about, en- 1 mought hear some
thing. En- l mought git sight O. dat
black hawse o his'n."
He readily found the one store where
the scant retail trade of the place was
transacted and entered with his pass in
his hand.
The storekeeper, a tall. lank, sallow,
stoop shouldered man with long hair
and heavy beard of dingy hue, leaned
over the counter, and eying cid Gilbert's
brass buttons with a smile, remarked:
''You must ov come from the NEE
tropolisI'
use fun Tallahassee, sub, said Gill
bert, dofing his hat. "Col. Thornes
man Gilbert, come over ter de Sunrise
plantation; en- here's my pass, sub.
Anything you'll have?' said the store
keeper, glancing at the paper and hand
ing it back.
1.-TWO bits with of terbacker, eff you
please, subj old Gilbert made answer,
producing an ancient leathern purse.
''Yo' towns a-growin', subj" he said, in
gratiatingly.
Slowly, slowly" was the answer.
s'We'n have a railroad to the moon about
the year 1900"
This joke was beyond old Gilbert's
comprehension; but the little crowd loaf
ing around set up a Perfunctory shout,
for the storekeeper was the local wit.
The talk that followed had no bearing
whatever upon the affairs of Nicholas
Thorne, and Gilbert went out and sat on
the steps a little disheartened. He had
fanoied that every one would be talking
of his young master, but Thorne Hill
was smaller than old Gilbert dreamed,
and even this insignificant world of Eden
turned upon pivot of its own.
AS the dusk deepened, and lights began
30 show in the windows of the scattering
houses, Gilbert rose and str&yed along
the lonely and deserted street; for night
game early to these primitive folk, who
were now at their evening meal.
"Cau dishyer Eden?" he muttered, in
deepest scorn. Better name hit CLANCY
berry. Nuyer seed SIGH many CLANCY
berry trees in all my time. En- de ain
good ter eat, nuther. Eff hit wuz ITALIA
hassee now, many's de kitchen whey 1
mought git invited.
He wandered on aimlessly to the end
of the struggling street, where a house,
guiltless of paint, like all the others,
looIssd up in the dusk, isolated, upon the
edge of an old field.
A prev to Inconsistencies suffering
unknown'in his experience hitherto-old
Gilbert sat him down on the stump Of a
noble oak that had been felled to make
room for the Overrated China tree.
wish l wuz back ter Thorne Hill, he
sighed. "Slsh a supper ez could eat!
What straits you is brung dis po ole no
count Niger ter speriunce, Mawse Nick!
/ gwan tell yopE'bout dis when you en-
Miss Flora gifts married"
But the chatter of hcrse's hoofs pres
emily created a diversIon in his thoughts
and made him forget the pangs of hunger.
1t was Nicholas, who rode up to the
gate in front Of the lone house, dismount-
ed and hitched his horse.