Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-06-21
PATTY


zhale az her compact. little body, why
won't the right thought. conner wish 4
was bowl spotfy and she put her arm
ssound The old black ,soe pnrrsdn ~ e s nSs
~ss only 4 girl and your father and bro.
thors had cone and went away ell dressed
us, In gray suits, with long swords and
kav--bay --somenn' or another, making
eneh biz noise, and you was left home all
by your lone self--what would you DOR
But Spotty only yawncd, and blinking
stupidity ct Patty with her green eyes, lay
e "Tieis went the old clock in the
corner "tick. tick" Tabby. was asleep.
the Ore was asleep, even the flies were
ssleep on the walls. You would have
thought Patty was asleep too, but for her
blue eyes, which sparkled beneath the tan
eled luif Of auburn that fell over them.
hsy little bare s Goes ali around the room so
that every pot aud pan shock, she shouted
An high treble notes. "pye got tive got
stis :" Got what. Miss Pattyf Laws
srnsssy. misc. ef you Amt done scared dis
niTpah mos 10 def wild all dat screechin'
90 yourn. thought sho'ly the bull was
alter you. What Is You got, miss?p
why, jake. laughed Patty. your eyes
are most ~ popping out of your head and
why. i do believe you've been asleep in the
hay-ioft; just look at the straw in your
Deed. deed. Miss Patty, you sutterny
IL wrong dis time; IL was O. runnin 50
fast when heard you scream dat bit dis
here big toe OBJ mine 'glnst q rock and
tumbled in de chicken-yard."
There amt any use trying to fool me,
like I was grandma or your old black
NANNY" responded Miss Patty tri-
umphantly. "The soldiers ate every one
az those chickens three weeks ago. and
there amt speck of straw therel"
Yes, miss, 10 .dey did-yes, Miss Patty,
bat you see was Just tryin' 70 sec how
smart YOU was, an you Is mighty smart,
'deed Won am: bat look here; you amt
a'ewine TO 10 tell old miss on me dis time,
why, of course am and Patty's
looks and gesture were as ominous az her
words to poor Jake. It's O'Clock ana
Won haven't done one bit OF wedding since
dinner. You're q lazy, good-for-nothing
niger and Pm going to tell grandma right
away-so now
The bows lower Jaw dropped, and his
inky face almost blanched as he whined
piteously, stretching one grimy hand as
Though 70 detain her. yet not daring to
touch his little mistress.
"rll run all yo' err8nts TO you; I'll
tote you roun' like you was a queen,
But Patty was little politician and her
brain had been working busily all this
time, so she only said very sternly, No,
I'm going night now"
sFo' de Lo'd. Miss Patty, / never meant
muffin, an of you let me OF DIS time III
STAN on my head TO- you all de blessed
Well" pursued his little tormentor,
slowly and with pious emphasis, " 1t was
very wrong, Jake, and"
Yes, miss" interrupted Jake with the
accent of penitent, g dat it was. OATS dc
truf', sho's you BON"
And don't know; my conscious tells
me ought 60 tell grandma, Tor you'll do
the same tomorrow. But il you'll never
say q word about what Pm going to tell
you"
mo. Miss Patty; deed, swar WON'T
"And help me do somefng I've set my
heart on I'll let you of this time"
"Thanky, miss, thanky," and Jake's
wTeathed in smiles. mo. miss, Pn nebber
say muffin: I'll tie up dis here mouf OF
mine wild O ham-string and be dumb as
the old jackass out yonder."
IAN right, then, you 60 work and to-
night I'll tell you. And, Oh, jake she
cried. as he shuffled joyfully into the gar
den. about how far away are the SOL
"'Tain't more'n about five or six miles,
Miss Patty; leastways, faint more n you
90 through the piney woods. Wat TO you
want 10 know. miss?"
Never You mind" she replied, with
superior shake of her head; IN tell you
tonight"
And after his tall slouching figure had
entirely disappeared she clambered up on
the window seat again, saying, Now
must fink some more.
Now. Jake" said Patty that night as
she settled herself more comfortably, on
her grassy seat beneath the big white
lilac bush. don't you say one word till
get through, COS / can't talk II you
int'rup' me-"
"Pli try, miss; but golly, it's mighty
hard" and the boy shifted his weight
from one foot to the other, rolled his eyes,
and endeavored TO express by various
grimaces the difficulty of such en- obliga-
ton.
soldier like papa and the boys; but I'm
a'going TO the camp by the woods and
help the poor soldiers, 'cos reckon some
of them are hurted-"
Yes, miss" broke in Jake, - seed 'em
las week and dey was all"
Jake, What did l tell you?" remarked
Patty severely; another word and I'll go
10 grandma"
took his tongue and held II in his fingers
as though that were the only way of con-
trolling this garrulous member; then with
pop-eyes fixed on his liege lady, he bobbed
his head to signify that he was utterly ST.
lent.
Patty, her little face, growing graver
every moment continued, Grandma said
the other day that II was so hot she reck-
oned the poor soldiers would like some ice;
but she didn't have no one 10 take any to
them. so, Jake, Pm a-going tonight"
Now, Miss Patty, what you stut1n' me
like dat TO. Dis here amt 10 spring-
"Stufing you, Jake Course amt,
cross my heart Pm agoipg to the camp to-
night" And she took one stubby little
finger and suited the action to the words.
"Fo' de Lo'd. miss! you am really goin'
trou' dem black woods wild all de -"
20 bush, jake don't tell me what's
here" she said with q frightened little
gesture. and O started look behind her.
Pm going tonight and you must pack
this basket full Of ice; do you hear ;" AND
Patty pulled one from behind the fresh,
but Jake started back
You can't tote dat full OBJ ice, miss
but can and viii" and Patty stamp
ed her foot on the ground; tits for the
soldiers 90 Immediately and pack 1t as
told you and put IL back here"
Amt you gwine femme go wild you,
Miss Pap but Patty had already vanish
tl III INC tuul1cf QUohg anu oohVt RuN-
zled expression on his honest black face,
picked up the basket, declaring aloud,
I" Miss Patty IL the out-en-out-enes' little
white lady cher seed"
That night about II o'clock little fig
ure stole quietly as mouse down the wide
oAken stairs of the old mansion, slipped
through one Of the French windows and
into the garden. Softly she crept around
20 the white lilac and there like sentinel
asleep on guard lay Jake his resonant nasal
notes making known his presence some Sc
conds before her approach.
Phaps I'D better take him. murmured
Patty wistfully. She touched softly the
sleeve Of his jacket, then hesitated q mo-
ment. mo, won't" she said decisiyely,
though there was tremor In her childish
voice. as she thought of the long black
woods.
Very poiselessly she picked up the basket
and holding il in both dimpled hands she
set out brayely to the camp.
ALTHOUGH that long walk in the woods,
where the harvest moon cast strange flick
ertng shadows on her path and the foliage
and twigs cracked ominously, Pattyis
steps did not flag, though more than
once she started back with frightened cry
as some squirrel OF rabbit more timorous
than herself even, ran across her path or