The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1891-08-02


sTHIs is NOT NY GHOST, DARLING"
When she returned to consciousnesss she
was lying in her own bed with Maum
Betsey's black face bending anxiously
over her.
"Dar you is. honey" she said, with
great sigh Of relief. BLESS my life, but
! thought dem eyes nuver was gwine ter
open, and yer mas jes gone plum
'stracted bout yer. She stepped to her
room for some mo- arnica, and honey
Maum Betsey raised her finger warning
ly-"don't yer tell her how you come ter
be heah.
The caution was given not moment
too soon, for Just then the door opened
softly and Mrs. Helen came hurriedly
in. Not that Glen could have divulged
something of which she herself was to-
tally ignorant, but the old habit Of shield
ing her mother from all anxiety, which
she had shared in common with Maum
Betsey ever since she was a girl IN short
dresses, asserted itself now. When her
mothers pale face bent over her she was
able to look up brightly and reassure her.
at is nothing. mother, only the slight
est sort Of a sprain; you see, was walk
ing 80 rapidly-but am perfectly well
now. I-P'-becoming vaguely con-
fused--s.don't quite remember how ]
came here, but Maum Betsey found me
and put me to bed. SO as not to alarm
you any sooner than was necessary"
"And your brother. my poor child71
"Ohl he got off nicely. He was in
good spirits. and says we shall hear from
him in few days at farthest. But,
mother. must send you to bed. You
look as tired as ! am. SO good night
But when the door closed gently after
her mother Glen raised herself on one
arm and hooked Maum Betsey eagerly in
the face.
@Mammy," she said. show did get
here2
"Why, bless 20 life, chile, de capen'
brung you. Yon didn't think meracle
done happen ter my old jints, SOS could
fotch you, did you? Lawdl when he
coined roun' ter de kitchin do, and called
me, sorter soft like, wild you in his arms,
des es limp es dishrag. you could a
knocked me down wild a fodder. But he
mighty quick 'splained it, and dsn seed
de coas' was clar, case old Miss was
singin Missy to sleep in her room, SO we
crope in an up de staircase, an he laid
you down jes as easy as eff you'd ben a
baby. But Lawd! amt l gwine ter give
dat Nelse tas' O my strop IN de mawn-
| in'."
'sDid Captain Campbell tell you about
Nelse"
"Cose he did. He brung him roun'
ter me by de shoulder. j hain't teched
| dis young rascal he said; but he
deserves as sound thrashin' as you can
fin it in yo' heart to Civ him, and den
he tored off lax mad down dat short cut
| to de woods"
There was long pause, and then the
| girl broke the silence with sobbing,
pitiful cry: "Oh, nanny, mammyl
am SO tired. Can't you sing me to sleep,
like you used tor"
Deed will, honey, deed I win.
You's all wukked up, | knows you is.
| Nuver min, nuver min"
Maum Betsey patted the girls hand
| gently, rocking her own body to and fro
as if she held in her arms the baby she
had nursed so many years ago, and
Glen nesting in her pillows was soothed
by the senseless lullaby crooned In the
| quayering old voice.
Baa baa black sheep,
Whar you lefy 20 ls-a-m7-
Way down yander In de valley.
She was reused in the morning by the
trampling Of horses, the jingle of spurs
and bugle call on the lawn below.
Maum Betsey, who had kept faithful
watch all night by the girls bedside,
reused at her startled cry. 'It's de so
jers, honey" she said drowsily. II clar,
furgot dat Mars Capen' done cha'hged
me to tell you dat he done got his orders,
and he'd to march de fust ting dis mawn-
In"
1 And SO upon that day Glen took up
life anew with IN added burden-a So
oret, awful burden that weighed upon
her girlish heart. AL through that IA
tai month, in which the March winds
clothed the woods with beauty, the days
went by in that old house, wrapped IN a
mist Of fire and blood and carnage. No
news Of the outside world REACHED them.
No communication stirred the pail OF
dread and anxiety which had settled
down upon them, but at night they could
see the red light Of fires blazing against
the quiet skies, and shuddered in their
beds when the sullen boom OF cannon
shook the earth. Not one word or limo
came from the absent son and brother,
and to the anguish that was whitening
her mothers hair Glen dared not add
one pang by disclosing this traitorous.
disloyal. nameless feeling that had grown
up in her heart. Obi that she could
crush it out like q poisonous thing-this
strange madness which had changed her
from a. careless girl to an anxious, sad
dened woman. The old rooms and the
quiet wood where she often wandered
to escape her mothers eyes seemed 10
mock her with memoriesof things that
had passed aMay forever.