The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1891-06-05

"Oh, he is so cold, Nine. Pinchonv
she said. "He makes me sick! Please
take him away"
"Dey isn't everybody kin tech 'em,'
said the negress, recapturing Solomon
and putting him into the cage. "Now
you want to heah what he tell me?'
"Oh, yes" said Maisie breathlessly.
"He say de difficulty is dat you sweet.
heart got shine to dat Eugenie," said
the old woman. dat Eugene jes' doin
her bes' to get him away from you. You
mus watch an take care for youself.
She mighty hansome, an she sing mighty
pleasant, deed she do"
"Ah, yes" cried Maisie. eyes, yes,
yes" and she wrung her little hands.
eyes, she can charm men folks dat
way, like de snake charm de Bird" re-
piled Nine. Pinchon.
Maisie clasped her hands. "And to
think" said she, "she is my fwendr'
Friends is nowhar when beaux is de
question:" said the old negress. ~ knows,
knows" as Maisie began to cry.
"Oh, honey, honey, dis var is powerful
bad, but chirk up; what you gwine carry
on so fo'? Dey is better fish in de sea dan
ever yet was cotcht. Now, dom 90 on
like dat"
II love him. sobbed Maisie; II love
the vewy gwound he tweads on, and |
have wight to do so. He is my sweet
heart; he was fond of me until she came.
There is no one else in the world. If |
were a belle and a beauty and all the
men in the city were at my feet would
never look at them if Woy were there.
Oh, help me! 1 shall go cwazy if l lose
him, Nine. Pinchon."
"Dah, dab; shsh," cooed the old woman,
as if she were soothing baby. "Dah,
dom go on. All we has to do is to get
dis var gal out oh de way so she don sing
no mo nor look wild her eyes no mo-. !
knows 'em; has sperience OBJ my own.
Is ole, but has been young. Dey is
black oh dat kin all same as white. Dey
was a yaller gal once No matter; l
knows what l knows. Yah; what dey
keer for we all? No reason we all keer
for dem"
A strange expression crossed her face.
"Is sorry for you, | u.s." she said; "but
dey is help an You shili hev it. Hi, Sol
ONION. Come, Solomon. n She opened the
dior Of the cage, and the toad hoped
quietly forth. She listened, she whisper
ed; the little creature uttered his soft
musical sounds; she restored him to his
perch.
Solomon say dey is jes' one way"
said the old woman-"jes' one way, no
oder. It's dat gal; you mus get red OBJ
her."
"Git rid of her!" gasped Maisie. "Oh,
Nine Pinchon, hate her so that can't
help wishing her dead; but l could not
kill her. should lose my soul! / should
burn forever and forever in the flames
of hell. No, not that-not THAR
"Show cried the old woman. "What
you mean, Miss Maisie? What you think
| am? Shoh, dab, shoh! Murder? l
dom wan de debbil to fetch me my own
self. Get red OBJ her, say. mean oh
dem var singins of hers, OBJ dem dar
smilins an beguilins, dem ways. Take
away her pretty looks an her pretty
voice. You kin. Solomon says dey is a
spell-dey is ways; but will your
'Oh, that would be tewible!" said
Maisie "To part them would seem
wright, but to make her ugly and make
Ter lose her voice, oh, that is fwightful,
f God did it as judgment, why, how
,ould be sorry? But to do it myself"
"You hash de courage" said Nine.
oinchon, shutting her mouth tight and
lrawing her face into a thousand
wrinkles. "You is skeery; white folks
s mosly skeery. Go long; de Lor' dom
lelp dem dat dom help demselves S'pose
he go away; he foller on long as she so
'retty and sing so. Whoo! Take away
e pretty an he come back to you.
on ask you do it; please youself, be .
God Chris'en, help make her happy No t
oubt you feel good sayin' you prayers
t night, an thinkin' how he kiss and a
uddle her," /,
"Oh, could not bear it!' Maisie
hrieked, wringing her hands.
"Hir' cried the old woman. "Ho, you o
OF to less you help youself. Solomon G
I'll me jes' how. Want to know?'
"Yes," said Maisie, suddenly drawing "
erself up to her full height, II will do
nything. She has wobbed me, wonged J,
lie. If there is spell by which | can =
Ike her beauty fwom her l will do it, is
'Dey is; but dem spells cost consider S
ole, Miss Maisie," said the old negress.
Dey is expansive, dar is no doubt.
on know how glib yon dat spell less =
IN hunerd dollars, dom" .,
II have more than that in the savings re
NIX" said Maisie. 81 saved it before to
ANNA Bunny adopted me. l do not !,
re how much give if can have Woy fe
ok. No, nor what happens to the pr
ce that lures him and the voice that
vaws him fwom me-"
Her own face was hard and set, her st
eeks pale, her eyebrows drawn 20 hi
Their, her eyes cruel, and their blue al
.med turned to green. She looked no ri
lger like quaint, merry little witch.