Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1892-07-29
CHAPTER ".
ON BOARD THE ARK

There was no need for Arthur to ask
any questions, when he was reused in
the middle of the second night after
| Uncle Phin's departure. He realized at
! once what was required of him, and the
! heaviness of sleep instantly vanished,
leaving him keenly wide-awake. Step
ping softly from his bed, he quickly
dressed, while the old negro gathered
together every thing belonging to his
'lil marse," and placed the things in a
corn sack that he had brought for that
purpose.
''1s that yo' book, honey?" he whis-
pered, noticing the volume of fairy tales
lying on tho bed.
''Yes, that is my own precious book,
that the beautiful lady gave me; but
don't put it in the bag, Uncle Phin; /
want to carry it myself"
Then the thoughtful little fellow,
since he could not bid Cynthia goodbye,
and feared she might feel hurt If he
went away without word, begged his
companion to wait just a minute, while
he wrote her note. He wrote it by the
bright moonlight, on bit OF brown
paper, with the stump of a lead pencil, so
that it was not very elegant production,
but it answered its purpose, and was
tenderly cherished for many a day by
the little girl who received it the next
morning. In it, in big, scrawling, boy
ish hand, was written:
"Dear Cynthia: have been so much
trotble here, specially to Aunt Nancy
and Dick, that l am going away with
Uncle Fin, to find another home. / love
you dearly, and sometimes l hope shall
come back and see you. Goodbye, from
"Your loving cousin, Arthur"
Although the old negro was in hur-
ry to be off, he waited patiently while
Arthur slowly wrote this note To him
writing was ono OF the most mysterious
and difficult Of arts; and, gazing admir-
ingly at the young penman, he n1r-
INJURED to himself:
"What fine lilly gen'lman him be,
to be shuah. HIM only ten year ole;
but settin' dar an er writin' like no was
hundred"
When the note was finished it was
pinned to the pillow of the cot bed; and,
with lingering look at the place that
had sheltered him for a year, the child
stepped out and softly closed the door,
Then, clasping his precious book tightly
under his arm, and trustingly following
the old negro, Arthur started on the
wonderful journey that was to change
the whole course Of his life, though he
was still ignorant Of their destination.
When they were safely behind the
barn, out OF sight and hearing of the
house, Uncle Phin stopped and said:
"Dere's only ono ting trubblin' dis
yeah ole woolly head. win YOU tell.
honey, fer shuah, what way de ribber
ober yander is runnin'?"
(Which, the Allegheny? Why south,
Of course" answered Arthur, wondering
at the question.
"Dat's what l flowed it donei" ex-
claimed the old man. II knowed 1t
didn' run yeast, kase dat ar way de sun
rise, an I knowed it didn' run wes',
kase dat ar way him settin'; but I
WASH rightly shuah him didn' run to de
MORT. 1 was fggerin' all de time dough
on him runnin' to de sout an now
we'll git back to ole Virginny easy an
sartin."
ITO Virginia!" cried Arthur, in dis
may. ''Are We going to try and 60 way
to Virginia, Uncle Phin?"
lob cose we is, honey. We's er
gwine to virginny. an Dalecourt, an
yo gran'paw, an de iii olo cabin by dc
magnole tree. We is gwine to go 'ome
shuah 'nough, honey"
But how are we over going to travel
SO far?'
"You'll see, honey. You'll see d'recb-
ly," chuckled the other. Use got
great s'prise in sto' fer you. Hyar's do
kerridge waitin' on US now, an Mista
Bailas is gwine 9ribe us to dc kyars."
They were now on the road, at
some distance from the house, and
as Uncle Phin spoke, Arthur saw
drawn up to one side in the
shadow Of n clump of trees Brace Bar
lows team and leaning against the
light wagon the young man himself.
"Oh, Brace!' he cried, springing for
ward the moment he saw who it was.
''I'm SO glad! didn't want to go away
without seeing you again. Are you
really going with us?"
II wish 1could go with you all the way,
my boy, and see you safe TO your jour
ney's end, but you know can't leave
my old mother. So am only going to
give you lift for little way and see
that you get a good start. Jump in
quick now, for we've got long drive
ahead of US and must be back by day
light"
AS the spirited horses dashed away
over the moonlit road with Arthur