Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1892-09-02

By COLORED AUNTIE-
by the way, as they afterward learned,
was her name, "Aunt Charity" She
was, however, reassured by the sight Of
the five-dollar bill in Uncle Phin's hand,
by the old mans extreme politepess,
and by Arthurs honest blue eyes. In
spite OF his clothes being rain-soaked
and mud-stained, he was so evidently a
little gentleman that she involuntarily
dropped him a courtesy when, in win
ming tones, he said: "Please, ma'am, get
US something to eat. We are nearly
starved, but We have the money to pay
for it, and think we would like to have
o good deal Of most every thing you
have"
'sTo be suttinly, sab! To be suttiuly,
my pore lamb. You shall hab de bes'
Aunt Charity kin skeer up, dreckly,"
answered the old woman, dropping her
courtesy, and gazing oompassionateiy at
the little fellow. "Ef you'd like to dry
yo'se'fs while I'se er gittin' somfin ready,
yo'se welkum to step inter de kitchum,
an set by dc fire, Miste-" Here she
paused and looked at Uncle Phin, as
though waiting for him to complete her
sentence by introducing himself.
"Phin Dale, oh Dalecourt, Virginny,"
said the old man, promptly add
ing: "An' dis my iii marse, Arthur
Dale Dustin. We is a-trabblin' to his
gran'paw's, and is to take de kyars TO
Dalecourt soon as we is eaten our sup
pah."
As Aunt Charity had also spent the
earlier days Of her life in Virginia, q
bond of sympathy was at once estab-
lished between them, and she hustled
about with surprising agility for one of
her size to make the travellers comfort
able. She had intended supplying their
wants from tho counter and well-filled
shelves of her little shop, but after
they were comfortably seated in the
friendly warmth of the kitchen stove
she decided to mako pot of tea and
then to fry rasher OF bacon with some
eggs Nor did she neglect their i'm
mediate wants while preparing these
things. Hunger was so plainly stamped
on their faces that 1t would have been
cruel to keep them waiting a single
minute before beginning to satisfy 1t.
So she gave them each big shiny
topped bun with currants in it, and
when she saw Arthur breaking off a
piece of his for Rusty she Immediately
got another for the hungry little dog.
What a pleasant contrast this cheer
full, low-ceiled kitchen, with its
glowing stove, presented to the
cold, and wet. and darkness OF the
streets through which they were wan
dering so hopelessly but few minutes
before. How thoroughly Arthur and
Uncle Phin appreciated its comforts,
and what glances, expressive of graft
tude and complete satisfaction, they ex-
changed as they sat on opposite sides of
the stove, well back 50 as not to interfere
with the ponderous but bustling move
nents OF the mistress of the establish
| nent.
In the darkest corner OF the room was
high, calico-curtained bedstead, from
| beneath which projected one end of
low trundle-bed. In this could just be dis
tinguished two little woolly heads, from
which two pairs of wide-open black eyes
yazed wonderingly at the strangers and
the busy scene about the stove.
| When Uncle Phin inquired, with an
air Of well-feigned interest, il those
were her children, Aunt Charity paused
In her work for moment, and, standing
with arms alSimbo, regarded them with
| great complacency, as she answered:
''No, Mista Phin Dale, dey's not my
ownly chillun; but dey's my gram
.hillun, once remobed. You see, deir
nav, she my ole mans fustes wife's gal,
| by her fustes husban. So when dey
| KUN to be twins an orfuns at de same
| time, / wuz deir mex OBJ kin, an dey
nacherly fell to my sheer oh de
estate. Now, Use gwine glib 'em
a edicashun. an train 'em up
Ter de whitewash an kalsermine biz
ness"
Warm and dry, strengthened and re-
freshed by their supper, of which little
Rusty had eaten his full share and
would now have greatly preferred lying
under the stove to going out in the
stormy night, our travellers again set
forth on their journey. Had Aunt Char
lty's mite of house afforded a spare
room, she would have invited them to
occupy it until morning; but 1t did not,
and she had no place to offer them.
Then, too, Uncle Phin was most anxious
to start on at once, now that they had
money, in hopes that It would last until
they reached their journeys end. So
interested had Aunt Charity become iE
:he little chap who was so bravely seek
.ng distant home, in place of the one
where he had been cruelty and unjustly
ireated-for Uncle Phin had told her
the whole OF Arthur's history-that she
ut first refused to receive any pay
for their supper. Both Arthur and
Uncle Phin insisted so strongly that
she should, however, that at length she
! consented to take twenty-five cents but