The Opelousas courier., 1893-10-07

WVNMFN VIZ, UNSM;3 massive silver
WD' M9SRSM epergne, filed with
lNP"NE dollhouse roses
Scattered along at automatically cal
culated distances were several lesser
bouquets, each with q fragrant though
diverse combination OF colors, neve
more beautiful than when the north.
west wind bites without andsnow beat.
against the window pane.
Rare china and old family silver
were strung plentifully everywhere,
until the loaded table fguratively
groaned in anticipation of the good
things yet to come, when each Il OF
the eighteen chairs should be filled
with its appointed guest. At the side
board stood Alabam, the dining-room
maid, and the chief assistant Of the
grave and ponderous butler. The lat;
ter's eye was upon Alabam and hif
hand upon q silver call bell.
els we all ready, INK Cephasf'
asked the girl,
Before replying Cephasa took an
other look at the decorations over the
Generals chair. Upon the wall were
the Kemper family arms, woven into 8
neat crest of laurel and e~glantine.
There were no older erests in Virginia
than that of the Kemper's, and Cephas
had serious doubts as to there being
any anywhere, his knowledge growing
%autocratie in proportion as it contract
ed. Nod number one from the butler,
and it would be made known in the
psrlors there was no drawing oom in
those days., that dinner Yves ready.
Nod number two, and Alabam would
touch the call bell. Then presto-there
would file across the earth-beaten
yard an ebony train, bearing viands
fit for the gods, until the table could
hold no more. Various toothsome
dishes would overflow upon the side
tables, and there would be a gen
eral air of more being on hand to eat
than by any possibility could be eaten.
"Hit'u do, Alabam," remarked
Cephas, maiestically. ~ amt mem
Der seem a better Iookin' table since
de Ginner'l hisself was a boy"
'Is yo' ready den?" asked Alabam,
with an air Of repressed eagerness.
Cephas was about to deliver nod
number one, when q coffee-colored
girl of twelve burst into these secret
precincts, with an audacious haste
that caused Cephas to draw himself
up h~aughtily while Alabam seemed to
be paralyzed by such ''insho'ance"
from the regions Of the kitchen.
"Now see hyab, Glass;" said Cephas,
advancing with SO to speak blood in
his mighty eye, ."w'at on de face er de
5eath is 20 mean by fo'cin' yo'self in
yere?"
ST amt ter blame, INK Cephas,"
cried the girl, lodging nimbly a pre-
liminary grab on the part Of the
butler. 81 amt ter blame. Lady
all in black, wild 'er face kivered up
say she sho1y must see Unk Cephas. ]
tole her yo'ze begaged twel after din
ner, but she say she bound ter see yo'
any how. Seem like she'd bound ter
be a lady, even if she wound keep
'er vel down; an seem like she's in 0
sight er trouble bout sumpin' er
mother. SYo' tell Cephas TIE down
ter his cabin, o waitin' fer him ter
come, she says, an den off she goes?"
The buffers wrath was dissipated
under a growing feeling of wonder.
II mon half b'bleeb yo's liein' ter
me, Glass;" he said, however, quite
severely.
"Yo' asst Calline and Aunt Doshy,"
returned Classy, assuming an air of in
jured innocence. "Dey all seed 'er,
an she went off teh de quarter dess as
I come in yere."
"Yo' get back in de Kitchen" COM
manded Cephas, who, though much
perplexed, vas not going to allow his
attention to be diverted from the
main business in hand at such a
moment. "N'en yo' get dar, yo' tell
dem people TO dish up. I,ze gwine ter
pernounce dinner tor de Ginneral an
de comp'ny dis very minute"
AN de strange lady" began
Cass.
"Shet yo' mouf an DO as I tells vol
Things is comm to pretty pass, if I've
got to have de house upset sech a time
as dis, long of a strange nobody, wat
'fraid ter show dey face. er tell who
dey is"
Cass disappeared k~itchenward. But
as the old butler made his way through
the-great hall towards the parlors,
from whence came certain sounds OF
revelry, the perplexed look deepened
upon his brow.
Strange lady, all in black, an
waitin' for me in my cabin" He
grunted discontentedly. "Seem like
/ can't make dat out. Seem like some
folks hab a heep er insho'ance. Tank
goodness I amt got much fer any one
ter steal dar. bedoubt dey takes de
clock an de kyarpet, Marse, he done
gil me dem both but dey amt harly
wutf totin' away
As Cephas opened the parlor door,
the general was handing the Widow
Stirling, q wealthy neighbor Of thirty.