The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1893-10-05
An UNCONSCIOUS HERO.

"Nuw, Ike. here you are again, work
ing for u, when YOU ought to be attend
inc to your own place. demonstrated
Mrs Harold.
Ike started, scrambled up from his
kneeling gesture. Jerking his excuse Tor
a hat from his 1inkv head, and stool be-
fore hi. former mistress with IA c0unle-
upncc Indicative of having been caught
i'm the mid.: of unworthy deeds. a qu lint.
shabby. ungainiy figure in garments
thai drlv my feeble descriptive powers,
an uumi-takabe son of darkest Africa,
of uncertain age, and in lrscribdblt per
>onalitv.
III YOU please, Miss Mary" said he,
with look and tone expressive of pro-
found apology. Il was just a-we"din'
Miss Nrll's pansy blossoms, D'y's
chokrl up wild grass. drN j., and needs
'trntion mighty bad. dcy does"
$50 they do, Ike. Aud 50 does every
thing else about the place. However
She added, with sigh, "'pinless | man
agr better in the future than | have III
The past will soon have no claim upon
il.
"Wlat dat you sayin', Miss Mary
asked Ike lifting his head quickly
'ain't e inr to sell de ole place, Is you,
MISTRESS,
"Sell il, Ike. Don't You remember
Mr.. Grmsby's mortgagcEs
II members it, mistress, well enough,
responded Ike, with deep detection,
dropping his head again and moving I'M
easily from one foot to the other, "but
| fought dat business done been ranged
long o Mars Philip an Mars Grimsby.'
$50 il was for time. Ike; but an
other laymcnt, will bc~due on the last
dav of this month. and unless | can meet
that payment promptly, Mr.. Grimsby
declares the old place must 90.
Cant Mars Phil?" began Ike, anx-
iously.
NO" said Mrs. Harold. "IIe has
done all he could, rs Il lawyer and as a
friend for us. and he can do no more.
lie is poor man himself, and he has
a large family of his own. Five hun.
bred dollars is not easy to get these days,
Ike" with II faint smile.
Ike looked up quickly again.
give hundred dollars, Miss Mary
"Yes, Ike, five hundred dollars. Aud
if coul pay it the oil place would be
NV own again. and with II little help |
could soon have it in good condition and
be comfortable once more Ike, and put
Miss Nell at school, and be able to help
Won and Martha along. You have done
so much for us.
Five hundred dollars" repeated Ike,
again, thoughtfully, anxiously. Then
with culver in his humble tones-"As
to men Marthy, mistress, whot's men
Marthy done for you? Wizard we be
only fer you and my marster dat's ded
Didn't he give us that place of ourn,
and sot Us bofc free long fore freedom
come, and kcred for US an helped us
long rs he lived: Mistress, you done
forget I'LL dat =
NO, Ike and | haven't forgotten all
your faithful service to your master,
and to me since your master died, and |
am not likely to forget. You deserve Il
great deal more than you ever have re-
ceived or ever will receive.
Ike shook his head, drew his hand
across his eyes, and opened his lips
twice in unavailable effort to articulate
some sort of protest.
swell. WE'LL Ike" said Mrs. Harold,
gently, '.perhaps things will come out
all right somehow. Wen try to make
the best of them in any case. How is
Martha today
"Fa'rlcy, mistress, farley. Dat ill
you sent her helped her rhclim tisn
might ly."
II am glad to hear it, Ike; III g
down to see her in the morning; | Sent
Nell down to-day"
"T'ank YOU mistress; lief Miss Mel
dar when | come up here dis afternoon
Is you gwine to de sto' Miss Mary? Lee
me go fer YOU"
NO" said Mrs. Harold, moving ava,
down the garden path, II am going tt
see Lawyer Graves. See that Miss Mel
comes home before dark, Ike"
She walked slowly on, and Ike stoot
still and stared after her thoughtfully
but vaguely.
Five hundred dollars :" muttercd he
can she's got to hab it by de las of di
mont and dis is de midlc, Five hun
bred dollars. An to tink | member
de time when marster fought nothin
o'spendin' five thousand dollars, ant
when dat same old Grimsby'd a-been il
de POI house, long o his kin, eff it hadn'
a-been fer my marster, an now he trinl
to take de roof from over my mistress
head. Him dat amt no better'n de dus
under her foots? Fore God hopes he'll
swung from de gallus fust. | does" AM
/ Ike fell upon his knees again and began
unnecessarily savage onslaught upol
the fresh green grass among Nell's pan
sy blossoms.
"Ef you please. Mars Phil"
"Well, Isaac" said Lawyer Graves
turning from his desk aud looking kind
" and inquirngly at his sable visitor
who stood hesitatingly half in and hal
out of the Office door, "come in wla
can do for you? a message from Mrs
IIaro d."
mo, Sah.' said Ike, approaching tt
within few yards of the lawyer an,
pausing abruptly, shifting from hi
right foot to his left as he stood, IAN,
twiring his hat numerically with hi
two c0al-black nervous hands. "rs
m )rnin, sab.
Well, out with it, old man. Let us hea
what it is"
"Ef you please, Mars Phil" said Ike
hcsitating and doubtful, dis sold m.
place, sah..'
"Sold your place" exclaimed the law
yer, astonished. "Why, Isaac, wha
possessed you: Mr.. Harvey told m
two months ago that you refused
good offer from him."
$50 | did, Mars Phil, so | did. sab
but-but-I'se sole IL to him now. lo
see. Mars Phil, it was jinin' O dat fiel
o. his'n an he wanted it mighty bad,
added TX, apologetical!y.
81 see, TX. But what do you want t.
do? What do you want me to do 70