The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-12-17

N"'iH 20 'f"'i"'''
''Is You GoT ANY COLE PAPERP
ings as we'll rs the shoes. And her
crown shall have IL tiny sharp points
TO il, ono for each year Of her life and
mine You know we were born the same
day, and have grown up just the same
size"
Aunt Charlotte beamed all over
"God love you, Miss LUCY You is
one good child. wus thinkin bout
dat dress all do way ober hore--studyin
up how could git it, If your foots des
want so little dat Nicely couldn't git
mon her big toe in your shoes, I'd AK
you fer dem white slippers and let do
red stockin's do'
"Oh, she shall have shoes-never
fearv' Lucy said. holding the sash to
the light "But how will she get to
church without spelling them? It's
mile from your house, and the mud
will be knee deep You know 1t always
rains week when the wind is in the
south"
"Yessum, hits gwine be bad Dey done
'cided at church meetin dat Nicely mus
dress in de clostes' house dar an den
come out, an be sot up in er no top bug
gy, an have eight er de big boys pull
her up tor de church do Den Mist
Pasco, he gwine take her outeh hit an
tote hor up de aisle an set her In dc
cheer on do table. -
Lucy laughed aloud Her mother
frowned and said, a trifle sharply:
q ,D+ oil hot Ir{f
Nicely "a no child.
Aunt Charlotte looked at the floor II
meek obstinacy.
"Dey tells me queens don't walk
none tall" she said, San do buggy
CANT git no higher an dc do"
"Then let two OF the big girls make
bee saddle and tote her. That won't
look half so bad as to SOC Pasco Juggling
her like an old cat docs her kitten"
Mrs Lee said. still sharply.
cts tho hugging, not the lugging.
ma objects to" Lhcy said through
her laughing, but that does not mat
ter. Ibelieve Mr.. Pasco wants to marry
Nicely"
"He do, said Meely's mother. "but
she done sot her min on dat ar owda-
cious Pete Meacham, who've got no
'ligion tall, is des always whistlin
reels an potillions an singin bout
"oh, Master Rabbit, yo' years mighty long
Yes my dear, dey are sot on wrong.
OATS what mako me try so hard ter
git her fix up nice fer dis yere time. I'm
gwine git ell do things an den tell 'er
she CANT have um 'dout she'll gree
ter take Mist Pasco."
Lucy's eyes flashed, but before she
could speak her mother said:
"Well, hope you'll succeed, but 10
does seem to me that when a girl sets
her heart ON trifling, no account fell
low there is no use trying to change il.
didn't know Nicely was like the rest,
but I'll help you all can"
$50 will L." said Lucy. running
away, with scarlet cheeks. Meely's case
was her own. Bert Wilmer had her
heart and her troth plight; rich Davo
Allen, tho backing of her parents. Pes
sibly it was this fellow feeling that
made her so wondrous kind to Meoly.
Possibly also the fact that Pete had been
postman for tho lovers ever since Bert
was forbidden the Leo house had some
thing TO do with the case.
Then. too, tho Lees were habitual
providence 20 the poor blacks about
them. Love for the merry, careless,
simple-shrewd race was in their blood.
comprehension likewise. They saw un-
der the grotesque extravaganza of the
"queen Of Christmas" germ Of self
reliance and furthered it accordingly.
When at last it came to pass, Lucy,
with her brother and dozen more young
folks, stood outside and looked ON
through the window back of the pulpit.
The church was big log structure, lit
with kerosene lamps in fiaring tin re-
Electors, and fairly cramined with dark
humanity
Besides the country negroes for miles
around the Sons and Daughters of i
Will Arise were ont in full regalia,
hundred strong. Each brother wore a
red sash crossing his breast, with n tin
star over the heart, green apron turned
mp with yellow, and n blue and white
rosetto upon the left lapel Each sister
was gorgeous in n purple cape, a long
white, freely rufiled apron, deep red sash
abort the waist aud orange turban with
green plumcs They marched to their
allotted places, droning out q weird,
worllcss chant and vainly tried TO
maintain an attitude Of solemn criti-
cism. The crowd was dotted with smil.
ing familiar faces the savory scent of
barbecue was IA the air, and Bruidcr
Paschure, otherwise the Rev Mr.. Bar
kor, shook hands up and down the
benches with fcrvor that almost set
them shouting
Presently the ccacons hustled and
squeezed the crowd back from the aisle,
and Mr. Pasco cano through with Nee
ly in his arms. She was slim slip Of
girl but he STAGGERED unflor her weight