The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1895-10-18


slept comfortably and tried in many WAYS
to arouse his old time interest in tho farm.
IL was all in vain. n mental paralysis
seemed to have settled down upon him
that nothing could dispel.
lie Jcs' lax daid man walliin,' Han
nah said to her husband Hes got n
look on his face lax he wus sccin through
etarnity. He ncbbcr say nuthin; no 90
erlonS cbcry mawnin ter olc MISS grave
en- dar he sets. He won read nur write
nur nuttin."
"Hc gwine go crazy, sum or desc days"
answered Jake dolcfully.
''Ic look so curious outcn his eyes,"
Hannah continued, II gittin 'fraid ter lot
him set thar by hcsolf all day. 1 tink I'll
make Sugy-Honcy stay dar moscly, SO sho
Kin tell mo OF hc try ter hurt hcsclf"
Jake assentcd to this, and after ample
explanation 1t was understood between
tho thrco that Sugy Honey was to DO valet
dc chambre to Colonel Henson. She we'll
remembered her young mistress, whom sho
adorcd with an affection tho mistress of to-
day never knows. Tho knowledge that
Miss Mary would want her to stay with
marstcr' touched u responsive chord in
her heart. Sho could not do too much.
Each day thereafter found her in attend
ance. Sometimes in an obtrusivc corner
She rubbed tho knives. At other times sho
softly played checkers on an old shawl.
but whatever her apparent occupation,
hands, feet and eyes wcro always at his
service. If no happened to be thirsty she
Drought tho colonel fresh water; if sleepy
she beat up the pillow on his lounge and
famed him whilo ho took u nap Some
times she sat with u stray ncwspapor i'm
her hand pointing out tho letters and
making them into words, for her young
mistress had taught her n little and told
her to try and learn moro.
/ Just ut this juncturc Hannah received q
letter from Mary, which sho brought to
Sugy Honey to read. Mary asked for news
of her fnthcr, and said they had been un-
able to trace him, and wound up by tell
ing of hcr baby boy, named for Colonel
Henson
This was great news to Sugy-Honcy,
and sho decided to write to her young mis-
trcss to come homo and bring tho baby.
She had learned to write n little, and after
many attempts she evolved this lottcr:
Deere miss Mary you is my miss Mary
yit, chen of wo all is free. Hab wo forgot
do good timo wo ulster hab? l loves you,
oh, how loves you en- do baby. l wants
you ter cum homo ter yer paw Ho say ho
won see you but You cum ennyhow eli
bring dc baby Nanny thinks master
6'ihS WI Nic' liC Noll STAY Hultln, nc
don cat much, no dom sleep much. 1
stays wild him all day, en- daddy no sleep
by dc bed cherry night. I'2o yer little Sugy-
Honey"
This letter reached Mary in her distant
homo. Despite cvcry effort, she had heard
nothing of her father and feared no was
dead. So even with this sad news it was
with Il lighter heart she iourncycd toward
her old homo.
Arriving in tho ncighborhood, she sent
for old Hannah, who gavo her tho particu-
lars of her fathers condition, and together
they had many an anxious discussion as
to what was best to be done
ode doctor say it wouldn't do for you
ter go ter sec him. He is so sot agin you
havin dc capting. De shock of sccn you
might Kill him, Hannah said on ono of
these occasions. "But you kin stay close
by, en- III mako out like I'll hiro Sugy-
Honey ter you tor nus Ho dom know
what yer now name is nohow, on sho kin
take do baby ober dar, en- maybe marstcrll
notice him artcr awhile"
Thus 1t was arranged, and tho next day
when Sugy-Honey did not appear as usual
Colonel Henson seemed restless and final
ly asked where she was
81 dun hired her out tor nus ;" answered
Hannah. taut sho might os well be
maxim or little somcthn cs not
Colonel Henson said no more, but he
evidently missed the willing hands and
feet and tho CHEEKY presence to which he
hat been so long accustomed. AS he SIT
on the porch that evening, II silent, discon.
solato figure, he heard IL jolly laugh and a
baby's pretty cooling. 1t proved to DO Sugy-
Honey and her new charge
The baby was II lovely little fellow, Just
beginning to prattlc. When Sugy- Honey
put him down from her lap, ho toddlcd in
tho most nutter of fact way to Colonel
Henson, put his hand on the coloncl's
knco and chattcd necessarily in his prot
u, lisping lingo.
Tho colonel soon commenced to take a
little interest in farm matters to INQUIRE
of jake how many of tho old negroes were
still on the place, what crops ho planted
and to give some advice as to their cult
vation. Yet it WAS plain that his day be-
gan when Sugy Honey camo with tho baby
and ended when they left He still had no
idea who the little one really was, for all
wcro afraid to tell him.
One day in early autumn Sugy-IIoncv
and tho baby made their usual pilgrimage
TO the old place
Tho baby had ii long weed with fuzzy
ond for tail, playing horse. He was
calling on Funnel rs he called him. to
whip up his horse, and while prancing to
ana fro III somo way the weed caught on
lire from tho open fireplace and before any
ono realized that danger WAS near the lit
tic form WAS partially cnvclopcd in flames
Sugy Honey rushed To the rescue. for
she was the first to See the blaze and the
colonel wrapped the screaming baby in il
rug. Their hands and arms were severely
burned, but tho baby escaped miraculous
~. Though all his pretty curls were gone
ana his outside clothing burned yet tho
WOODEN garment next his body WAS scarce
ly scorchcd
Colonial Hanson Ind ,,.nrl- I'd ,ritI a ,.il