The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-04-12
EULINDA'S TALK ON SOULS.

The spring weather had been too much
for me-or, perhaps, 1t was the extra exer-
ton of trying to be a newspaper woman.
At any rate, for a week or two had been
going about listlessly, the victim of a low
malarial fever walking fever" they
call it in the south; one of those disagree
able states when one is too i'll to sit up.
and not i'll enough to take ones bed. Eu-
linda regarded me with watchful eye, and
1 felt her solicitude in numberless little
ways, but for a long time she said moth
ing. Finally she made up her mind that
it was time to take matters into her own
hands. So when she came in one morning
and found, as usual for several days, a
languid mistress. and an untasted break
fast, she said:
Now, honey, youse been foolin' roun'
long enuff You. jess go right in there an
lie down an TEX care O. yo' sickness"
Like all half-sick souls, 1 was glad to
be taken in hand, and several drowsy DAYS
and semi-conscious nights followed. brok-
en- only by the visits of the doctor and
Eulinda's careful administrations. Eu-
linda's ebony face and the doctors blonde
head were the only figures that seemed to
come into my dreams-half fancy half
reality. Finally one wakeful night 1 be-
gan to think again.
"Eulinda," said, whereas everybody"
Eulinda had just looked in to see If her
Miss Dolly was 'sleepin' all right"
MOS everybody's asleep just now, hon
ey," she said evasvely.
oh, yes, / know, but what has everv-
body been doing all this time?''
Everybody's jess been puhsuin they US
ual ayocations, honey, 1 ekspec'.'
Eullnda, have you been turning eVerv-
body away since have been ill?"
On; no m" she said in dulcet tones. 81
q noll,. turn EN- away; l les tole 'em Miss
Jess shet the doah sof' laik, an they went
nc, oh Eulinda,'" I said, horrihed. you
Eulinda looked at me with calm decision
NO, honey" she said, Use not done in
calkable ham. 1 couldn't be bothahed
with ladies an gentlemen when youse sick
You'd nevah have convalessed in de WORT
Money icy, ct Ely 20 had yeah way"
friends turned away from my door with
the door 'shet sof' iaik' in their facesi az
Reginald De Blink, the scion of all the De
Blinks, for whom all doors turned on we'll
oiled hinges!
thought of Mr.. De Blink's surprise. con-
sternation and wrath, and groaned, and
common, and Mrs. De Blink had experience
ed one Eulinda looked sober for a mo-
ments at my distress, but she has a most
and especially in her systems
"Doan fret, honey" she said, ethev all
came an inquiahed but 1 couldn't be
DOlnaneQ Win any 1nLefeyence with Vo'
sickness. The doctors bad enuff It's all
right, honey. They's a heap O. fowahs
out in de oder room. I'll bring EN- in
"Euiinda,", said, you bring them in
Eulinda went out, but reluctantly. and
came in presently with her arms fun of
".Youse tekin' great risks. honey" she
~, Why l d did you deny me the flowers, too.
/
Eulinda hesitated a moment and stood
with white blossom in her ebony hand,
rejecting, before she replied
We'll, honey, it was laik this. WASH,
jess shuah about yoah sickness. Yessun.
1 know the doctah said it was nahlava
combined with oyahwo'k, but l ain jess
They's sicknesses as they amt. I'd hat to
know slcknesses as the yaint. I'd hat to
know de 'finity o. yo sickness"
Eulinda stood, like tall black priestess.
the white hyacinth in her hand distilled
subtle incense, and her solemn face
shone, dimly outlined against the shaded
lamp. kept perfectly still for / felt
sure there was more to follow more of
that strange creed which we cali heath
en- that is SO ingrained a part of the
African. nature. Presently she went on
in a low, convincing voice:
when yo' has sickness, honey, de
Gods what fassens yo' soul in yo' body
gets weak an laik they hadn' no strength.
Then yo' soul can slip right out O. yo'
body an go Wanderin' roun' eff il wants
TO. An sometimes II does, honey" she
said with awe. Sometimes white flow
abs with a puhfume tracts yo' soul
more MT 1t can stan. That's why howa his
is dangerous to some kin's o. sicknesses.
De fragrance o. de fowahs keeps calm,
calm to 20 soul, an yo soul heahs dat
voice, an when youse weak 1t can't re-
sis. They's times, honey. when 20 soul
comes back into yo' body, out II doan get
back street laik, an then yo' minds dark
ened all yo' life. An sometimes It doan
come back at ali. Yo' ali strongah now,
chile, or wouldn't let 20 have no white
fowahs laik this roun'," she said, as she
put the white hyacinths in the furthest
vase
Then Eulinda left me. but all night long
there fitted through my brain dreams
that seemed more than ever like reality.
or still, white hyacinths with fragrant
voices, calling. calling OF floating souls
wringing their hands because they had
lost their way. OF phantom souls. knock
ing at doors TO which there was no en-
trance. And through II all Euhnda's
warning voice.
TDosa tex no resk wild yoah SOUL
hrnns