Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1897-05-27

Gus visitors; and DO matter how poor
the wit, it never failed of it's reward of
abundant guffaw. The southern negro
needs no visit to the Blarney stone;
his fattery is spontaneous.
When Lambert had finished his con-
ference with Burns, and, as in duty
bound, went over to the Walton place
to inquire how its chatelaine had passed
the night, he marched forth through a
little congregation OF shining black
faces and obsequious and tattered
forms, and he'd to run the gauntlet of
a chorus of personal remarks, all in
high degree complimentary, as to the
style and fit of his Uniform, as well as
his general appearance. In less than
five minutes he returned, but with
such chagrin at heart that it must have
been reflected in his youthful face.
Serene In the consciousness that he was
doing a perfectly conventional and
proper thing, he had bounded lightly
up the broad wooden steps and knocked
at the door. 1t was opened almost in
stantly by the colored girl whom he
had seen the night before and heard
apostrophized as "You Elinor." The
eager expression in her eyes gave way
at once to something of disappointment
and certainly of doubt.
"I thought-I thought it was Mars'r
| Potts, suh," she stammered. II
| don't reckon the ladies can see you"
"Will you say to Miss Walton that
Mr.. Lambert-Lieut. Lambert, IL you
choose-has called to inquire how
Mrs. Walton is to-day, and that, if pos
sible, he would be glad to speak with
| Miss Walton moment?
Elinor stood peering through about
one foot of gap, the door she had so
promptly thrown wide open having
been as promptly closed to that limit
Lambert could not but hear other doors
opening within-could almost swear he
heard the swish of feminine skirts, the
whisper of feminine voices, low and
| eager. The fact that the girl stood
| there, barring the entrance and APP
parently afraid TO go, added to his the
| ory that she was being prompted from
behind.
"Ah dunno, sub. Ah'll see,' she said
at last, slow and irresolute. What,
mum?" she continued, involuntarily,
an instant later, turning her turbaned
| head towards some invisible presence
In the hall beyond; and that settled the
matter in Lambert's mind.
"Ye-assum." and slowly now the yell
| Iow-brown face returned to light
"Nlis' Esther amt very well, sub, an
| she says-er rather-Mis' Walton sends
her compliments 10 the gentleman and
begs he'll 'scuse her. Dey don't need
| muffin" she continued, in her own in
terpretation Of messages telegraphed
| from the dark interior: "Ye-assum.
Mis- Walton rested very well, consider
in, ans all right to-day, but she don't
want muffin, sub"
II had hoped TO be able to sec Mrs.
! Walton, if she were well enough, or else
| Miss Walton" said Lambert, firmly, in
| tending that his words should be their
own interpreter at the court within.
'There are matters of Importance on
which / desire TO speak"
Again, Elinor, mute and irresolute,
turned to her unseen mentor. There
was evidently moment OF conference.
Then the girl was suddenly sweptas'de,
the door was thrown wide open and
there, while other and younger forms
seemed to scurry away from both sight
and hearing, there with gray shawl
thrown over her shoulders, calm and
dignifed, her silvery hair lluttering
about her temples, and the lines OF
care seeming even deeper in the sad
! clear-cut face, stood Mrs. Walton, lean
ing on the stout cane which lad dealt
such trenchant blows the night before