The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-04-28
love AND HIS SHADOW.
BY ROSE HAWTHORNE LATdROP.

DraSS QeaQeQ longs. BuC Inc SceD0
within doors was as pretty as you could
wish to see, and the fire lit up as though
with q personal pleasure. How can l
tell why the effect was pretty, except to
say that Nina had made the most OF the
few pieces of old mahogany furniture,
bits Of color, and unframed etchings
and photographs which were available?
The lamps we're glowing, and the low
ceiled room, with its six little windows
draped with white cashmere, and it's big
beam down the middle, like whales
spine in museum gallery, danced with
such light as shimmers on sunny sea.
Nina was reading Thackeray; and
soon Tom came in. looking all about
with satisfaction. And his wife looked
up with satisfaction-how else could
she look up, while holding Thackeray's 8
~Esmond"2
We'll, this is comfort" murmured
Tom.
Isn't it?" murmured back his wife.
And to think that we imagined there
might be some hardship in economiztng
to this extent"
And we should be bothered at every
turn in New York." Tom proceeded,
sauntering around. I'VE should feel
our poverty, and yet lay up nothing at
the rate they send back my manuscripts!
But, Nina, what a change this all Is
from the life you used to lead!"
LAS yet I have not had single re-
grot," she answered. Yes, we are get
ting our nice bank account by just be-
ing comfortable, although it may seem
q paradox"
And by turning up our noses at the
idea of luxury" put in Tom, when we
would rather like to throw some money
away, or rush to the theater twenty
miles off,"
A quavering sound was audible in the
distance Of the rambling house. 1t
would have made any ones flesh creep
who heard it without any knowledge OF
it's real nature. But 1t was only Toms
black man Of all-work twapging on his
throat at plantation melodies, while his
wife cooked by the stove and Tapped
about in her broad slippers, or occa-
sionally joined on to the strain with
birdlike whoop in the remote tone Of
negro voices.
Mifin. as she was named, cheered up
a midnight face with a rainbow hand
u,
large petals over her rolling eyes. Her
mouth looked good deal like dark,
hilly country, with moonlit picket
fence across the middle. When the two
negroes were in the same room they
talked most Of the time. But it was
talk like that Of brook and q heap OF
pebbles, except when a thought really
occurred to them, upon which their
hemmings and chucklings became in
telligible to the outside world.
4Massa's in the cole, cole groun',
whimpered Plump.
No, he amt, chartered MiAin. "Ef
he ain t in hebbin he got more lre'n wot
we have dis mint.
"'Top your jawin'. doan unner-
STAN dis ere son of massa, Mitfin. We's
gwine perish oh absent niggers dis win
ter, and dose young folk oh absent
white folk. But fuss I'm gwine die oh
cole fore I die OBJ lonesomeness. l
wish I was made all oh wool
shq' 'nvff!" Plump got bis chin down
to his chest in q mock shiver. :
go long. You got too much wool
dis minnitSyou. I hab decency an fix
up my wool wild sumpin hanson, let
lone askin' for mo-.
AS she spoke Mif1n spread out the
picket fence Of her teeth broadly and
tweaked one of the handkerchief tips
over her forehead.
Gimme dose golden shoes" suddenly
demanded Plump Of the atmosphere,
with satisfaction that his request
would be perennially unanswered;
for he would have wept in despair If he
might have no longer voiced this bit Of
dazzling imagery.
In the dead stiffness Of the evening
something much like pistol-shot gave
sharp, brief bang, no Cne could tell
where or why.
The two negroes remained motion
less for few moments; and then Miffin
beckoned to her whlte-headed husband.
She led the way in silence to the door,
which conducted to the best part OF the
house, and together the old couple ap-
peared before Prescott and his wife.
peering into the parlor respectfully and
anXiously.
"D:s ere house-haunted!" announced
Miflin, in hoarse whisper.
"Oh, I don't believe it Is" replied
Prescott. from where he stood by the
fire, barely smiling. But Nina leaned
back in her chair and laughed heartily,
as well at the absurd appearance which