The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1899-04-28
CONTINUED
CHAPTER V
A BREEZE.

nary ailments Of the human flesh are
concerned. could have given lessons to
the majority Of the profession who hold
the duly certified diplomas of the most
famous medical schools of the land
Aunt Marcie. wife of old Pete. the
coachman. and mother of Rastus. had
nourishcd Adele when Il child through
seemingly mortal illness after the reg
ular physician said nll hope was vanish.
ed. and she had sat by the bedside of
her beloved mistress as the weeping
husband uttered what he believed WAS
his last farewell and administered her
simple remedies. which pulled the
mother back from the edge of the dark
river General Eldridge himself had re.
ceived the benefit of that wonderful
skill which nature sometimes heStows
upon those that are the least gifted
mentally while in the old days. when
the threcscore slaves sang and worked
on the plantation. there was none who
willingly received the care of any doctor
in preference to Aunt Marcie
OF all this Lieutenant Oakman knew
nothing. but when the old COlorcd wO.
man. with her head swathcd in gor-
geous bandanna handkerchief. promptly
and deftly removed the bantlagc from
the wounded arm with sniff Of con.
tempt he felt somehow or other that it
was useless to send for the best surgeon
in the Union army. even if tho oppor.
tunity were presented
While Mrs Eldridge and her daugh-
ter looked sympathetlcally on. with an
occasional word Of pity. Aunt Marcie
attended to business
'hight've knowed dat was dono by
some fool of white man like Jim Ack.
ers. she remarked as she laid the
stained and caked cloth aside. 1T am
tied twice rs tight as it ortcr he OATS
what makes 80 face so red
Lieutenant Oallnlan felt his counte-
nance burning for he was aware that
pair of bright eyes We're fixed com
miseratingly upon him. and he wclcom.
ed the chance for Il parry or diversion
"Why should that make my face
red. aunty2'
'Yo's u big fool as de rest OBJ dc
white folks. Doan yo' see dat de band
age bein tied tight stops de blood from
promenadln trough de system an keeps
it all in de head2 Yos mighty lucky
dat yo' head hahn t busted aforo dis. "
"Ah. how wonderful never thought
Of that.
"Cose 20 neber fought ob dat. Yo
wer'n't bon dat way "
The officer raised his eyes and me!
those of Miss Eldirdgc. standing just
behind her mother. fan in hand She
put it in front Of her mouth to hide the
smile she could not repress. while he
made no effort to check his own express
sion OF amusement. His eyes fitted to
those OF the mother, who had no hesita-
tlon in showing her pleasure
Just then aunty looked up
Lord sabe mol But must be quick,
for 20 face an redder dan cher It'n
bust suah eff | doan' hurry.
Despite the embarrassment felt by
the invalid under the battery Of those
black eyes, there was something mighty
soothing in the manipulation of his
wounded nr:n by the colorcd woman
She had carcllily provided herself with
the medicinal herbs brought by Rastus
# m their cabin. From some a bitter
tea was made and from lthcrs cooling
lotion that was like tho touch of the
winters breath upon the fcvercd fore
head. AS the black. horny hands passed
up and down the forearm. clearing il
OF the last traces CT coagulated blood.
spreading the subtle tonic over tho fair
skin. through whose pores it gently
stole its way. pain vanished. and the
officer felt that but for the presence of
the two standing behind aunty's chair
ne could have laid back his head and
sunk into tho refreshing drcamless sleop
of infancy.
~ never saw anything like it" he
said gratefully II felt better from the
moment you began taking off the band.
age. l don t understand how"--
'Cose yo' doan' ohstcnd it. cose 70
Is muffin but Il white man."
'"That must be it, aunty | have had
some fear that one of the bones was in.
Jured Is it so--ohI''
She was kneading tho forearm with
Vigor that sent thrill of agony
through his frame and caused the frown.
the start and the exclamation.
"Hushl Hain't ye no sense? /
fought Marse Linkum's soicrs had
some sense but dcy am as big fools as
Marse jeff Davis. Yaas, de bone had
been brashed a little by do bullet dat
obscated it. but it ain't broke. Shall
/ tell 80 sumfn?
The black eyes. with tho iron specta.
cles resting on the bridge of the flat
nose flashed upward and looked into
tho face so noar its own. like n vision
or mercy from out OF the midnight.
81 shall be glad to hear it. aunty."
"Dat arm am gwino to hab good
eal OBJ Instrumentation. Yo' must keen
quiet. Doan' fret. but it'll hurt like
creation fur a few days"
"You are sure there is no danger
aunty9'
The question was asked by Mrs El,
dfldge. who was too accustomed to the
ways of her servant to be startled by
what she might say
"Lor' bless yo'l Muffin at all. It'n
hurt. but de bones am as good as cher
an in week or two he won't know
what hab been de matter wild him.
And aunty never makes mistake
added Miss Eldridge. "Sho is tho best
physician in the county. Do as she says.
md aha will COON br;~n. ,,o,,