The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1899-04-04

srs she remarked as she laid the
stained and caked cloth aside. ''It am
tied twice as tight as it orter be. OATS
what makes yo' face so red
Lieutenant Oakman felt his counte-
nance burning, for he was aware that
pair of bright eyes were fixed COM
miseratingly upon him, and he welcom-
ed the chance fer parry or diversion.
"Why should that make my face
red, aunty?'
"Yo's a big fool as de rest OBJ de
white folks. Doan' yo' see dat de band
age bein tied tight stops de blood from
promenadin trough de system an keeps
it all in de headl Yo's mighty lucky
dat yo' head hain't busted afore dis.
''Ah, how wonderful 1 Inever thought
of that.
"Cose yo' neber fought oh dat. Yo'
wer MT BON dat way
The officer raised his eyes and met
those of Miss Eldirdge, 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
zion of amusement. His eyes fitted to
those of the mother, who had no hesita-
tion in showing her pleasure.
Just then aunty looked up.
| ''Lord sabe me- But must be quick,
for yo' face am redder dan eber. It'u
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 arm by the colored woman.
She had carefully provided herself with
the medicinal herbs brought by Rastus
from their cabin. From some bitter
tea was made and from others cooling
lotion that was like the touch of the
winters breath upon the fevered fore
head. As the black, horny hands passed
up and down the forearm, clearing it
of the last traces cf coagulated blood,
spreading the subtle tonic over the 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 chain
he could have laid back his head and
sunk into the refreshing dreamless sleep
of infancy.
81 never saw anything like it," he
said gratefully. 81 felt better from the
moment you began taking off the band
age. 1 don't understand how
'Cose yo' doan' obstend it, cose 20
is muffin but white man."
"That must be it, aunty. have had
some fear that one of the bones was in.
jured. Is it so-ohr'
She was kneading the forearm with
a vigor that sent thrill of agony
through his frame and caused the frown
the start and the exclamation.
"Hushl Hain't yo' no sense7
fought Marse Linkum's sojers hai
some sense, but dey am as big fools al
Marse jeff Davis. Yaas, de bone hai
been brashed little by de bullet dat
obscated it, but it amt broke. Shall
tell yo' suminf''
The black eyes, with the iron specta
cles resting on the bridge of the fla
nose, flashed upward and looked int
the face so near its own, like visiol
of mercy from out of the midnight.
, 81 shall be glad to hear it, aunty."
"Dat arm am gwine to hab goot
'eal oh Instrumentation. Yo' must kee]
quiet. Doan' fret, but it'll hurt ik
creation fur few days"
: "You are sure there is no danger
aunty?''
The question was asked by Mrs. El
bridge, who was too accustomed to tn
I ways of her servant to be startled b.
! what she might say.
y "Lor' bless vol Muffin at all. til
hurt, but de bones am as good as ebe
a an in a week or two he won't kno1
what hab been de matter wild him."
! "And aunty never makes a mistake,
: added Miss Eldridge. ''She is the bes
: physician in the county. Do as she says
and she will soon bring you around