Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-04-22
Copyright, 1899, by the Author.
CHAPTER "
A BREEZE.

nary ailments OF the human ueSu die
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
nourished Adele when a child through
a seemingly mortal illness after the reg
ular physician said all 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 bestows
upon those that are the least gifted
mentally. while in the old days. when
the threescore 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 colored wo'
man, with her head swathed in gor
geous bandanna handkerchief. promptly
and deftly removed the bandage from
the wounded arm with sniff of con-
tempt he felt somehow or other that 1t
was useless to send for the best surgeon
in the Union army. even if the oppor-
tunity were presented
While Mrs Eldridge and her daugh-
ter looked sympathetically on. with an
occasional word of pity, Aunt Marcie
attended to business.
"Might've knowed dat was done 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 as tight as it orter be- OATS
what makes 20 face so red.
Lieutenant Oakman felt his counte-
nance burning, for he was aware that
a pair Of bright eyes were fixed COM
miseratingly upon him. and he welcom-
ed the chance for parry or diversion
why should that make my face
red. auntyf'
'sYo's a big fool as de rest oh de
white folks Doan' 20 see dat de band
age bein tied tight stops de blood from
promenadin trough de system an keeps
it all in de headS Yo's mighty lucky
dat 20 head hahn t busted afore dis "
..Ah. how wonderful never thought
of that
"Cose 20 neber fought OBJ dat 70
wer'n't DO IN 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
sion 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 mel But must be quick,
for 70 face am redder dan eber It'll
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
winter breath upon the fevered fore
head As the black. horny hands passed
up and down the forearm. clearing 1t
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 auntys chair
he could have laid back his head and
sunk into the refreshing dreamless sleep
of infancy
Il never saw anything like it. " he
said gratefully II felt better from the
moment you began taking off the band
age don't understand how
"CoSe yo' doan obstcnd it. cose 20
is muffin but white man.
THAT must he it. aunty | have had
some fear that one of the bones was in
jured Is it so-oh!'
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
"Hush! Hain't 20 no senseP l
fought Marse Linkum's sojers had
some sense but dey am as big fools as
Marse Jeff Davis Yaas. de bone had
been brashed a little by de bullet dat
obscated it. but it amt broke. Shall
tell 20 sumfn?''
The black eyes, with the iron specta-
cles resting on the bridge of the fiat
nose, flashed upward and looked into
the face so near its own, like vision
of mercy from out of the midnight
81 shall be glad to hear it. aunty'
"Dat arm am gwine to hab a good
cal OBJ Instrumentation. Yo' must keep
quiet Doan fret, but it'll hurt like
creation fur few days.
"You are sure there is no danger.
aunty2'
The question was asked by Mrs Ell
bridge. who was too accustomed to the