The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-04-09

Ben Ali was usually on his feet and in
fairly good health.
Well on this remarkable day. the ami
mails in the house lot and in the pasture,
were quiet and morose. They had been
shaken up In the first place with their
strange experiences, having been driven
helter-skelter two or three miles from
home in the wind and mist, and helter-
SHELTER back again, with drums beating
and bugles blowing, and nobody to ex-
plain it all. Old June, the milch COW,
thought she had lost her calf, but after
While she felt it running along by her
side, and it was standing under her now.
a shivering, shaky, shaggy thing that
looked more like a ba- ba- black-sheep than
a respectable calf.
Anyhow, they all stood on the sheltered
side of the gin house, and were very quiet,
as the steam rose from their backs, and
the fog issued from their nosIrils. They
were not in a playful mood there was
nothing about them to interest Buster
John and Sweetest Susan, when later in
the day these young adventures paid
them visit of inspection. Old June moan
ed at them in familiar way, but that was
ali the welcome they received.
I don't believe they've been fed" said
Sweetest Susan with sigh.
why, of course not" exclaimed Buster
John; Aaron can't do everything"
Where's Simon and Johnny Babter?"
the little girl asked, ~
Sure enough, where were they? Where
were all the men and women, and boys and
girls, who used to make the negro quar-
ters gay with laughter? Where was old
Fountain? Yes, and where was Druslla?
This was the kind of a day when there
Should be a fire blazing on the hearth or
every cabin, if only to keep out the damp
ness, but smoke was coming out OF only
one chimney, and even that was not
free and friendly smoke. 1t was thln'
wavering ribbon of blue, hardly visible I'M
I'll the wind seized it and tore 1t to tat
ters.
Il don't know what you are gong TO
do" said Sweetest Susan, but l am go
ing to find Drusblla. l haven't seen her
since last night"
Sweetest Susan went toward the negro
quarters, followed by Buster John, ana as
they went along they were even more ana
more impressed with the silence that had
fallen over everything. On all rainy Gays
except this particular day, so far as thsy
could remember, they couldn't go Wlthln
quarter of a mile of the quarters WITH
out hearing singing and loud Laughing,
or the sound of negroes scufiilng ana
wrestling But now the whole pace
SVeuleu 10 De deserted. DiB Oai SoS4'+
was the first they came to. The door
was open and they entered. For mo-
ment the interior was so dark that they
saw nothing, but presently they could see
Big Sal sitting On the floor carding out
her grey hair. Usually she wore II IN
wraps, but they were now untwisted, ana,
as she carried them out, they stood At
right angles 90 her head, and gave her
very wild and ferocious appearance.
She neither turned nor paused in the
carding when the children stepped some-
what timidly in the door. People said she
was sullen; but she was very sensitive ana
tender-hearted, and always furnishing Tor
some one to love. The negroes thought
she was both cruel and suspicious and
Buster John and Sweetest Susan were
somewhat doubtful about her. For
woman Of sixty years, who had known
hard work, and trouble with It., she was
well preserved
Aunt Big SOL" said Sweetest Susan,
where u eyerybody?'