Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1900-04-05


"Ob. what dces she say? Speak to
me words of comfortr'
The German repeated Tant' Sannie's
remark.
"Ah. IL also. two dear, dear wives,
whom l shall never see any morer'
cried Bonaparte, fiinging himself back
upon the bed.
He hOwled until the tarantulas that
lived between the rafters and the zinc
roof felt the unusual vibration and
looked out with their wicked bright
eyes to sec what was going on.
Tant' SannIe sighed; the Hottentot
maid sighed; the Kaflir girl, who look
ed in at the door, put her hand over
her mouth and said, ''Mow-wahr'
"You must trlst in the Lord" said
Tant' Sannie. "He can give you more
than you have lost"
Il do. l do"' he cried. -But. oh.
have no wife! have no wife,
Tant' Sannie was much affected and
came and stood near the bed.
''Ask him If he won't have little
pap-nice, fine, -four pap There is
some boiling on the kitchen fire."
The German made the proposal. but
the widower waved his hand
mo; nothing shall pass my lips. l
should be suffocated. No. no. Speak
not of food to me!'
Pap and a little brandy in" said
Tant Sannie coaxingly.
Bonaparte caught the word
Perhaps. perhaps-if | struggled
with myself-for the sake of my duties
| might lmbibe Il few drops" he said,
boxing with quivering lip up into the
Germans face. II must do my duty,
must | not?'
Tant' Sannie gave the order. and the
girl went for the pap.
81 know how 1t was when my first
husband died. They could do nothing
with me-" the Boer woman said. It'll
| had eaten a sleeps trotter and honey
and little roaster cake, | know"
Bonaparte sat up on the bed with his
legs stretched out In front of him and
r hand on each knee, blubbering softly.
"Oh, she was woman! You are very
kind to try to comfort me, but she was
my wife. For a woman that is my
wife could live, for the woman that is
my wife / could die, for a woman that
Is my wife l could All, that sweet
word wife! When will It rest upon my
lips againT
When his feelings had subsided lit
tie, he raised the corners of his turned
down mouth and spoke to the German
with flabby lips.
"Do you think she understand me?
Oh, tell her every word, that she may
know thank herr'
At that instant the girl roappeared
wifi a basin of steaming Cruel and a
black bottle.
Tant' Sannie poured some of its con-
tents into the basin, stirred it well and
came to the bed.
"Oh. l can't, l can't! l shall die, /
shall dier said Bonaparte, putting his
hand to his side.
"Come, just little," said Tant' San
ME coaxingly, 'just drop"
Its too thick, it's too thick. | should
choke"
Tant' Sannie added from the contents
of the bottle and held out spoonful.
Bonaparte opened his mouth Ike lit
tie bird waiting for worm cad held 1t
open as she dipped again aird again
into the pap.
''Ah, this will do. your heart goodP
said Tant Sannie, IN whose mind the
relative functions of heart and stom-
ach were exceedingly i'll defined
When the basin was emptied, the
yrure1rco his grief was much as
suaged. He lookeu Ut Tanr SannIe
with gentle tears.
"Tell him." said the Boer woman,
"that hope he will sleep well and that
the Lord will comfort him as the Lord
only can"
"Bless you, dear friendi God bless
your said Bonaparte.
When the door was safely shut on the
German, the Hottentot and the Dutch
woman, he got off the bed and washed
away the soap he had rubbed on his
eyelids.
"Bon," he said, slapping his leg, you
are the cutest lad 1 ever came across.
If you don't turn out the old hymns
and prayers, and pummel the ragged
coat, and get your arms round the fat
ones waist and a wedding ring on her
finger, then you are not Bonaparte.
But you are Bonaparte. Bon, you're a
fine boy~
Making which pleasing reflection. he
pulled off his trousers and got into bed
cheerfully.