The National tribune., 1900-05-24

EVER , DONE HEARN O EI.nFR ELLIOTT
:. SOPRANO.
J well, and've set unuer Elder Tryon, and
Elder Ramsey, and
What did yo' say yo' wanted?" in
quired the contralto voice, TO whom the
conversation seemed to be getting proix.
We've got couple o. boys who're
nearly dead with cramp-coIic. Hain't
icure 'era?"
Boys? Boys?" said the soprano, sus-
plclousiy. What do yo'uns mean by
boys? To'uns nowadays call everybody
in the army boys, though they may be
SrandfatherS. We'unS air lone women"
but these air only boyS-real boys
little shaVers not big enough yit TO raise a
nustach, or chaw terbacker, or swear in
more'n words o one syllable"
7, "Yo' may send 'em in, then" said the
younger OF the women with some hesita-
ton. "Yo' know we'uns s lone women,
an mustn't let men come inter our house,
specially arter dark. Our characters d
be gone: Bring they'uns up hyah, and
we'll call off the dogs"
Glad OF an opportunity Of having the
boys treated by motherly hands, ST hurried
them forward. The elder of the women
the one with the faded soprano voice, went
into the house and came back with "weav-
ing-lamp-an iron saucer filled with
| :
wick-to look at the boys as they come
onto the porch.
why, they 'uns air only boys, fob sho',"
said the younger of the women, scanning
them as they came into the narrow circle
OF dim light Mere children, that orter to
be at home with their mothers, instead O.
out in all sorts O. weather. And rayI
purity, too. Look like rayl nice boys"
| AS nice boys as ever lived, Miss" said
Shorty with JUNCTION, as if a grateful yaria-
| ton to be able to speak the truth.
| And what clothes they wear. Different
from anything I've ever seen"
Uniform O our riimint, Miss" said
body admires hit"
Come right in hyah, yo'ipo' leetIe things"
said the soprano voice. "The kittie's
bilin' on the fire now, an PIl fix yo' some
tea tthatH cure yo'. What've yo' bin
eatin'"
As she turned to let the boys enter the
door the light fell full upon her face and
figure, and Shorty, who had been rather
prepossessed by her voice, saw a grim,
stony-featured old woman, with iron-gray
hair, and repellant LONELINESS sticking
out Of every harsh angle of her face and
form.
"The other ones probably young and
purity" he said to ST, "and she's the dragon
that guards, her. I'll sweeten up on the
other. Mebbe we kin git some grub"
He was in agony as to thequesfions that
the old woman might ask the boys while
she was dOctoring them, and repented that
he had allowed them to go in. He started
up as to follow them in.
mo, no; yo' mustn't come in,' said the
| other woman, from the seat which she had
taken on the porch. 'We don't allow hit.
AS done tole yo' afo', we're only two lone
women, with characters to keep up. Hayin'
neither OF US ever bin married makes hit
the w,lss. Hits too bad to live this way,
but all our kin men folks We gone to the
war. II ary man, not of our real kin sets
| foot on this porch arter nightfalI, we're
obleeged ter blow the horn, and bring the
neighbors. We'uns's bound ter do hit.
We'uns done must Yo' kin set down
thar, on that woodpile, an talk ter me, if
yo' want ter, spell, but yo' mustn't come
| a step neareder."
Great Jehospehat,, what beauty she
must be-" though Shorty. 1T won't be
| bad to titiyate little with her"
Then swift memory of Maria made the
| thought of such treason odious. But he
mad 70 get lood ior the boys, and Il personal
sacrifice was necessary.
"Yes," he answered in his most honeyed
tones. Hits very hard on the ladies', this
war. Hit must be very hard on a purity
lady like yo, who everybody wants ter
'How do yo' know I'm purty?" said she
with pleased giggle. "Yo' can't see |
mite O. me, settin' hyah in the shadder o. |
these vines. Go long with yo'. Yol
don't know I'm purity at all"
Indeed | do" responded Shorty with |
fervor. Il know hit jeSt as well as Pm
alvin. l know hit by your voice. A |
lady must be purity that has so sweet a |
voice as yours. Yo' remind me of what |
the poet -Shakspere or Tom Moore. |
fergit which.
40. my darlin' May;
Yo're lublier dan de day;
Yo're eyes 80 bright, dey shine at night,
When de moon am gone away"
why, how puffeckly sweet, she Uttered, |
enthusiastically. And Mays my name.
How in the world did you ever find that |
out?"
20, knowed hit the minute l heared yer
voice. l knowed that a lady with sich |
voice must be called May. No other name |
d suit her. Can't come up thar on the |
steps and set down neareder yo'?"
No, yo' can't" she answered deciSively. |
Don't yo' burst come a step neareder, or |
I'll blow the horn. Yo' see 1 done got it |
right hyah, handy"
She picked up the long tin horn, and !
brandiShed it in the air.
= "Go' kin set right thar on the woodpile |
placatory tone. "That'l be nice. Find |
a saft chunk an make yo' yerself COM
Portable. Tell me some more poickry.
Yo' seem ter be a mouty nice sort of man.
Air yo' married." n |
NO." said Shorty, reSuming his seat,
while he tried to think how to get hold of the
horn. "Nobody'll have me-"
10, pshaw; what nonsense" she giggled.