The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1901-06-28

the night To the old woman the song
came from the quarters where long ago
the negroes sang on summer nights
like this, and the years rolled back
to give her again master and mistress
and the old cnre free, irresponsible,
happy life.
1--WE gwine fix dis heah place up wen
Marse Cunnel come home" Aunt Char
lotte mused. miss Dell say Marse
Cunnel daid. She say he amt nevah
gwine come back. Law! Miss Dell amt
know my ole marster. Miss DelI,'
say, my Marse Cunnel nevah bruk he
wud yit. He done low he gwine come
back, hn he comm Moughty long
time hit tex i'm. Spec he done chase
dem Yankees dat fur norf dat hit TUX
i'm all dis time to git back. But he
sho' gwine come. spec i'm erlung
emmy tirne. Law, law, 'twouldn't 'spfise
me none to see Marse Cunnel WALL In
dat are do dis berry minnit''--
In hes eagerness she turned to !he
open door. The words died on her lips.
Her jaw dropped, and her face grew
gray with fear.
A man stood in the doorway. Be-
hind him the darkness made frame
for his figure, and the fire that flickered
on the hcarth-kindled there to light
the room showed his ragged clothing,
glinted on the tangled white hair that
covered his head and the white beard
that hung unlempt on his breast. His
eyes looked out hungrily from beneath
shaggy brows.
He took step into the room. Aunt
Charlotte rose to her feet.
as 1t you, Charlotter' the stranger
said. Charlotte, where is my wife
Where Is the home? Where is your
little Marse John2 left them In your
care"
The old woman gave one cry of hap
piness.
"Marse Cunnel," she cried, my mar
ster! Bress Gawd dat you come home
Whut dey do to you, ole marse, dat yor
look dat ole an po'T
II want my wife and child" the mar
repeated sharply.
The old woman knelt at his feet.
"Marse Cunnel, dey bofe gone desc
many yeahs," she said, her tears be
ginning to fall.
"Gone," he said after her-"botf
gomez
81 done de bes' I could, Marse Gun
nel," she begged. "Gawd knows dat
KEEP dat trus' de bes' could. l KEEP
de grabes moughty nice an green, sub.
"The gravesw this wreck of her ole
master shouted. dead! Margare
dead! My God"
He pushed away Aunt Charlotte's de
tanning hands and rushed out into thu
night.
"Lawd," Aunt Charlotte whispered
kneellng with upraised hands wher,
her master had left her, "you know da
done filed dat 'spons'bility de bes
dat l knowed how. o Lawd, you know
how ! wuk with dem grabes an Gu
de grass and fotch de water an KEEP
um green. Miss Ma'gret, Miss Ma
gret, Use ole an lonesome. De 'spons'
bility Is ober. AK Gawd to lemm,
come erlong wild you an l'r Mars,
John"
They found the colonel next mornin,
lying among the faded roses on hi
wife's grave. And in the old kitchen
on the bed where Miss Margaret hat
died, Aunt Charlotte lay, her responsi
bility over, the years of her trust full
filed.
Three days later, when the keepers O
a northern insane asylum came to Riv
erview in search Of an escaped patien
who had been an inmate of the institu
ton for more than 80 years, and VIII,
had never been able to tell them wher
was his home and who were hi
friends. they found two new graves II
the plat behind the rail fence.
Master and mistress and faithful
servant were united.--St. Louis Repub
Lie.