The National tribune., 1901-08-22

yourself wild his face. An yo goes of
and stays days traipsin' round de coun
try, an den comes in empty-handed, an
| spects me t feed yo'. What sort OBJ a
husban' is yo, anyway? Oar hain't nuf.
fin hyah, not chen rice huff fer me an
de Cunnel ter-morrer. Muffin but coffee
an sugar an salt. Not speck OBJ meat
oh any kind"
For de Lawd's sake, den, glib me a cup
OBJ coffee, anyway, Merry, for rs almost
daid, SO L am. An one fer dis boy,
hyah.'
Who dat brat?" asked Aunt Minerva
Ann, viewing Patsy the Kinch with Sc
we're disapproval. Uncle Ephraim had
hoped that she would take to him on sight
as rapturously as she had done to Pete,
but physically capaciOus as Aunt Minerva
AIMS bosom seemed to be- there was no
room in it for but one love.
Dat boy" explained Uncle Ephraim,
in tones of admiration, intended to move
Aunt Minerals heart, lis Patsy the
kinch, one OBJ de finest boys in de whole
worl'. He belongs in Fort McAllister,
but he piloted us froo de rebel lines, an
done sabed my life"
Huh, not a great deal dat grunted
Aunt Minerva Ann, determined not TO
condone in any way the mortal offense
of failure to bring in something to eat.
'Leetle good sabin de life OBJ a man what
hain't gumption 'nuf t find sumfn t eat.
jdhc MN away. ION Whit no TeDei
brats hangin' round headquarters.
But, Merry pleaded Uncle Ephraim,
| ''jes glib us cup of coffee. Is Almost
daid, done tells yo'r'
Your own fault, den," snapped Aunt
Minerva. "'Kase OBJ your fool proieckin'
'roun' de country, std OBJ 'tendin' t. your
| business. Where leetle Pete|'
Here I am, Aunty," exclaimed Pete,
running up to be. folded to her ample
bosom. Had an awful time Thought
| was never going to see you again sew
eral times"
did yo', yo' pore honey" exclaimed
Minerva Ann, with her eyes full of tears.
We'll, rs bin savin' sumfn TO yo' t eat,
fearin's yO'd done come in hongry. Set
down, an III git it for yo', an make yo'
some coffee. III make some for yo', too,
Eph, 70 ole loafer, though 20 don't de-
sarve hit"
In spite of the rneagerLess of the ra-
tions at headquarters, Aunt Minerva Ann
had laid by some tit-bits fer Pete, and no
hunger of her own would induce her to
touch them.
Pete was cute enough to perceive that
there was domestic storm, with Uncle
Ephraim out in the rain, and while Aunt
Minerva AIMS back was turned, super
intending the boiling of the coffee, he silly
divided his stock of goodies with Uncle
Ephraim. who at once divided with Patsy
the Kinch.
Not speck OBJ meat in de camp"
grumbled Aunt Minerva Ann, over the
kettle, casting occasional baleful looks at
Uncle Ephraim, .'only de griddle-greaser,
an | has t lend dat t de Mis- Whit
fletree, de lady wat cooks fer de Cunnel
oh de 1st Oshkosh. De woman wat
cooks fer de Captain wanted t borry hit,
but / done tole her hit wuz n Cunnel's
greaser, and couldn't go no lower dan q
Major, by no means. A great big coun-
try, big as de worl', an lazy, good-fer-
nothin' niger, wat kin eat a shoulder
else provides hit, say he can't find no
meat. Let his wife an Cunnel starve fer
meat, an purtend he can't find none
not Il shOat, nur chicken, nur a turkey
in hundreds OBJ miles, s'pose. What'd de
folks lib on roun' hyah-tell me datT"
'Aunty, we just had the greatest time
you ever heard Of" said Pete, trying to
tighten the atmosphere as he slipped his
coffee and munched his food. Uncle Eph-
rain and Patsy, in order to conceal that
they were eating, turned their backs upon
the irate dame of the Coloneps kitchen.
We've bin clear down to the sea, and
out on it
AN seed turkles big's a haystack, sun
fish broad as a bed-kivyer, an snakes big
ger an longer'n AIRY grapevine yo' ebber
seed" broke in Uncle Ephraim, unable to
contain himself.
''Shet up, Eph, sabe yer bref fer GOBLIN
yer coffee" snapped his spouse; ''Yo' al
yo'd done seed" Then to Pete: my!
honey boy! why did you go out 'mong
dem orful t'ings? Why don't yo' stay
wild de Cunnel, an be safe? Wuzzent yo'
powerfully skeered?
''Um-um-a little Bit" admitted Pete.
81 was wuss skeered dan ebber was
in all my born days." said Uncle Eph-
raim Il jes' fought ole Satan wuz hab-
bin a circus parade oh all his managerie,
t pick out de one he was a-gwine t feed
me to-"
lob course yo' was" retorted Aunt
Minerva Ann, scornfully. "Yo'd alluz
jump when yo' hear an owl boot"
AN one OBJ dem did bite Pete, an
turned him all black as your shoe"
20, laws-a-massy, Dress my soul, yo'
don't say sop screamed the negress.
"Whar, Pete? Le'me see de place at
onct."
NO; 'twasn't nothing" said Pete,
sation related, land some bushwhackers
caught Uncle Ephraim, and was about to
lick him to death if he wouldn't tell
where we was, but Uncle Eph stood it
like man, and gave 'em the frosty turn
down. We jumped in and took him away
"Jes' like Eph to go moseyin' round.
not watchin' out fer nothin'," commented
Aunt Minerva Ann, little interested in the
incident. IF he. had "a told, I'd "a
skinned him worse'n they uns wuz
a-gwineter. I'll skin him anyway, il he
don't find some meat. But ie' me see de
place whar dat orful ting done bit yo,
honey" t1s
why in de world don't you've git dat
wench some meat?" asked Patsy, as they
walked away, after finishing their coffee
''Whar in creation, I'd like t know"
grumbled Uncle Ephraim, kin l git any
meat? Mout as well hunt fer de grace
oh God 'mong de rebels as fur meat whar
dar amt none, an hundred t'ousand
men lookin' fur hit. A pig or a chicken
dat'd lib round hyah a day would hab
t cider fly higher dan a turkey -buzzard
or run Eastern q bullet"
''Dere's jist plenty o. meat here If
youze'll only go fur it." answered Patsy.
We've alters had plenty at de fort, such
as it was, and it was good enough when
you've couldn't git no other, which was
most o. the time. 1t was better'n de meat
dez issued to we've. / kin git you've all
de fresh Confederit pork you're want to
eat"
You CAM" said Pete, eagerly. Let's
20 for it at once. I'd sell my shoes to
get Aunty some fresh pork"
well, Gully, sherry down to camp, and
tip you've pardner, Sandy, to come up wild
his gun, and weze'll pad de hoof right
over to de C0nfederit commissary, and
draw all de steaks, outlets and chops dat
wench wants"
Cant we git enough for Serp't Elege