The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-02-02
The LeOPARD'S SPOTS.
Continued from Page 14.)


He was suddenly. reused by the voice
OF Nelse who stood looking down on his
forlorn figure with tenderness.
What you dom out in desc woods,
honey, by you se'f?"
"Nothin', Nelse.''
II knows. Youse er crying bout 20
Ma
The boy nodded without looking up.
tDoan do dat way, honey. You'se too
little ter cry lax dat Yer Mas gittin'
better ev'ry day, de doctor done tole me
so''
Do you think so, Nelse?" There was
an eagerness and yearning in the child's
voice, that would have moved the heart
of a stone.
tCose / does. She be strong en- we'll in
little while when cole wedder comes
Eros IL soon be here. l see whar er ole
rabbit been or eatin' on my turnip tops.
OATS er sho sign. | gwine make you er
rabbit box termorrer ter ketch dat rab-
bit"
viii you, Nelse?"
..Sho's you bawn Now DIES lemme pick
you er chune on his banjer 10 l goes ter
my wuk."
OF all the music he had ever heard, the
est He accompanied the music in deep
bass voice which he kept soft and sooth-
ing The boy sat entranced. With wide
open eyes and half parted lips he dream
ed his mother was we'll, and then that
he had grown to be man, a great man,
rich and powerful. Now he was the Gov
of the State living in the Gov
ernors palace, and his mother was pre-
\;
was bending proudly over her and whs-
pering to her that she was the most
beautiful mother in the world And he
could hear her say with a smile.
You dear boyl"
Suddenly the banjo stopped and Nelse
rallied with mock severity, Now look at
i'm er cryin' ergin, en- me err pickin'' de
Gems er my fingers off fur int
mo, l amt cryin'. | am just listenin'
to the music. Nelse, you're the greatest
banjo player in the world"
Nav, honey, hits de banner. Oats de
Jo-bloin'est banjer! En- des ter tinker
Yankee gin 'er to me in de wah! Dat
wuz the fus' Yankee ] ebber seed hab
sense ernuf ter own er banjer. kinder
hate ter fight dem Yankees after dat
But Nelse, if you were fighting with
Yankees?"
'Lawd child. ives alters slippin out
twixt de lines after night er carryin on
wild dem Yankees. We trade 'em ter
baccer fur coffee en- sugar; en- play
cyards, en- talk twell mos day sometimes.
l slip out fust in er patch or woods
twiX de lines, en- make my banjer talk.
En- den yere dey comet De Yankees fun
out lax l doan see EN- tall, des playin
ter myself, Den / make dat banner moan
en- cry en- talk about de folks way down
in Dixie. De boys creep up closer en-
closer twell dey right at my elbow en-
see EN- cryin', some un enl-den l gin
'er a juk, en- way she go pluckety
plunck! en- dey gin ter dance and laugh!
Sometime dey cuss me lax dey mad en-
lam me on de back When dey hit me
hard den I know dey ready ter gimme
all dey GOT
But how did you get this banjo,
Nelse?''
Yankee gin 'er ter me one night ter
try 'er, en- when he hear me des fairly
pull de inside outen 'er, he low dat
hit ed be err sin ter ebber separate us
Say he nebber know what uz in err ban
Ter"
Nelse rose to CO.
Now honey doan you cry no mo. en-
] make you dat rabbit box sho, en- erlong
bout Chrsm l gwine Iarn you how ter
shoot
"Will you let me hold the gun?'' the
boy eagerly asked.
Il des sho you how ter poke yo gun
in de crack err de fence en- whisper ter
de trigger. Den look out birds en- rab-
bitsi''
The boys's face was one great smile.
1t was late in September before his
mother was strong enough to venture out
of the house. Six terrible months from
the day she was stricken. What an age
it seemed to a sensitive boys soul. To
him the days were weeks, the weeks
months, the months, long weary years.
1t seemed to him he had lived life
time, died, aud was born again the day he
saw her first walking on the soft grass
that grew under the big trees at the back
OF the house. He was gently holding
her by the hand.
Now, Mama, dear, sit here on this
seat-you mustn't get in the SUM-
But Charlie, I want to see the flowers
on the front lawn"
No, no. Mama, the sun is shinn' awful
on that side of the house,'