The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1902-11-07
"Back from a Living Death.

''Back from a Living Death"
"Cl'ar out! CPar out O. heah! Oh,
What's dat strap"
Rob, pale faced yet convalescent.
scrambled out of the great armchair fac
ing the window, where he had been
anxiously watching for signs of his
mothers return from the city, and ran
to the kitchen. At the door he paused,
and no wonder.
Eph, Aunt Chloe's only son, an ebony
faced, bright-eyed lad of Is, whose sole
aim in life seemed to be to play pranks,
was at it again! What he had done to
excite the good-natured Chloe's ire was
not apparent; but the sight of the wiry
fellow running around the table, then be.
hind chairs, lodging hither and thither,
with his putting mother in hot pursuit,
was laughable in the extreme, and Rob's
pallid face lighted up.
"Who's dun TUX dat strap?" painted
Chloe, stopping a minute to look about
her. This was fatal, for Eph, darling
from behind chair where he had been
neatly cornered, ducked under her out
stretched arm, turned quickly and loos-
ened the knot in her apron strings, threw
her sunbonnet at the parrots cage, and
with "ki-yi,' sprang out of the door,
laughing immoderately.
.'Dat brack debbil!" said Chloe, whose
love for the mischievous fellow was as
deep as her own life was true, CPL Para
kim to cum 'roun' a-peepin' in winders
wild his face full of -four to skeer folks
as if dat hoss-stealin' man was 'round!'
Chloe was no exception to her race.
She gathered great comfort in soliloquy.
then she shook her head and rolled her
eyes and resumed her task of seeding
,uisins.
''Do you mean the kidnaper, Aunt
Chloe?" asked Rob, who had not been
seen in the excitement, the smile on his
face disappearing at mention of the
lame. Chloe was embarrassed, and
looked it. Of course she did not wish her
charge to become nervous at thought of
kidnapers.
"Pshaw, chile!" she said reassuringly,
SSdem tales de naburs tells deys no trufe
in. Dey amt no stranger hangin' round
desc heah parts, anyways. So cum,
honey, chile, an help yo' ole auntie wild
desc raisins."
Rob needed no second invitation. He
seated himself opposite the stout negress
and began to pick away.
81 tell you, honey" said Chloe, look
ing about her proudly, 'dat yah Christ.
mas dinnahs goin' to be scrumpshus,
suah's yo' bawn. Look at dat turkey,
faihly 5eggin' to be put into de uben.
An de greens! An de vegetables! An
de pies, so filled wild mincemeat dat DER
kivers am crackin'! Tween you an me,
chile"- Chloe's voice dropped, in keeping
with thu. solemnity of the secret she was
about to ~iimpart-"dese yah raisins is fo'
lis fo'-guess what?''
"Cake," said Rob, briefly.
"Nope."
'Not pudding, them"
"You's mighty right dab, honey! Use
gwine to>make a puddin'!' said Chloe
enthusiastically, rafting away in an
cndeavor to entertain her patient, ':such
as massa used to like. Chloe sez he to
me many a time, If you wish a new bon
ret or new dress at any time seq he,
first make me one of dem sekaveous
puddin's: an den ak me- SEE he. So dey
must be mighty fine, honey, to have such
name as dat, you may depen'."
Rob sobbed aloud. my poor papa!
Was it so cold as this when he was
drowned, Aunt Chloe?"
The big hearted negress secretly wished
herself in Halifax for unwittingly bring
ing up the subject.
"Twas seven yeahS ago dis berry
Christmas eve'-there w>@re tears in
Chloe's eyes, too-"dat the massa went
down an lef' de worP wuss IF, fo' as
gram man as eber was, Rob; an had
he only lived how proud he would ha'
bin Of you, to be suah!"
Rob arose and went to the window.
Neither spoke for a long time. The snow
was falling rapidly and the furious wind
blew great sheets of it through the air
Night was closing in. Eph, IN his furs
and heavy coat, drove down the road in
the sleigh.
"Mamma will soon be home now.
Chloe" said Rob, leaving the kitchen to
take his favorite seat in the library. Eph
returned hurriedly, and, patching up 4
truce with his :mammy," brought news
that the train on which Mrs Hawthorne
was coming had been blocked on the roaG,
and it would be fully three hours before
her arrival.
LA OhI case: OCAA, JOu 1AuSI ~ " w
led, honey" said Chloe, "'ca'se, you
See"
But Rob didn't see at all, and vigor-
cusly protested. Chloe was firm, how
ever, and, under promise that he should
have many delicacies ON the morrow, he
allowed himself to be tucked in his coy
bed, the gentle old negress talking volu--
bly, the while.
Having brushed the hair from his fore
head and kissed his hand, Chloe left the
lamp burning dimly and withdrew. T.
eyes like his fathers" was her COM
ment as she passed down the stairs.
Drowned! drowned" ..-
"But;" said Rob, boldly and defantly
when she was gone, 'Tl not sleep. I'll
wait and hear the jingle of the bells.
wonder who will come frst-mamma Or
Santa Claus. There, that's it. I'll wait
for both and ask Santa Claus to tell me
all about papa"
As Chloe entered the kitchen she gave
a short, sharp gasp and stood transfxed.
There was white face at the window
= great white face with huge black eyes.
Her knees heaan* In shake aho Enoxu moi