Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1903-08-20
Meadow Brook
MARY j. HOLMES
Sssay Faru)
CHAPTER Xx.-,Continued.l
MARY j. HOLMES


,ultry days. Mrs. Lansing and Ada sat
upon the piazza painting for breath OF
pure, cool air. Atathe side Of each stood
4 negro Kiri, induatriously flaming their
mistreeses, who scolded them as II they
were TO blame, because the air thus set
Va motion was hot and burning as the
winds which blow over the great desert
Of Sahara. Az they sat there thus, an
old man came up from the negro quar-
ters, saying "his woman done got sick
wild de cramps,',i and he wished his
mistis Jest come down bee her."
But Mrs. Lansing felt herself too Ian
guild for exertion Of any kind, and telling
Uncle Abel that she herself was fully as
sick as his wifa, who was undoubtedly
feigning, she sent him back with n SINK
Ing heart to the rude cabin, where his
old wife lay, grooming aloud whenever
the cramps, as she termed them, seized
her. Scarcely, however, had he entered
the low doorway when fairy form came
fitting down the narrow pathway, ner
white dress cleaning through the dusky
twilight, and her golden hair streaming
out behind. 1t was little Jessie, VINO,
from her crib, had heard her mothers
refusal TO accompany Uncle Abel, and,
stealing away unobserved, she had come
herself to see Aunt Chloe, with whom
she was quite a fayorite.
IInaccustomed as Jessie was to sick
ness, she saw Mt n glance that this was
no ordinary ca: >, and kneeling down
beside the negress, who lay upon the
Hoor. she took her head upon her lap and
gently pushing back, beneath the gay tur-
ban. the matted, grizzly hair, she asked
where the pain was.
Dress de sweet chile" answered
Chloe, "you can't tache me with the pint
of cambria needle whar faint, and
seems eff cherry jint in me was onsoderin'
when de crsmp is on"
As IL to verify the truth of this re-
mark, she suddenly bent up nearly dou-
BILE, and rolling upon her face, groaned
aloud. At this moment negro, who had
gained some notorety among his COM
panions as a physician, came in, and af-
ter looking a moment at the PROSTATE
form of Chloe, he whispered word
which cleared the cabin in a moment, for
the mention of cholera" had power to
curdle the blood of the terrified blacks
who fed to their own dwellings.
Utterly fearless, Jessie stayed oil, End
when John, or as he was more familiarly
known, Doctor" proposed going for her
mother, she answered, mo, no; Uncle
Abel has been for her once, but she
won't come; and if she knows it is chol-
era, she'll take me away"
This convinced the doctor, who pro.
ceeded to put in practice the medical
skill which he had picked up at inter.
walls, and which was considerable for one
of his capacity. BY this time, a few Of
the women more daring than the rest and
curious to know the fate of their compan
ion, ventured near the door, where they
stood gazing wonderingly upon the pool
old creature who was fast floating on
upon the broad river Of death. 1t was 9
most violent attack, and its maliynit,
was increased by quantity of unripe
fruit which she had eaten that morning
will somebody make pra'r?" she
said, @feebly, as she felt her life fast
ebbing away. "Abel, you pray for pool
Chloe;" and her CLASSY eyes turned be
seechingly toward her husband, who wa:
noted at camp meetings for praying the
loudest and longest of any one.
But his strength had left him now. nnt
kissing the shriveled face of his dyinl
wife, he said, "'Scuse me, Chloe; d,
,sperrt Is willin', but de flesh part /.
mighty week an shaky like. Miss Jes
bic, you pray2" he continued, rs the child
came to his side.
Yes, honey, pray" gasped Chloe and
kneeling down, the little girl began tn,
Lords Prayer occasionally interspersinl
II with petition that God would TAX,
the departing soul to heaven"
Yes. lnt's II ~ whis rbIno. S1J 4.
Letter dan all dem fine words bout king
dom come an daily bread; dey'll do fol
white folks, but God Dress old Chloe, d,
thing for me to die on. Sing, honey
sing" she said, at last: and mingled
with the lamentations of the blacks, ther,
arose on the evening air the soft note,
of the Happy Land" which Jessie sung
bending low toward Chloe, who, when tn,
song was ended, clasped her in her arms
and calling her "a shinin' angel" went
we trust to the better land.
Loud and shrill rose the wall of III,
negroes, increasing in violence when /
was known that into another cabin tn,
pestilence had entered, prostrsting boy
who. in his agony, called for Jessie anC
Marsh Richard, thinking they could saw
him. Late as it was, Mrs Lansing, Adj
and Lima were still upon the piazza
which was far more comfortable rhai
their sleeping room, where they suppose,
both Halbert and Jessie were safely il
bed. They were just thinking of retiring
when suddenly the midnight stiffness wa
broken by cry so shrill that Mrs. Ian
sing started to her feet, asking what
was,
From her couch by the open door Aun
Dinah arose, and going out few rod,
listened to the sound, which seemed I
come from the negro quarters, whithe
at her mistress command, she bent he
steps. But short time elapsed ere sh
returned with tho startling news tn,
''the cholera was thar; that Chloe Wa
dead, and another had got it and Mi,
Jessie was holdin' his head"
Wholly overcome with fright, Mr.
Lansing tainted, and was borne to h,
room, where, for time, she RENAME
unconscious, forgetful of Jessie, wi
tayed at the quarter long after mi
light, ministering to the wants Of Il
lex, of which, before morning, the
gere Ave, while others showed symptom
IF the rapidly spreading disease. As 800
as Mrs. Lansing returned to consciou
Oh, sant Tagata xvhz o...a :