Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1903-05-09
CHAPTER XX.-,ContinusdJ

pure, cool air. At the side oil ench stoou
a negro girl. industriously tanning their
mattresses, who scoldcd them as II they
were to blame, because the mir thus set
In motion was hot and burning as the
winds which blow over the great desert
Of Sahara. As they sat there thus, an
old man came up from the negro quar-
tiers, saying "his woman done got sick
wild de cramps" and he wished Ibis
mistis jest come down see 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 ms his wife. who was undoubtedly
feigning. she sent him back with 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. hcr
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 anu
stealing away unobscrved. she had come
herself to see Aunt Chloe. with whom
she was quite favoritc.
Unaccustomed as Jessie was to sick
ness, she saw mt glance that tins was
no ordinary case. and, kneciing down
beside the negress, who lay upon ire
noor. she took her head upon her lap ana
gently pushing back, beneath the gay tur.
ban, the matted. grizzly hair. she asked
where the pain was
"Bress dc sweet chile" answered
Chloe, "you can't tache me with the pint
Of a cambria needle whar faint. ana
seems eff cherry jint In me was onsoderin
when dc cramp Is on"
Al IL to verify the truth of this re-
mark, she suddenly bent up nearly dou.
bic, and rolling upon her fnce, yroaned
aloud. At this moment negro. who had
gnined some notoriety among his COM
panions as physician. came In. and nf-
ter looking a moment ut the prostrate
form Of Chloe, he whispered n word
which cleared the cabin In moment. for
eurdle the blood Of the terrified blacks,
who fed to their own dwellings.
Utterly fearless, Jessie stayed OH. rnd
when John, or as he was more Familiarity
known, Doctor" proposed going for her
mother, she answered, mo, no; Uncle
Abel has been for her once, but she
won't come; and II she knows 1t Is chol-
era, she'll take me away"
Tbi. convInccd the doctor. who pro-
..saod IN nut In practice the medical
ain -vhich no had nicke,l nm MT inter.
v.i.. and which WINS considerable for ono
~ nj. c.nac,tv nv this time. n few Of
tho women more daring thon the rest and
.c,,.,ow. 10 tnov, Tho fate of their compnn.
Tan ventvred nenr tho door. where they
5000 casing wondcrinply unon the moor
ala c,eature who was inst Aoatiny ont
unon tho broad river of death. II was n
mo.t violent attach. and its maliynity
"a. ,ncro..ed nv a quantity ofunripe
frnit which, she Ind eaten that morning,
"Wiii somebody make n prs'rY' she
..,d SaehIv n. .he felt her life fast
nhhing AWAY. "Abci. Won pray for door
Chioe." and her CLASSY eyes turned bc.
seechinelv toward her husband, who WINS
noted nj camp meetings for praying the
ioudest and longest OF any ono.
ant his strength had loft him now, md
kissins the shriyeled face of his dying
wife. he said. "'Scuse me, Chloe; dc
,sperrit II willin', but de flesh part IL
mighty week an shaky like. Miss Jes-
ale. you prayY" he continued, as the child
came TO his side.
ayes. honey, pray" Rasped Chloe; and,
kneelinr down, the little girl began tho
Lords Prayer. occasionally interspersinI
Il with n petition that God would take
the departing soul to heaven"
eyes. dat's IT," whispered Chloe: ''dat's
hetter dan all dem fine words bout king.
6om come an daily bread: devil do 70,
white folks. but God Dress old Chloe, dc
thins for me TO die on, Sing. honey
ains." abe said. mt Inst: and, mingled
with the lamentations of the blacks, there
arose on the evening air the soft notes
Of the "Happy Land" which Jessie sung
bending low toward Chloe, who, when the
sonR was ended, clasped her In her arms
ana calling her "a shinin' angel" went
Ne trust, to the better land.
Loud and shrill rose the wall Of The
negroes. increasing In violence when I,
was known that into another cabin thu
,estilence had entered, Frustrating boy
Who. In his agony, called for Jessie ant
Nars'r Richard. thinking they could saw,
him. Late as n WINS. Mrs. Lansing. Adj
and. lima were still upon the Diaxsa
which was far more comfortable thar
their sleepinu room. where thew supposef
hoth Haibert and Jessie were .afelv n
he'd. They were inst thinking Of retirin,
when sudienlv tho midnight stillness wa
broken nv n CRY al shrili TINT Mrs Ian
.in~ started M nor feet askinc who,
wos
From her couch by tho omen door Ann
D,nsb arose and going ont a few rods
listened IN IN" sonnd. which see,ned :,
come from the negro quarters white
~ her mistress, command. she bent he
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