The San Francisco call., 1904-02-07


cOnvulsively whispered to the pillow
Dear Sister Cecilia!" She patted tbs
white pillow with her hand, as though
it were the cool cheek against which
she yearned to lay her own All. you
would know-you would know" With
the thought OF the serene face Of tbs
good sister. and Of the kind arms that
would have gone round her IN her trou-
BILE her sObbing grew loud and uncon-
trollable But she would not have her
father hear it. and buried her face deep
in the pillow. After a time. she began
10 grow quieter. turned. and lay with
wet eyes. her under liD quivering with
the deep intake Of each broken sigh
"Oh, stars, stars, stars" she whis-
pered.
"Missy?" There came a soft knock
upon the door and the clink OF silver
upon china. "Missy?"
What is it?"
So quick was Miss Betty that. al
though she answered almost at once.
the tears were washed away. and she
was passing a cool. wet towel over her
eyes at the moment she spoke.
Jas me. I brung yO' breakfaSs
honey
Old Nelson's voice was always low
and gentle. with a quaver and hesi-
fancy in the utterance; now II was ten
der and comforting with the cOmprs-
hensiOn Of one suffering. the extraordi-
nary tact. which the old OF his race
nearly all come to possess. LII chick
en-wing on piece brown toast. honey.
When she opened the door he came In.
bending attentively over his tray. and,
without a glance toward his young mis-
tress. made some show OF fuss and bus
tie. as he placed it upon a table near
the window and drew up a chair for
her so that she could sit with her back
10 the light.
"Dah nowi" he exclaimed softly. rs
moving the white napkin and display
ing other dainties besides the chicken
wing "Dess de wayi Dat ole nanny
in the kitchen. she got her failin' an
her grievin' sins; but de way she do
hanTe chicken an biscuit sutney amt
none on EN-, She plead 70 me to AK
you how you like dem biscuit"
He kept his head bent low over ths
table, setting a fork closer to Betty's
hand; arranging the plates, then rear
ranging them, but never turning hiH
eyes in her direction.
Dat ole nanny mighty vain. yes
subj" He suffered very quiet chuckls
TO escape him. "She did most sutney
'sist dat I ak you amt you like dem
biscuit. She de ve'y vaines' woman In
dis State. dat ole nanny, yessuh! And
now he cast one quick glance out OF
the corner OF his eye q Miss Betty.
before venturing a louder chuckle-
she reckon dem biscuit goin' git her
by Sain' Petuh when she 'proach do
hevumIy gates, Uhuh! 1 tell her shs
got git redemption 70 de aigs she done
ruin desc many yeahs: case she as
useless wild an ommelick as q two-day
calf on de slick icei" Here he laughed
loud and long. you Jass 60 and talk
wild nanny. some day. Missy; you'll
see how vain dat woman Is"
Has father gone out. Nelsonr' asked
Betty in a low voice.
"Yes'm: he up town" The old mans
tone sank at once to the level Of her
own: became confidential, as one
speaks to another in a room where
somebody IS H. He meklxin' prepe-
tration to go down de rivuh dis aft
noon. He say he done broke de news
TO you dat he goin' way. Dey goin'
buiP dem a'hOUse right up. an 20
pa he necistate go way count dc con-
track. He be gone two week, honey,
Nelson finished, without too much the
air Of imparting CHEEKY tidings. but
with just enough
Law no. Missy. Dat big Mis Tan
berry. dass de bes' frien' we all got,
she home agin, an yO' pa goin' invite
her visit at de house. whiles he gone,
an TO STAY a mont aftuh he git back,
too. soze she kin go to all de dOin's an
1unketfn's wild you, and talk wid de
young mems dat you don like whiles
you talks wild dem you does like"
What time will father come homer
Home? He be gone two week.
honey"
mo: mean to-day"
Law! He amt comm back Bid
me pack de trunk an cay um down to
de boat at noon. Den ke bid me say
far'-ye-weH an q kline good-by 70
him, honey. Say he think you aln't
feeIin' too well. soze he won't 'sturb
ye. hisself. an dat he unestly do hope
you goin' have splenid time whiles he
trabblin'." Nelson's imagination COW
cred many deficits in his masters
courtesy) "Say he reckon you an ole
AIiz Tanberry goin' git long mighty
nice wild one'nurr. An dass what me
an nanny reckon 'spechually boun' 70
take place. case dat a mighty gay
lady. dat big Niz Tanberry. an ole
frien' 'er owah family. She 'uz .
frien' er yo' msmmO's. honey"
Miss Betty had begun to make .
pretense to eat. only to please the old
man, but the vain woman's cookery
had been not unduly extolled, and Mel
son laughed with pleasure TO see the
fluffy biscuits and the chicken wing
not nibbled at tsbut actually eaten This
was a healthy young lady. he thought.
one who would do the household credit
and justify the extravagant pride which
kitchen and stable already had In ner-
He was an old house-servant, there
fore he had seen many young ladies' 60
through unhappy hours. and he ad-
mired Miss Betty the more because sne
was the first one who had INDUCED
in strong weeping and did not snurne