Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1904-04-26
TWENTY-FIVE dcllarsm he said gloom


EowcS ai'ays do git on de top rail e.
de- fence somehow. None er dem u
boys is tittin to lead or army" For {
moment Il certain race instinct cause(
Ter to look Gown at the wheat with {
toVe,ou.: ..;.nee. but size shook her heat
vigorously. as If Il temptation had lodg
cd OF ii. No. no. she said. more t.
herself than To him. Il was wonderin
"f ! rnr.,!n't sell dat wheat. hut what
is mean fur yo' would be mean fur me
I'll cr tr:."l II Id he reported quick
She drew II sep nearer TO him and said
| !irn.i;: Lock de do. li'r marstPr. eI
hang dc key OH dc nail whar it b'!ongst
Now yo' las my bes' vice. en- yo' gwin'
sleep better fur ii too"
Without word or sign of opposition
he picked up his coat, vest collar and
necktie and followed her out. She
stood silent. thoughtful and disturbed
as he hung the key up ON the nail and
slowly drew OH his coat. She brushed
the chaff from the garment and smooth
ed out the wrinkles with her hand. All
at once a thought occurred to her. She
started suddenly and put out her hand
impulsively to his arm.
"Marse Melville. is got some money
saved up in my house. reckon | got
twenty-five dollahs in all. io' wait
yere. III git it fur yo'. | amt got no
use fur money. des laid it by, little
by little fur rainy day. Dey amt
nuffen could buy wen marster gives
me all me en- de chillun need" He
flushed deeply His lip curled proudly,
| and his figure became more erect. He
seemed ON the verge Of making an an-
cry retort. but her attitude Of expecta'
ton disarmed him.
II could not take your money, MAN.
N.Y." he said, with emotion. You are
| the best friend have. | am glad you
stopped me just now. have never de-
ceived father. and | never shall. Keep
your money don't care for the uni
| FORM"
She stood and watched him as he
walked across the meadow toward the
river in the distance. Then slowly and
thoughtfully she went up The walk to
her cabin. Looking about to see that
she was unobserved, she went into the
room adjoining the one where the baby
lay asleep. Lifting plank in the floor,
she took out a rusty oyster can half
filed with coins. She counted them out
slowly on the table.
"Twenty-siX dollahs en- sixty cents
she said. But, bless yo', he wouldn't
TEX it fun me, he so proud. done
tried i'm too many times wen lie Is
need er li'p pocket change. Most white
chilun would. dough, mighty oncon-
sarned. but Marse Melville amt dat
sort Well, l reckon marster Is sho
'nough hard up fur money, but amt he
des d'other day buy Marty! En- what
dat lazy wench halter do sence We got
'er but fan 'erself en- listen fer de dim
ner hawn. Seem lax he is set 'issef
to own mo- darkies dan any other man
in dis county"
She held the coin thoughtfully in her
fat palm. Now. / WONDER she went
on, "ef | wuz ter give dis yere money
to marster, eff he wouldn't give it to
Marse Melville to buy dat newniform.
Seem lax he al'ays did want me to be
good to his chillun. He might do 1t
sly-lak Ell not let Marse Melville know
whar he got de money fun. Dat would
be er funny joke on young marster. en-
I'm gwine to try it."
She broke out into long. subdued
laugh as she clutched the money in her
hand and waddled around to the front
of the great house. Softly she tiptoed
across the veranda and down the long,
old fashioned hall to the door of the
library. Squire Howe sat before an
open window smoking and reading a
newspaper. He had noticed her ap-
proach.
Come in, nanny" he said kindly
as she stood at the door. What Is
wrong today"
"Eothiu. marster," she replied as she
came in and stood irresolutely at the
lrnnrel. awkwardly conceaing her coin
flied hand beneath her apron. but l
,, want TO AK er favor er yo'. sub. My
Young marster"-
Her voice broke, and she could 20 no
further.
We'll. what about him. nanny"
the old man asked reassuringly.
"Nothin'. 'cept he In er sight er trou-
BILE, marster De young men in town.
all de quality boys, is got up er lfP
army er suppen nur, en- Marse Melville
Is jine um kase he want ter be long
wild de res um. Well, dey Is up en-
'lected i'm captain, de haid man, kase
he de most knowenes' one en- de bes'
lookip' one dey got. Well. dey is all
done paid fur der newniforms 'cep
Marse Melville en- Is all raidy en- wait
In to put um on en- march erbout to
show off. but dey cayn't move er peg
kase Marse Melville amt got de money
fer his'n. Ell so he is in er heap er sho
'nough trouble. | found out bout 1t en-
offered Marse Melville dis yere money,
but he wouldn't tex 1t fun me. 80 |
lowed I'd ak yo' to give 1t to I'm en-
not let i'm know 1t FUN me, SOS he
could git his suit all right. Dere Is
mon 'nough."
AS she finished she stepped anxiously
nearer and laid the money on the win
dow sill near the squire. His features
were an interesting study for a mo-
ment as his eyes wavered between the
pile Of coins and her expectant face.
He fumbled awkwardly with his news
paper and then struck match on the
sole of his boot and lighted his pipe.
Finally he pushed the money toward
her.
"Take it back, nanny. You are
good old SOUL" he said, smiling to hide
his emotion. You have always been
Doo,,IsoS