Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1904-04-26
, p = = = y = = = y y = = :


TLD Aunt Clara sat in her cabin
IL singing her mistress baby to
ID sleep. She had nursed all of
Squire Iowe's children and
was proud of saying that none out Of
three girls and one big boy had ever
been ill day, "'ceptin', maybe" as
she expressed it, wen dey is ct some'n
dey ortn't to, lax, maybe. to fill deir-
se'ves wild green fruit eli tex de collie
on hat bad squeain' dreams en- one
thing or nur. but sech us dat might
happen to any Niger nanny"
She certainly loved her white charges
more than she did her own children. as
every one remarked who witnessed her
ardent devotion to the former and her
Indifference to the latter The infant
IN her lap was drowsily closing its eyes
as her lullaby waxed softer and more
soothing:
''Oh. baa, baa. black sheep. has you got
any lamb?
Yes way down in de valley.
De buzzards en- de flies is er pckin' out is
eyes.
En- de po' liz thing cries Nanny!
Go to sleep. so to sleep.
Go to sleep. liz baby.
Pappy loves de baby. en- nanny loves de
baby.
En- everybody loves de baby.
"All dem hosses in dat fiel
B'lonsst to you. III baby
De sorrel ell de bay. en- de dapple en- de
gray,
En- dey all b'longst to you. III baby.
Go to sleep
She heard a step on the lawn and
cautiously looked out, still grooming Sc
ductively and keeping her knees gen.
tly moving. She saw the tall. slender
figure of her young master, hand
some boy of nineteen, pass her door
and vanish among the fruit trees that
shaded the walk leading to the burn.
yard.
"Some'n is sho wrong wild dat boy
she muttered as she famed the lilies
from the baby's face with her black
hand Hes actin mighty curis. Ell he
don't seem easy in his min. Some'n
is gone wrong. Yo' cayn't fool me.
He's maxim too many trips 10 dat barn
whar he aiu't got no sign er business.
uin't never seed my young marSter
act dat sncaEin' way before. en- I'm
;-wine To see fer myse.'
With the utmost caution she eased
the slceging infant down on her bed
and tiptoed to the cabin door.
"TuskalooSa!" she called out in a
stern unGcrtone to little colored boy
who was loating chips in the watering
trough near by The black urchin rose
and came toward her. wiping his drip
ping hands OH the only garment he
Wore, long shirt reaching To the
ground. ".IushaiooSa. yo go set Hat
SIDE er Miss Sally's baby en- min de
flies od'n 'er. Ef dat chill cries one
iin2 while is lookin' fer my hen'ncst
il tic Darn I'll give yo' sech or baslin
yo' Won know which side is up.
The hoy instantly disappeared in the
cariu. and she turned down the walk
t. die barn.
''Dc do is shet tight. Now, wonder
war MarSn Melville could or 20 to,
Size mut,erc,i us she paused before the
barn. PevplcXed. she turned and look
Ell over the wiJv reach of meadow land
ca her right and then back toward tie
gi cat w!.te house. the gable windows
Of which could be now seen above the
tree tops. She was OH the point OF
going 10 the hayStacks near by when
She heard Il iootstep in tie Darn. She
crppt 20 III GOOr. put her ear TO 1t and
lis,vncd a.tcntively. The noise was re-
pcatcd. StCoping lower, she peered
through crack. and in the half dark
ness within size SAW her young master
st2althly filling a sack with wheat
iron 4 capGciouS bin.
My gr,tious!' she muttered in a
troubled voice. Dat boy is sho takin'
Is paws wheat cn slippin' h"er onbe-
hil,.M-nst 10 anybody lax er nigger at
or cii.c:;rn roos What dis wOrP COM
III to-
She sat down on the doorstep. trem-
bling all over with excitement. For
several minutes she remained motion
less. her elbows OH her knees, her fat
jaws in her hands. listening fearfully
and starting ut every sound from with
in. Presently she seemed to have de-
cided upon course of action. for a
look of determination took possession
OF her face. her bushy brows ran to-
Sether, and her thick lips became firm
and rigid.
"Marse Melvillew she called in low
"AIarse MeIville.'
The sounds within the barn ceased.
The boy did not answer. A half bushel
measure fell from his hands and rat
tied down into the bin. After that ev-
erything was so still that she could
hear the cooling of the pigeons on the
roof of the barn and the cows chewing
hay under the lean-to shed near by.
She applied her eye TO the crack again.
The boy was standing motiOnless in
startled attitude. staring fiXedly ut the
door.
"Marse Melville" she repeated. even
more softly than before. "let me in. !
want to speak TO yo'.
For another minute there was no re
sponse Then he said doggedly:
What do you want?"
"Open de do. Marse Melville" she
said. 1T dHs me. yo' ole nanny.
Open de do so kin see yo'. Yo' got it
fas'en on do inside. How yo spec !
kin git throo desc plnnks? l amt no
rat ner spider"
He hesitatpd another minute. Then
she heard his step on the floor and his
trembling fingers us they put the key
into the lock She pushed the door
open. and he retreated TO the bin. avoid
ing her furtive eyes, half rebe.lious
EXPRESSION on his handsome face. He
was in his shirt sleeves. His necktir.