The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-05-14

lying this pretty Counterpart of white
and pale blue? What loving hard had
placed this daintily ruffled pillow case
beneath her head and clothed her in
this snowy robe garnitured at wrist
and throat with little falls of pretty
though inexpensive lace? In very
truth, had she not reason to feel
amazed?
81 wonder wher' Jim. is she sighed
wistfully. Somehow 1 CANT get
things straight. | reckon I've been
sick for a long, long time-maybe for
weeks. and now | CANT separate what
was real from what l dreamed-like. l
wish" rising to her elbow while an
eager glow broke over her thin white
cheek-"I wish Jim was here
"Whutcho want wild i'm, Mis-
Sara ?"
1t was Amt Dilsey who asked this
question-Aint Dilsey coming hump
ing forward, with her solitary yellow
snag shedding yellow geniality, to lay
one crooked black hand caressingIy
on Sarah's young head.
The wasted face kindled into a
smile of glad greeting.
oh" she murmured, 81 knowed it
wasn't all a dream. 'Twasnt the
fancy of fever when / used to feel
your cool hands rubbing my hot head
when l saw you smiling down on me,
and heard you talking baby talk as
you'd coax me to take the nasty stuff
had to swallow to get Well. 'Twasn't
fancy when T.
Amt Dlsey broke in with a de-
lighted cackle.
Laws, Mis- Sara, how you know
dat? Hyah! hyah! How you know
dat hey?"
ooh 1 do do. God would be
cruel TO cheat me with dreams about
about some things that come back
to me now. Amt Dilsey who bought
these pretty things-the bed-clothes
the shades at the window-all? Tell
me-whO put these sweet flowers here
beside my bed?"
"Hyah! Hyah! Des listen at dat
now Reckon you amt got no frlens
dat love you good 'nough to wanter
mex you feel lax folks when you
'coverin' fun dat long sick spell?
Reckon you amt Mis- Sara ?''
CANT DilSeY!"
Marin 80
"Don't-don't tell me that I've been
dreaming. Who was it that useter
come and take me in his arms, and
and rock me as if 1 was some big
baby and cry over me, and whisper
to me to get well-only get we'll, and
beg God to have mercy on him ana
give him back the love and life that
seemed to be slipping away from
him into the unknown-and he'd be
so-different-so-St Who had
the right to say such things but
one? Was | dreaming then? Hush!
You shall not"
Another fit of cacl1Iing.
"Des listen at yo! Whuffo you
holler at me to stop? I amt OPIUM
my mouf. Miss Sara whyn't you
heish? You gwine talk yo'se'f back
into fever fus' in youse knows.
clare to Moses
A cry thrilling with a souls deep
agony cut her short.
ooh my God! You drive me mad.
I want the truth. The truth if it kills
me. My husband-where is he?
Jim-oh nay darling, come to mel"
He is here. little woman"
And there, kneeling at the bedside
with working lips and eyes blind with
tears, his chest heaving with sobs of
very gladness his brawny arms gath
ering her feeble, trembling yet love-
glOrified, to his breast behold-en-
nobled, magnificent in the splendor of
exalted emotions-Jiml
1.-THE above story grew out of a lit
tie sketch which / wrote for Arthur's
Home Magazine a few years ago. the
motif being the same I have laid
the scene of the present tale in
Franklin county, between Spring Hope
and Louisburg, near the point at ,
which Crooked Creek flows into Tar
River. The big oak near the bridge,
the bridge itself, Amt Dilsey's cabin on
the rocky hill, Jim Sheppard's home
his old home rather for he is liv-
ing in one of the prettiest habitations
of that section now-are all there
ne nc
| fired some of them myself, and fas-
cinated by the inferno-like beauty of
their combustion framed in forest and
night, stood watching the spectacle
for hours.-W. f. Jackson.