The St. Louis Republic., 1905-12-10

| U0Ge8 0e poeo0eo 1O6 M me.
"Doa' hut m-me. good Marse Debbil!
lee oa'y . po' osO-ol shif'leo nieEah.
Ill hain't nebber siand'ed yo' beio'-
x-Narse Debbil. ! hain't nebbes talked
agin yO' beSo'. Nasse Debbil! hain't
nebbes prayed ag'in' yo' IN chu'ch Ike
some niggahs hez-'n'-n'-l hope yo'
famblyis wel-o-O-ouch! F0' de good
l.awdis sake. how yo' does pinch NAH
hans. Narse Debhil! on! please lemme
IEo. please. 49,"
His voice ended IN . howl Is the tumb1ef
dropped from his hand and was shivered
on the Aoos. The sepulchral voice from
the armor cut him short.
That's enough. yO' Old hypocsite!
So this Is the way yO' look after yo'
masters interests. Is it:-with yo' lying
and cheating and thieving behind his
back! So this Is the wicked snake nature
that hides under yo' livery and yo' fine
manness and smooth talk! have come
to put my spell on yo', and ] warn yo'
now that unless yo' stop right here IN
yo' tracks and head yo'self for the narrow
path. yo' doom Is sealed! Yo' tongue
win wi,her up in yo' head. yo' feet Win
shake with palsy. yo' hands win change
to claws. and yo' win fan Ike Luciferi"
Uncle Roscoe grove3ed and moaned
beneath the words: but the master pitileas-
y continued:
| And now on one condition only win ]
spare yO'-just one. And that Is that you
kneel down there On the 6ooe and
solemnly promise to stop yo' scandalous
habits. Otheswise-" He joosed one
wrist and made . motion toward the
negrois breast:
The Old mans jaw dropped in hideous
awe.
IL boun' do what yo' done tot me.
Narse Debbil." he whined. ''On'y spar
me. Marse Dcbtil. spar me. n sw;ar {
promise-l-I-l ben q monst 'ous bad
niggah-wuthless n nO-count-but !
boun' do what yo' done tor me!'
Captain Chesaby loosed the other
wrist. and Uncje Roscoe sank to the 6oos.
with his knees in the bsOken glass and
whisky. miserable. tcrror-stricken. trem-
bling heap.
Come" urged the Captain at last.
less harshly than he had spoken before.
for the disgrace Of the trusted old servant
touched him, come. are yo' going to
pcOmise:"
The old man raised his d.y-hucd face.
cyes rolling. lips twitchin.. and began:
"Oh. Lawd!-l mean Marse Dcbbil-l-
Ill promise. sho1y-'n'-'n'-" he
sought desperately for words to express
his easnestness--:: true dat I hain't
nebtcr gwine tech Marse Lafe's con
lickcr-'n' ssgars no more. mr. git sleep
en- chu'ch. mr. blaggard you. Marsc
Debbil-'n'-'n' gwine change rOun' m
be a diff'nt niggah. Yes. sab! hen
tmr'bje had en- my day. thievin' n
lynn: but gwine tu'n en- de narrer path.
gwine AK yo' Z fergive me. Marse
Debbl-''
A rustic and an indignant snort at
tsacted Captain Chesaby's attention at
this juncture toward the hack dooe.
and looking in that direction he bcheld
Aunt Dilsey. Uncje Roscoe's rotund life
partner. filing the doorway with her
august person. In one hand she firmly
held her trrsty broom. In her wide.
glittering eye was written wonder. con-
tempt and anger. She threateningly
waved the broom to and fro before her.
like tiger lashing his tail. As Cncje
Roscoe stopped for breath. she uttered
a cry such as . conquering Zulu might
voice. and huse down upon him. He
Aeard the yen and the hollow thumP Of
her feet. and half 1Srs. to meet the on.