The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1905-11-28

the little boy before tAe-.jin;ng roons
fires alter fumb!ing pityi"g:E Wi;h
apparently { ti1ou3anG BUTTONS an: the
ii:;:* BOYS 1hin5 5sss Fl o:, a ,::i:"sc,:
heap on the ruS. Ills bright bite Bus
ter Brown belt has fallen across one
oi the old brass iirc-dogs. and the
buckle is already burned of. The
little boy. who has never slept away
from his mothers side, whimpers and
says: "Jiddy, my Buster Brown belt
is rliint." Then the ancient mariner
pulls him down on his little knees
he looks exactly like an Angelic say
his prayers. He says "Our Father
all through without stopping, and then
the ancient mariner says: "Now | lay
me down." And the child says: "Now
I lay me down to Sleep" and stops.
The ancient mariner says: Il pray the
Lord" And quickly the child, ele-
waiting his little folded hands, says:
Il pray the Lord to make my mother
WE'LL" The ancient mariner kisses
him, leaves tear upon his forehead
and lifts him into another room and
into bed. He says: 'Jiddy, don't leave
me in the dark" The little fellow
seems, sadly and resignedly, to fully
realize the situation-that he can no
longer sleep with his mother.
"Gran is Cracking the Ice for My
Mother"
The little boy has never called his
mother anything but "mother." The
first watches of the night are over,
and the little boy, withdrawing his lit
tie feet out of the ancient mariners
tired ribs and getting hold Of the mar
iner's bony finger, says: "Jiddy, Gran
is cracking the ice for my mothers
head. If I was there, could put the
ice in the bag for her." And sure
enough, there was that dreadful
pounding and cracking that ever and
anon through thir1y-five dreary nights
announced that fever implacable was
burning up the poor suffereF The
ancient mariner says. 'Never mind,
my baby. Good ladies are helping
Gran to take careyof your I,1rother, and
YOU can't do anything: Gosto sleep"
And in the. watch of the gray, dim
dawn the little boy snuggles up close
to the ancient mariners side, and
says: "Jiddy, Gran is cracking the.
ice, for my mothers head. If | was
there I could help her put it in the
bag" And, again in the early morning
watch, the little anxious boy tugs at
the ancient mariners old arms, and
still cries: "Jiddy, Gran is cracking
the ice for my mothers head. If
was there I could help her put ft IN
the bag"
"Tank God, it Amt Always Gw1 Be
Dis Way" -,
The sun is a half hour high and
through his window opposite the
store room door, across the piazza
the weary ancient mariner hears these
warning words, uttered in tones OF
deepest woe: "Tank God, it amt al
ways gwi' be dis way. Tank my
Jesus, "a day comm when a poor mig
ger can ress, too, like white people,
Oh, my Marster in Heaben, when you
gwi' tex way dis misery outen' poor
old nigger bones?" The ancient mari
ner knows exactly what this means
and knows that "Aunt Kizzy'' is not
going to cook a mouthful of break
fast until she has half tumblerful OF
Xxx. He rises nervously with socks
and pants on-he never pulls them
off-and quickly assuages Aunt klz-
zey's" anguish.
His Chewing Gum.
Then the ancient mariner tips
around to an outer door OF the SICK
wing. and tapping softly, whispers:
"FIow is the poor child?' The 1nuttled
answer comes: "The poor thing has
had a perfectly awful night, but she
seems to be doing a little better"
Then. with fearful chill in his heart,
the ancient mariner tips back to his
had md finds the little boy. in his