Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1905-10-30

Hunt 0bIce's halloween Charm

BY Carl Sylvester

OO plctlA u1I 11O 4OCAACJ' oAS 49,
Ianxiety for the young mistress gave
her courage and at last she said
"Massa Dearbo'1."
Harrison Dearborn turned at the
sound of her voice, sudden fear seiz-
ed him that Elizabeth might be ILL.,
How quickly the thought of danger
to the object Of ones affections dis
pels all hard feelings! He came
quickly forward.
"Is there anything"
His forebodlng made him stop.
Aunt Chloe did not understand him.
Eyes, Massa Dearborn, dere am
somefn yo' kin do TO- me-"
He regained his composure as the
old woman told her errand.
"Yo' see, Massa Dearborn, Mis-
Liz beth amt as peart as she was.
She's a grievin over somefn an goes
in de garden walkin' in de evnin.
| (This was indeed true.) 'De air am
so damp an chill Use 'fraid she'll
ketch cold She'se dat worried to-
day, I jest know she'll walk till mid
night. She thinks Use jest an old
fussy nanny, and so I thought may
be yo' could come and chirk her up a
bit, and den she won't be 'sposin' her
self to de damp and take her death O.
cold"
She went on describing dramatical-
| ly all the ways in which Elizabeth
had failed. When she had finished
Mr.. Dearborn said.
'I'll do what l can, Aunt Chloe, she
must not grieve like this he. added
more to himself than to her.
| AS Aunt Chloe went toward home
with that side-to-side motion pecu-
liar alike to the fat negro and the fat
hen she was somewhat worried for
fear he would come before midnight.
Though any means of "chirking up
| Liz beth" would have been accept
able to her, she hoped he would not
come beforehand and thus spoil her
charm
| Meanwhile Mr.. Dearborn was in
deep perplexity. What excuse could
he make for seeing Elizabeth? He
regretted the quarrel but his pride or
'feelin' O. quality" as Aunt Chloe ex-
pressed it, kept him from trying to
make any approaches. Perhaps Aunt
Chloe was over-anxious. Elizabeth
might not be taking it SO to heart.
He would see before he made the
first attempt at a reconciliation.
AS midnight drew near Aunt Chloe
said to Elizabeth.
! Come, honey, it am time to try de
chain"
Elizabeth laid her book down, and
laughingly waved the powder over
her head before slipping it into her
shoe. AS she went out into the dark
ness a wistful look came into her
deep blue eyes.
"Of course there is nothing in it.
How perfectly silly of mel" she
said, and returned to the house.
"But as long as I've started I may as
well go on"
| Meanwhile Harrison Dearborn in
his position outside the garden was
suffering the keenest self-reproach.
He had been summoned by tee
gram to meet friend on a late train
so that he had not arrived at the
Bowers home until shortly before
midnight. Aunt Chloe was indeed
right: There was Elizabeth pacing
the garden in deep dependency.
| What should he do? The clock
struck twelve, and she turned slowly
| toward the house. He started for
ward impulsively.
Elizabeth, Elizabeth" he called.
Too frightened to move, she stood
still while he clasped her cold trembl-
ing hands in his.
How much easier it is to talk free
| ly in the dark!-the darkness, which
"snatches the color from things" re-
moves the check upon the tongue and
permits one to pour out his inmost
feelings. Harrison Dearborn found
| his pride had flown, and when they
went into the house where the radi-
] ant Chloe met them, the old differ
encs had been removed; but not for
months later did they learn that
their happiness was due to the gentle
scheming of an old black nanny.