The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-08-13

full sound of the woodland screech owl was heard, just as he reached his cab in door, Now dat Is sholy unlucky sighn, an de only way to keep dat pesky little debil rum bringing death, is to stop, make cross mark Tn de middle of de road, spit in 1t, and go on bout your business" which he straight-way proceeded to do' to the eminent satisfaction of all the lockers on. Why de tother night I wus comin through de swamp and dere wus a thousand of dem little debils a skally hootin all around me. when caflap come one right down my head. Lordy. Lodry. I called but I never stayed to see what de Lord gwine to do, but I jist tux to my heels and got nome de fastest I could and when I gifts dar, dat Ca'line of mine, she is de foolishest nigger what ever was sometimes, she just axed me what de matter wid you now. Is you bin cum gurged agin. No, suh, marry screech owl for me-"
 Well wat wants ter know is what you doin in dat swamp dat time of night?" asked a young fellow standing by. "'spects dey done run you fin dar."
 Now, jest listen to dat nigger. will you and Bro. Jones turned such a , fierce look upon the newcomer he trem- bled, and wanted to 'splain dat he was only jokin', but Bro. Jones was not to ! be appeased so easily.
 You fool nigger, pears lack to me you ain't got no more sense dan a last years birds nest. Hest tell me dis. Is /, you ever seed any one of Mars Church | ills niggers in de swamp"
 Not but what some ob dem ought to | be dar, kase I seed you tother night a
 lifting dem young bullets from de roose' | and eff had not seen yon, I sho' knows
 what de trouble is. when I hear dat | chicken smother his holler."
 Don't come strulling around me kase Tse all tired out, en I hope dat screech | owl won't come wee, wee, tee' tee'
 around young marster."
 News was eagerly sought every day | by all the hands on the place, for old
 and young liked the kindly spirit lying l there, fighting day by day for his life | neighbors came with loving sympathy and tender service, but to all Mrs. Mont
 rose shook her head and pointed to
 Nanny Nell and Uncle Zeke, who never
 left the house while he was so i'll; help
 less as a little child; some days wild | with deiirium, shouting out orders to his brave soldier boys. steady now, aim fire" When again the heart strings | would turn to home and loved ones | Marie, my darling. where are you and my wee ones Oh, Tallassee, the Beau tifuI, could once more tread your glo-
 rious hills" Then the fever would fall i only to rise again.
 | In the midnight hour, before the sur u dares to awaken the sleeping world
 poor tired weary Mrs. Montrose goes once again to her favorite window, and | gazes out Into the hushed stiffness oi the night: at that moment 1t seems SC | dreary, so empty; the moan of dovt l Is waited in. to make the hour stil
 more melancholy. The shadows arc
 misty on the dainty crepe myrtle, and they play hide and seek as they creep fl l and out of the grand old oaks, and the | stately elms which guards the slopine lawn down to the Tallapoosa water | Tapped banks, the water lilies nod, ant | smile, and beckon on to the georgeous | crimson hued pomgranate, the jessanlir | and the rose, proud and conscious oi | their beauty. smiles down on the vio- | lets and heartsease hidden at their feet As Mrs Montrose stands there wear.
 and alone, depressed in mind. body ant
 soul. a mocking bird. glorious South | ern mocking bird, flies to the topmos'
 branch of the magnolia tree, as fitting | place for such a king as he. In a sof' | minor key he begins love ditty to his
 mate not far away; then the impas'
 sioned voice rises higher. clearer, purer l stronger, Tn BuCn eXStatIC H1usiC, tuei low and sweet and soft; then once agair
 it rises higher. until. in exaltation. ht
 pours out a benediction upon the sleep
 ing world. Mrs. Montrose hears, lis.
 tens, and Is cheered. soothed, comforted
 as if by some tangible visible power
 Then turns back with renewed hope tt
 the task of nursing the beloved one. The fever gradually left the tiret | sufferer, and for days the little house
 hold scarcely breathed. so eagerly
 watching the worn body and tired spirit
 fighting It's way back to consciousness
 and gradually to convalescence. Then
 and not until then. did Nanny Nell anc
 Uncle Zeke return to their own little | cabin.
 In a few weeks Captain Montros'
 was again able to take charge of his
 company. Nobly he served the allotted
 time, a hero, brave and true. At last h' lays his armor down beneath the starry
 blue. The war over. Captain Montros'
 returned to his beautiful home in Tal lassee, only to find its fair fields de vastated, ruin on every hand. slave:
 mostly gone, but among those whom nothing could prevail to leave, proudly stood Uncle Zeke and Nanny Nell, stil l guarding young misses and de chil' luns."