The Red Cloud chief., 1906-03-30
(CJSTlNUED.)

prctcnSc to eat Only to please the old
man, but the vain womIn's cookery
had not been unduly extollcd. and Ncl.
son laughed with pleasure to see the
fluffy biscuits and the chicken wing not
nibblcd at, but actually eaten. He was
all old house servant: therefore he had
scon many young ladies go through un-
happy hours, and he admired Miss Bet
ty the more because she was the first
who had INDUCED in strong weeping
and did not shuttle at intervals after
ward He understood perfectly every
thing that had passed between father
and daughter that morning.
When her breakfast was finished she
turned slowly to the window, and,
while her eyes did not refill, q slight
twltching of the upper lids made him
believe that she was going over the
whole scene again in her mind, where
upon he began to move briskly about
the room with Il busy air. picking UP
her napkin, dusting chair with his
hand, exchanging the position of the
andirons in the fireplace. and, apparent
ly discovering that the portrait of
Georges Melhac was out of line, lie set
il awry, then straight again, the while
he hummed an old spiritual" of which
only the words "Chain de lion down
were allowed to be quite audible. They
were repeated often, and at each repe-
titon Of them he seemed profoundly,
though decorously amused in way
which might have led to conjecture
that the refrain bore some distant ref
ercnce to his masters eccentrlcity Of
temper. AT first he chuckled softly,
but at the final iteration Of "Chain de
lion down" burst into outright laugh
fer
"HOney, my Law" he exclaimed, "but
yo' pa de 'ceivindest man! He mighty
proud er your
Proud of mev She turned to him
I'm astonlshment.
Nelson's laughter increased. "Hain't
he jass de 'ceivin'dest man? Yessuh.
he de sot uppest man In dis town
count what you done last night. What
he say dis mawn', dat jass his way!
"Ah, no!' said Miss Betty sadly.
"Yes'm! He proud er you, but he
teahbul mad ut dat man. He hain't
mad at you, but he gotter cuss some
body. Jass reach out TO de nighes' he
kin lay hans on, an dis mawn' 1t hap
pen soze it were you, honey. Uhuh!
You oughter hearn him las night when
ne come home. Den 1t were me. Bless
God. | ain't keerin'. He weren't mad
at me, no mon he were at you. He
tass mad"
Miss Betty looked at the old fellow
keenly. He remained, however, ap-
parently unconscious of her scrutiny
and occupied himself with preparations
for removing the tray.
Nelson. what Is the quarrel between
my father and Mr.. Vanrevel?"
He had lifted the tray, but set 1t
down precipitately. bending upon her
a surprised and sobered countenance
Missy" he said gravely. ''dey big
trouble 'twix dem two"
~ know" she returned quietly.
'What is it?"
"Wha' fO' you AK me, mlssyT
because you're the only one can
ask. l don't know any one here well
enough except you"
Nelson's lips puckered solemnly.
"Mist' Vanrevel vote Wing, but he
ag'in Texas"
We'll, what if he is?'
"Yo' pa mighty strong fo Texas"
"Is that allI"
"No'm, dat amt hardly de beginnin'.
Mist Vanrevel he a ab'lltionist"
"Well? Won't you tell meT'
Honey, folks roun' heah mos on 'em
like Mist Vanrevel so well dey amt
hole It up ag'in' him; but, missy, Of
dcy one thing topper Gods wOrr yo'
pa do desp'itly and contestably despise,
hate, cuss an outragcously dominate
wuss'n a yaller August spiduh it are
ab'litionist He want stOmple 'cm
Cyc'y las one under he boot heel
'ccp'n dat one Mist Crailcy Gray.
Dry's II considabul sprinklin' er dem
ab'lltionist bout dc kentry, honey.
2 Dey's mo- dat don know witch dey is,
an dey's mo- still dat don kcer SOze
dat why dey go git up quo'l 'twlX yo'
pa an dat man, an range to have 'er
on Il platfawm de yeah TO de las
campaign, an, sub, dcy call dc quol a
debate, an all de folks come in FUN
de kentry an all de folks in town come
too. De whole pOssetucky on 'em sit
an listen.
"Fus' yo' pa talk. Den Mist Van
revel, bofe on 'em mighty cole an civ
ilized. Den yo' pa git wo'm up, missy.
like he do, case he SO useter have mis-
own way. 'Tain't his fault, he jass
4. 4. IA