Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1909-05-13
Copyright, by J. B. Lippincott Coz

enter the Valley of the Shadow. She
| lay motionless upon the one highly
priced feather bed of the establish
ment, closely covered with the best
patchwork quilt. Outside the mercury
Wayered uncertainty between ninety
and ninety-five degrees, but when one
preparing 10 renounce earthly
treasures forever, one is surely en-
| titled to the best the house affords\re-
gardless of temperature. Sister Juli-
ina realized this. and had herself com
handed her transfer from corn-husk
% feathers when her hours were pro
bounced numbered.
On her right sat her husband, some
what self-conscious in the dignity of
his position as chief mourner; on her
! left was her pastor. ready at any mo-
nent with an appropriate text or a
Few words of prayer; at the foot of the
Oed crouched old Aunt Judy; and at
the head stood Sister Roxy Bristow,
waving a large turkey-feather fan to
and fro with slow, rhythmical move
ment
"Sistah Juliana," said the pastor,
anxiously, how does yo' feel in yo'
sperrit, Sistah Juiana?"
Not even the culver of an eyelid
betrayed that the recumbent figure
| understood his remark Her husband
leaned forward and took her hand in
his, but it fell limp and nerveless from
his grasp Mrs Bristow Immediately
restored it to its former position.
Hit am mo- fittin', Brothah Jack.
son." she said, severely, 40 a soul
tub go tub glory wild de aims crossed
pious-like on de breas' den tub let 'em
meandah all ovah de bald
Brother Jackson groaned heavily in
response.
Take me wild yo', Juliana," he en-.
treated, earnestly, take me wild yo'.''
Old Aunt Judy raised her quaverng
voice in indignant protest.
Don yo' do hit, Juliana," she cried
quickly. Cit away tub glory 'thout
no trifiin niggahs hangin' tub yo pet
ticuts. Git off by yo'se'f, honey"
"Aun' Judy" demonstrated the pas
tor, sadly. "whut yo' done say am
empty wo'ds. Sstah Juliana ain
gwine tub have no petticuts in de Noe
Jerooselum fuh nobody tub hang on
tub"
Take me wild yo', Juliana," repeated
the Borrowing husband, 81 wants tub
git In, too"
faint noways likely yo's gwine
tub git in eff yo don go wild huh,
muttered Aunt Judy, unkindly.
"Brothah Reese" interposed Mrs
Bristow, hastily, KANT yo' light dc
way fun Sistah Juliana wild de lamp
o. prayah?"
81 done set huh gropin soul on dc
straight an narrah way twict in dc
las houah. Sistah Roxy" responded
Brother Reese, huskily, AN meh moui
do feel pow'ful dry an pa'ched-like TO
sho'."
1t appeared to be a matter of indif
way was lighted by prayer or dark
ened by neglect.
I'm de kitchin," suggested Mr.
Jackson. in properly subdued accents
"deys cookin' de funeral ham. Reck
on yo' mought step out an see whu
mo- yo' kin find. Brothah Reese"
And Brother Reese stepped out will
some CELEBRITY.
"Brothah Jackson" said Mrs. Bris
tow, softly, Il feels TO yo', Brothal
Jackson"
Il knows yo does, Sistah Roxy" h,
replied, gratefully.
An almost imperceptible movement
stirred the surface of the patchwork
quilt. and both watchers concentrated
their attention upon it for a moment
de rus'le o. de Daith Angil," wills
pered Mrs. Bristow, with a long sweel
of her fan; "he done huvvah ovah Sis
tab Juliana dat time"
"He flap he wings an pass huh b,
onct mo-" returned Mr.. Jackson, il
awe-struck tones, and again the,
lapsed into silence, while Aunt Jud!
raised her head and gazed intently a
the bed.
Use gwine tub be pow'ful lonely,
said Mr.. Jackson, at last, with
heavy sigh.
Oats so, Brothah Jackson. dat
So" agreed Mrs. Bristow, sympathet
ically, but hit am de will o. Gawd.
done been lonely mehsel dis lon
time, sence Jake tuck an got hisse'
drownded in de Pigeon run.
Il kin fry yo' bacon fuh yo' ev'r,
mo'nin," she volunteered, after
slight pause. "Yo' kin git it ovah d
fence"
"Yo's pow'ful thoughtful, Sistal
Roxy" he responded, sadly; "hit an
lucky de gyahdens jines at de back.
"Yo' mought take down some o. d
fence SOS / kin run in an out an
keep yo' house Clean" she suggeste
further.
"Yo' sho' am gwine tub be a CON
fo't tub lonely widdah-man, Sistal
Roxy" he returned, approximately.
Again there was a slight movemen
OF the quilt, and again they watche
breathlessly for the flight of the spiri
| of Sister Juliana which. howeve,