Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1910-02-28
THE: BODY SERVANT

Judge MarsdeD saw beside him
tiny specimen of Il negro boy iouHIug
up into his face With expressive eyes.
well. boy. what 90 you WISH: ne
asked kindly.
IVY, massa. | jes' wan to aX You
to TEX me il de biz house to wuk
You" said the Judge. "Why. you
are too smdlI. What could YOU do:'
Il knowed | amt ben groWrd lnii'h.
mass;i, but Sartin %wine grow some
mo one oh dese days an Kin arm
to do anything Why. nlassa. | could
be liz Massa uarry's body servant. jos
like William is yours. san"
Judge MarSdrn smiled at the idea nt
Harry. Il baby OF two years. havin. II
body servant in this child. who did not
look very much Older.
How old are you. boy?''
II is gwinp on to'teen. Sah." ranr
the surprising answer de reason
amt ncbpr growcd no mo-. he TX
planned as the judge made II gesture IF
dissent. lis cos ljig Jim let me fam
Gown de bluff when | ben six years
old. an all de CROWN would ha' done
is gone into dis here lump on my back.
but DAT don hiEGer me"
"Surely YOU are not that child in
terruptcd the judge. "Why, WAS
told Il, the time that you were dying"
"Wcll. nanny done shame ob me
an she neber let me come to see You
nor nobody else IF she kin hep it. COS
she say | too ugly an ii'I' an might
SCAR dem
zone Gag. massu." continued the boy.
Nancy brung liz massa down to de
cabin. an while she an nammy ben
a-talkin' slipped up to de kerridge,
an he amt neber ben scairl in De leaS.
bat jes' net out his liz hands to me- an
say. i Tub you. boy glib him some
flowers. an he jes' lnif SO sof' an
sweet. Oh. sab. | know | could lex
sech good care oh him.
"Ile has Il Nurse already" said the
judge. Then. seeing the disappont
ment in the child's eyes. he added good
naturedly. but come up to the house
tomorrow. and will see if | can find
something for you to do"
'TanSie. maSSa." And with hope in
his heart the little unfortunate went
back to his mothers cabin. carptui not
to excite her by any alIusion to an ill.,
terview with the master
Bright visions haunted the little hnv
that night as he lay on his humble pat
let. The height of his ambition WAS
about to be realized. The "bi. house.
as he termed it, which was IL large co
tifu palace and its inhahitanlS sucn
superior beings that be WAS not worthy
to touch the hem of their garments
So occupied was the judge WITH his
business that the incident with the lit
tie boy PASSED cat Of his mind. ana he
Wls surprised the next DAY wheu IN
Grew. the butler. told him that Napo.
leon BOnaparie wished to see him.
"Who on earth is Napoleon i;onn-
parte? WAS not aware that had
made an appointment to meet he
ghost of that illustrious man. Did you
know it. my dear" turning 10 his wife.
NO. indeed. | did not. Who is this
person. Andrew"
well. ma'an. he's Liza's chile. one
wat Big Jim let fall down de bluff.
You amt member dat. ma ram. cos il
happened af0re you wuZ married"
Il remember now. Andrew Show
him in" said the judge. and. seating
himself by his wife. he said:
My dear Lucy. he is the most pilitui
specimen OF humanity | ever saw. but
he has fallen Il victim to IIarry'S
charms aud wants TO be his body serv.
ant"
With mingled feelings of awe and
delight the little cripple walked into
the presence of the judge and his wife.
saluing them with a low bow, cap in
hand.
"Neah is. massa. Andrew ain
wan let me in, but tell him recEin
| you knoWed your own business. How
lii Massa Harry today?"
lie is well. Napoleon" replied Mrs.
Marsden. would you like to see
| him."
deed would. missis. See. |
brung him some shells wat got on
de beach," And he drew forth some
lovely pink and white shells from the
depths of a ragged pocket.
Noticing his tattered garments. Mrs.
Marsden said:
why doesn't your mother provide
you with better cluthes?"
she glib all de good clos to Lafa
yette an Esmeralda an mex me wey
all de ole ones. cos she say 1t don
matter bout me-nobody gwine notice
me nohow."
Meanwhile Nancy brought little
Harry in, and as soon as he laid eyes
on Napoleon he toddled straight for
him.
"See. massa"" exclaimed the delight
ed boy. HE ain scairt oh me one bit.
Here. III massa. here some shells |
brung you" And he put the pretty
things in the baby's hands.
1t was truly charming sight-the
handsome. laughing boy scattering
the shells on the floor and the eager
faced hunchback gathering them again
and again. only to have the baby cast
them down Immediately with roguish
delight.