The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1914-04-16
broke off and listened. Who's that


singing?"
The sound drew nearer-a lugu-
brious chant, with the weirdest minor
reflections, family suggestive of the
rag-time ditties of the music-halls, yet
with a plaintive cadence.
Good morning, Uncle Jefferson.
The singer broke off, set down the
twig-broom that he had been welding
and came toward him. "Mawnin', sub.
Mawnin," he said. Hopes yo-all
slep' good. All reck'n dem ar birds
woke yo' up; dey's maxim sch er
'miration'
Thank you. Never slept better in
my life Am l laboring under a delu-
SIGN when | imagine I smell coffee?"
Just then there came voice from
the open door of the kitchen: Calls
yose'f er man, yo' triflin' recon-
structed niggah! Wen marstah gwine-
ter git he brekfus' wild yo' ramshack-
lin eroun' wild dat dwag all dis
Gawd s-ble3sid mawnin'? Go fotch
some mo- fiah-wood dis minute. Yo'
heah?'
A turbaned head poked itself
through the door, with a good-natured
leaf-brown face beneath it, which
broadened into a wide smile as it's
owner bobbed energeticaily at Va
liant's greeting. "Fo' de Lawd!' she
exclaimed, wiping floury hands on
! Bingham apron. "Yo' sho' is up early,
| but All got yo' brekfus' ready, sun
"All right, Aunt Daphne. I'll be
back directly"
He sped down to the lake to plunge
his head into the cool water and there
by sharpen the edge of an appetite
that needed no honing.
He came up the trail again to find
/ the reading-stand transferred to the
porch and laid with white cloth on
which was set steaming coffee-pot,
with fresh cream, saltless butter and
crisp hot biscuit; and as he sat down.
with a sigh of pure delight, in his
dressinggown "a creepy Japanese
thing redeemed from womanishness
by the bold green bamboo Of its de-
sign-Uncle Jefferson planted before
him a generous platter of bacon, eggs
and potatoes. These he attacked with
surprising keenness. AS he buttered
his fifth biscuit he looked at the dog,
rolling on his back in morning costa
sy with look of humorous surprise.
"Chum," he said, what do you
think of that? All my life a single
roll and a cup of coffee have been
the most l could ever negotiate for
breakfast, and then it was apt to taste
| like chips and whet-stones. And now
look at this plate!" The dog ceased
winnowing his ear with hind foot
and looked back at his master with
much the same expression Clearly
his own needs had not been forgot
ten
"Reck'n All bettah go ter git dat ar
machine thing" said Uncle Jefferson
behind him "Ol' CONAN, heah, she
low ter fix up de kitchen dis mawn-
in en- we begin on de house dis eve
nin.'
"Right-o," said Valiant Its ali up
hill. so the motor won't run away
with you Aunt Daphne, can you get
SOlUG uSip Will IAC ClCoAAhS'
"He'p?" that worthy responded with
fine scorn mo, sub. Moughty few,
in de town 'cepn low-down yaller new
issue trash Diet ain wu'f KILN! All
gwineter go fo' dat house mahsef 70
! long, hannah en- tongs, en- git it fix
up!"
splendid! My destiny is in your
hands. You might take the dog with
YOU Uncle Jefferson; the run will do
him good"
When the latter had disappeared
and truculent sounds from the kitchen
indicated that the era of strenuous
cleaning had begun, he reentered the
library. changed the water in the rose
glass and set it on the edge of the
shady front porch, where it's Haunting
blossom made a dash of bright Grim
son against the grayed weather-beaten
brick. This done, he opened the one
large room on the ground-foor that he
had not visited.
1t was double the size of the library,
a parlor hung in striped yellow silk
vaguely and tenderly faded, with a
tall plate mirror set over marble
topped console at either side. In one
corner stood grand piano of CircaS'
sian walnut with keys of tinted
mother of-pearl and a slender music
rack inlaid with morning-glories in the
same material. From the center of
the ceiling, above an oval table, de-
pended a great chandelier hung with
glass prisms The chairs and sofas
were covered with dusty slip-covers of
muslin. He lifted one of these The
furnished gold furniture was Louis
XIV, the upholstery of yellow brocade
with a pattern Of pink roses. Two
Japanese hawthorn vases sat on teak
wood stands and a corner held glass
90 III H. !