Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-02-25
.0ze Il.
NII||IANTSe(VI VIRGINIA
~ HAIII IErlINn RIVIS es s@s s,<az.)
n1U3TRk1ID s. LAUREN STOUT
- HAIIT TRfIINTT RTVS 81 s.;

tunes, too. S-sh!" she warned. "He'l
sitting on tho doorstep. He's hear
u.s."
The old negro had tho tsrso Of ,
black patriarch. He sat bolt upright
with long straight arms resting OF
his knees, and his face had that pc
culiar expressionless immobility seer
In Egyptian carvings. His age nigh
have been anything, Judging from hi
iced with innumerable tiny wrinkle,
that 1t most resembled the tortured
glaze Of some ancient bitumen pot
terry unearthed from q tomb of Kor
The judge dismounted, and tossing
his bride over . fence-picket. tool
from his pocket . collapsible drinking
cup. "Howdy do. Anthony" he said
I'VE Just stopped for q drink Of your
good water
The old negro nodded his head
Good watah." he said in the gentle
quavering tones Of extreme age. "Yas
Marse. Hep yo'se'f. Come fom he
centah oh de yerf, dat watah. En- dah's
folks say de centah Of de yerf is al
nah. Yo' reck'n dey's right, Mars
Chahmahs Z"
Nov, how the devil do you know
who I am, Anthony" The Judge Gel
down his cup on the well-curb. Il
haven't been by here for year.
The ebony head moved slowl. rom
side to side. "Or Ant'ny don need
no eyes," no said, touching his hand
to his brow. "Ae see ev'ythins heah.'
The Judge beckoned to the others
and they trooped inside the paling
i've brought some other folks with
me, Anthony; can you tell who they
are!'
The kghtless look wavered over
them and the white head shook slow.
~. Don know young mars,'" said
the gentle voice. How many yuddahs
wild yo'! One. two! No. don know
young mistis, eidah."
Il reckon you don't need any eyes,
Judge Chalmers laughed. az he passed
the sweet cold water to the rest. "One
Of these young ladies wants you to tell
her fortune"
The old negro dropped his head.
waving his gaunt hands restlessly.
The Judge beehoned to Betty Page,
but she shook her head with little
grimace and drew back.
you 90, Shirley" she Whispered,
and with . laughing glance 1t the
others. Shirley came and sat down on
the lowest step.
Mad Anthony put out wavering
hand and touched the young body.
His fingers strayed over the habit and
went up to the curling bronze under
the hat-brim. dis de iii mistis." he
muttered, "ain' afeahd oh Of Antny.
Dah's fab en- she ain afeahd, en- dah's
watah en- she ain afeahd. Wondah
whut All gwine tell huh? Whut de
coloh oh yo' haih. honey?"
BLACK" put n Chilly Lusk. with q
wink at the 9th, r.. BLACK as crow"
Old Anthony's hand fell back to his
knee. "Young mars laugh at de Of
man" he said, but he dom know. Dat
de coloh dat bu n NAH han's-de coloh
oh gor, en- eyes blue like or cat.bird's
aig. Dah's er an gwine look in dem
eyes. honey, en- gwine make EN- cry
en- cry" He Used his head sharply,
his lids shut ii ht, and swung his arm
toward the n rth. "Dah's whah b
come fom." he said. ZEN heah"-his
arm veered and he pointed straight
toward the ragged hill behind them
he stay"
Lusk laughed noiselessly. Hes
pointing to Damory Court" he whis-
pered TO Nancy Chalmers. 'the only
uninhabited place within ten miles.
That's Is near as he often hits 1t, I
fancy"
"Heah's whah he stay" repeated tho
old man. Heap OBJ trouble wait heah
TO- him too. honey,-heap oh trouble.
heah whah Ill mistis I'm him"
Come, Anthony" said Judge Chal
mers. laying his hand on the old mans
shoulder. That's much too mourn.
full! Give her something nice to top
on with, at least!"
But Anthony paid no heed. "Gr'et
trouble Dah's fab en- she ain afeahd
en- dah's watah en- she ain afeahd. On
All sees yo' gwine ter him, honey. All
heah's de co'ot-house clock a-strikin' in
de night-en 20 gwine. Don wait,
don wait, lii insists, er de trouble
cloud gwine kyah him erway rom 20
. When do clock strike thuh.
teen-when do clock strike thuh-
teen"
The droning voice ceased. The
gaunt form became rigid. Then he
started and turned his eyes slowly
about him, . vague look Of anxiety on
his face. For, . moment no one
moved. When he spoke again 1t was
once more in his gentle quavering
voice:
''watah! Vas. Mars. good watah.
Hep yo'se'f."
The judge set dollar bill on the
step and weighted It with q stone. -
the rest remounted. We'll. good-by,
Anthony he said. Were nightly
obliged"
He spranx into the saddle and the
quartette cantered away. MY expert
ment wasn't =, great success, I'm
afraid, Shirley" he said ruefully.
oh, think twas splendid" cried
Nancy. do you suppose he really b.
n