The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-10-26
A Powerful
Gtinulant
BY OSCAR cox

miss Brown, eff yo don mind l IKE
to have 20 come take keer o de chi
len. Ma wife's powerful weak ant
can't do nothin' ut all She's goin' tt
de hospittle dis afternoon
Miss Brown, colored girl twenty
years Of age, said she wouldn't mme
obliging Mr.. Jones. 1t occurred to he
that If Mrs. Jones should die she might
be Mrs. Jones herself. Jones was q
well to do darby on the shady side o
forty and had three pickaninnies. Miss
Brown supported herself by washing
and ironing and thought that II she
could permanently change her occupa
ton to taking care of family 1t would
be an advantage.
"When do yo' want me to come, Mr.
Jones?" she inquired.
MA wife's gwine to de hospittle
about o'clock. Reckon yo' mought
come round about half past A."
"All right, Mr.. Jones; I'll be dar."
Mrs. Jones was removed In the hos.
pital ambulance on time. and half an
hour later Miss Brown, who was com
monty called Sue by her employers,
settled herself down In her place. The
children were playing In the street,
and Sue did not disturb them. She
was taking an eye inventory OF the
premises and making mental rear
rangement of the furniture when Mrs.
Jones would be removed from the hos
pital to the cemetery. Mr.. Jones, whose
name, stripped Of euphony, was simply
Nose, returned from conveying his
wife with a solemn countenance to
find that Sue had prepared cup Of
tea for him and had 1t set out on the
table with piece Of corn pone.
II thought yo'd come home needin'
somepin to brace yo' up, Mr.. Jones, "
said the girl
Her thoughtfulness braced up Nose
as much as the refreshments
"How did yo' leave yo' po' wife?" she
asked.
"Porely."
as she gwine to pull through"
"Don' know; she's powerful sick"
Mrs. Jones lost instead of gained
She was worried about her children,
and Nose found 1t necessary TO tell her
that he had secured the services Of
some one to take care of them. He did
not tell her that he had got young
woman, for he had seen evidences al
ready that she was expecting to step
into his wfe's shoes, and he knew that
this would worry her.
Perhaps 1t would have gone well
with Sue had she curbed her impa-
thence. Though Mrs. Jones was report
ed getting weaker every day, she hung
on In a very aggravating way. Sue got
tired asking Nose after his visits TO
the hospital how he had found his wife,
hearing only the repetition, "Porely,
very porely; she's gwine down hill pow
erful fast" So II occurred TO the girl
to go to the hospital and ask questions
on her own account. She bought five
cent posy and, appearing at the hospi-
tai door, was reeived by an attendant.
Tell Mrs. Jones'" she said, offering
the posy, dat a frien' oh de family
brought her de flowers and hopes she's
gettin' better"
The attendant took the flowers and
was turning away when Sue asked:
Mrs. Jones mighty sickT'
"She's very low"
mot long TO lib, | reckonT
'.Not long"
"'Bout how long she gwine TO las'f"
''The doctor doesn't expect her TO live
the week out"
Sue took her departure, greatly com
forted. The attendant took the posy 10
Mrs. Jones with the message Mrs.
Jones was too i'll TO appreciate the kind
attention. but the faculty Of curiosity
had not yet deserted her. and she asked
II the friend of the family had left
name. The nurse said she had not.
whereupon Mrs. Jones asked for a de
scription OF her and was told that she
was a trim colored girl about twenty
years old.
That night a hurry call was sent for
Nose 20 come TO the hospital 20 see his
wife before she died. Nose obeyed the
summons and found the invalid In a
state OF collapse. When told that her
husban1 was tnere hbe faiieut ana
Nose went 20 her bedside.
Nose" she said. TAX good care oh
de chillen when I'm daid"
"sartln."
.Gib all my frien's my Tub. and
thank De Guild gal 70 de flowers she
brgng me de udder day"
VIVA Guild gaiY"
Dunno. she said she was a frien'
~ de family"
Il wondr7-
Nose checked himself. but too late.
Urged % tell what be wondered AZ. be
admitted that sue might have left the
flowers. and when asked who Soc was
he admitted that she vas the woman
who was taking care u the children.
Perhaps Il was Moses evident desire
10 keep something hack AZ any rate.
the mother took fright She raised her
self With marvellous strength c0nsid-
ering Der condition and between the
nurse and her husband fut the story.
Including some admissions from she
laftef as % sues kind soiicifude in his
iahnif.
sYas Nos ne safa. @vg wnlfiu
Co. ne 70 die 70 marry dat gnlf'
4 halnt 10 sech thing
he gnrs unHln 81 me % De 20
Mars 81. 70 sross Ew-ius = turH
my chlmeB ol4r 80 a gri ne datf ~.
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