Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1915-01-27
CHAPTER x.
The Hunt.


He aWOke to a musical twittering
and chirping, to find the sun pouring
into the dusty room in a very glory.
He rolled from the blanket and stood
upright, filling his lungs with a long
deep breath of satisfaction He felt
singularly light-hearted and alive. the
bulldog came bounding through the
window, dirty from the weeds, and
flung himself upon his master in a
canine rapture
Get OUT" quoth the latter, laugh
ing. Stop licking my feet! How the
dickens do you suppose I'm to get into
my clothes with your ridiculous antics
going on? Down, | say! Hark!" He
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 pleintive cadence.
Good morning, Uncle Jefferson"
The singer broke off, set down the
twig-broom that he had been welding
and came toward him. "Mawnin', suh
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 delu-
sion when l imagine l smell coffee?'
Just then there came a voice from
the open door of the kitchen: Calls
yo'se'f er man, yo' trifiin' recon
structed niggah! Wen marstah gwine-
ter git he brekfus' wild yo' ramshack-
lin eroun' wild dat dawg all his
Gawd s-blessid mawnin'? Go fotch
some mo- fiah-wood dis minute. Yo'
heah?'' -4--@.--r,~.. Il. ..--.-.-r>, r-.
A turbaned head poked itself
through the door, with good-natured
leaf-brown face beneath it, which
broadened into a wide smile as its
owner bobbed energeticaily at Va
liant's greeting ''Fo' de Lawd!" she
exclaimed, wiping fioury hands on a
bingham apron. "Yo' sho' is up early,
but All got yo' brekfus' ready, suh."
"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 q white cloth on
which was set a 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
dressing-govn - 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
a surprising keenness. AS he buttered
his fifth biscuit he looked at the dog,
rolling on his back in morning costa
sy, with a look of humorous surprise.
"Chum," he said, what do you
think of that? All my life a single
roll and cup Of coffee have been
the most I could ever negotiate for
breakfast, and then it was apt to taste
like chips and whet-stones. And now
look at this PLATED" The dog ceased
winnowing his ear with a 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. COZ CONAN, heah, she
low ter fix up de kitchen dis maWn-
in en- we begin on de house dis eve
MIN"
"Right-o," said Valiant. Its all up
hill, SO the motor won't run away
with you Aunt Daphne, can you get
some help with the cleaning?"