Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-02-26
THE OREGON SATURDAY

der" continued the DID man, never
needing, "wld a s'ord and say: I mex
you a knight Sub Robert. Rise up,
pure and fearless and widout re-
proach.' Dat what Miss Lucy say.
OATS been a long time ago, but me
nor you amt forgot It, And den dar's
another time we amt forgot-de time
when Miss Lucy lay on her las bed.
She sent for Uncle BushrOd, and she
say: Uncle Bushrod. when l die
want you to take good care Of Mr..
Robert. Seem like'-so Miss Lucy say
-'he listen to you mo- dan to anybody
else. He apt to be mighty fractions
sometimes, and maybe he cuss you
when you try to suade him, but he
need somebody what understand him
to be round wild him. He am like
little child sometimes Miss Lucy
say. wild her eyes shinin' in her po',
thin face-'but he always been'-dem
was her wOrds-'my knight, pure and
fearless and widout reprOach.
Mr.. Robert began to mask, as was
his habit, a tendency to softhearted-
ness with a spurious anger.
"YOu-yOu old wlndbag!" he growled
through a cloud of swirling cigar
smoke. 81 believe you are crazy. l
told you to so home, Bushrod. Miss
Lucy said that. did she? Well, we
haven't kept the escutcheon very clear
Two years ago last week, wasn't it,
BushrOd, when she died? Confound
1t! Are you going to stand there all
night gabblng like a coffee colored
ganderY
The train whistled again. Now it
was at the water tank, mile away.
"Marse Robert" said Uncle Bush
rod, laying his hand on the satchel
that the banker held; for Gawds
sake don take dis wild you. knows
what's In 1t. | knows where you got
1t in de bank. Don kyar' 1t wild you.
Dey's big trouble In dat vallse for Miss
Lucy and Miss Lucy's child's chillun.
Hits bound to destroy de name of
Weymouth and bow down dem dat
own it wild shame and trlberlatiOn.
Marse Robert, you can kill dis ole mig
ger ef you will, but don't take away
dis 'er' yallse. II i ever crosses over
de Jordan what gwine to say to Miss
Lucy when she ak me, Uncle Bushrod
wharfO' didn' you take good care OF
Mr.. RobertY"
Robert Weymouth threw away his
cigar and shook free one arm with
that peculiar gesture that always pre-
ceded his outbursts Of irascibillty. I'm.
/ Gle Bushrod bowed his head to the ex-
pected storm, but he did not 1lnch. II
the house Of Weymouth was to fall he
would fall with It. The banker spoke
and Uncle Bushrod blinked with sur.
prise. The storm was there, but it was
suppressed to the Quietness Of sum
mer breeze.
"BushrOd," said Mr.. Robert in a low,
er voice than he usually employed
you have oyerstepped all bounds
You have presumed upon the eniency
with which you have been treated tC
medde unpardonably SO you know
what Is in this satchel? Your long
and faithful service is some excuse
but-gO home, Bushrod-not another
wOrdn'
But BushrOd grasped the satche
with frmer hand. The headlight Of
the train was now tightening the shad
Ows about the station The roar was
increasing, and folks were stirring
about at the track side.
'Marse Robert, gimme dis 'er' vallse
| got right, sub, to talk to you dis
err way. | slaved for you and tended
to you from a child up. went though
de war yO' body servant tell we whip
ped de Yankees and sent 'em back t
de moth. was at yo' weddin', anC
| was n fur away when yo' Miss. Lefty
was bawn. And Miss Letty's chilIun