The Boss of Little Arcady

true, have caused adverse comment in our watchful little town; but the spot was secluded from casual censors. And it was pleasant to sit there on a summer morning over an omelette and bacon, coffe

he wall of vines, to place my chair in the shaded corner, and to fetch the incomparable results

was of the same close-woven salt-and-pepper mixture. His eyes were wells of ink when the light fell into them,-sad, kind eyes, that gave his face a look of patient service long and toilsomely, but lovingly bestowed. It is a look telling of kindness that has endured and triumphed-a lo

ss aplomb. As he served me those mornings in late summer, wearing a dress-coat of broadcloth, a choic

se, with no one to make it a home for me, Clem was the barrier between me and the fare of the City Hotel. Apparently without suggestion from me he had take

f really vital facts in this big life-plot of which we are the puppets-events so incredible that to dwel

r, more purposeless cast than when it b

field, and of winning his dog-like devotion by subsequent valor upon other fields. "It was pathetic, and comical, too, gentlemen, to hear that nigger beg me on his bended knees to take better care of mysel

und the Colonel drunk on the streets of Cincinnati. He had gone there to seek a fortune for his "folks" and had f

iceman offaseh come up, an' he sais, 'Yeh, yeh! what all this yeh row about?' an' Ah sais, 'Nothin' 'tall, Mahstah p'liceman offaseh, Ah's jes' takin' Mahstah Cunnel Potts to his hotel, seh, with yo' kindness,' an' he sais, 'Git him out a yeh an' go 'long with yo' then,' so Ah led th' Cunnel off, seh. An' eveh hotel he seen, he sais, 'Yes, tha' she is-tha's mah hotel,' but the Mahstahs in th' hotels they all talk ve'y shawtly eveh time. They sais, 'No-no-g'wan, tek him out a' yeh-he ain' b'long in this place, that man ain'.' So we walk an' walk an' ultimately he sais, 'If Ah'm go'n' a' git mah eight houahs sleep this naght, Ah mus

lities which Clem had been accustomed to observe in those to whom he gave himself. Potts was at length speaking of h

nsciousness of his existence. It was said that their final disagreement hinged upon a matter of thirty odd

ock away from my place were now rented by him. Also he caught fish, snared rabbits, gathered the wild fruits in their seasons, and was janitor of the Methodist church; all this in addition to looking after my own home. It was not su

een told him in his Southland, where he had not learned to question or doubt. If so, his disappointment was not to be seen in his bearing. That look of patien

garden had sold well. Soon there would be half an acre of potatoes to dig, and now ther

ight brought for my pipe, Clem came from the kitchen with a new

g yo' t' see if hit's raght!" a

ns on

& W

r. Tu

is H

rave regard, then applauded the workmanship an

," delighting in his low, soft speech, wherein the vow

n now. Those people can't cla

ring it once more, I had braved his quick look of

funt matteh. Yo'-all see Ah was made oveh t' Miss Cahline pussenly by Ole Mahstah. Yes, seh, Ah been

free, just th

me with troub

Ah b'longed to Miss Cahline lak Ah endeaveh to explain. Ah was a house niggeh an' futhamoah an' notwithstandin' Ah was th' pussenal propity of Miss Cahline. Yes, seh, Ah b'long dreckly to huh-an' Ah bet them theah lawyehs at Wash'nt'n, seh, couldn't kentrive non

ughed aloud as he beheld the discomfiture of

our wife go?-that m

daid-an' then Ah mahied this yeh light-shaded gehl

roubled, but I

od deal of her, d

s in the bowl on the table, seeking a way to

o fo' 'em jes' lahk Ah was yeh.' An' young Mahstah Cap'n Bev'ly,-he's Little Miss's engaged-to-mahy genaman,-he sais, 'Clem, ef Ah doan' neveh come back, Ah pray an' entrus' yo'-all t' cyah fo' Miss Kate an' huh Maw jes lahk Ah was yeh on th' spot.' An Ah said, 'Yes, seh,' an' they ain't neithah one a' them eveh did come back. Mahstah Cunnel he daid by th' hand o' yo' Nawthen President at th' battle a' Seven Pines, an' Mahstah Cap'n Bev'ly Glentwo'th-yo

ining eyes. After a bit he said slowly, "Ah n

n wh

'Ve'y good, Clem-yo' all Ah got lef t' mah name,' an' so Ah come off. Then afteh while Little Miss she git resty an' tehible fractious an' she go off t' Baltimoah t' teach in th' young ladies' educationals, an' Miss Cahline she still theah waitin' f

topped to

ependent. Yes, seh, Ah'm gittin' th' money-reglah gole money-none a' this yeh Vaginyah papah-rags mo

ointed reference

el Potts lately?" I

' a-chestin' out his chest lahk a ole ma'ash frawg. 'Peah

n that Potts had been put beyon

IS CHEST LAHK A O

a battle-field, lying hurt beside an officer from his land who

ed as the blood oozed anew from his side, then pleaded with me to help him find the picture-to look under him and all about on the ground. Long I mused upon this, but at last my pipe was out, and I awoke from that