Tempest and Sunshine

Next morning just as the town clock rang out the hour of eight, a

strange-looking vehicle, to which was attached a remarkably poor-looking

horse, was seen picking its way slowly through the upper part of Main

street, Frankfort. The driver of this establishment was a negro boy, whom

we readily recognize as our friend Ike. He was taking it leisurely through

the town, stopping before every large "smart" looking house to

reconnoiter, and see if it resembled the one his master had described.

At last he was accosted by a young African, who called out, "Ho, thar, old

boy! What you keepin' yer eyes peeled and yer' mouth open for? Is you

catchin' flies?"

"No, sar," replied Ike. "I's tryin' to find Miss Crane's boardin' house."

"Oh, yes; wall, it's up t'other way. You jist turn that old rackerbone of

your'n straight round and turn down that ar street, whar you see that

steeple, and, the fust house on the corner is Miss Crane's. But say, is

you and that ar quadruped jist out of the ark?"

"I dun know nothin' 'bout yer ark," said Ike, whose Scripture knowledge

was rather limited, "but I 'longs to Marster Josh, and I'm goin' to see

Miss Fanny--and now I think of it, won't you ride?"

"Lord, no," said the negro; "I'm in a great hurry; goin' arter the doctor

for ole miss, who's sartin she's goin' for to die this time."

"You don't seem in much of a hurry," said Ike.

"No," returned the other; "old miss has died a heap o' times, by spells,

so I reckon she'll hang on this time till I git back, jist so she can jaw

me for being gone so long."

So they parted, the stranger negro to go for the doctor and Ike to go to

Mrs. Crane's, with his berries, and Aunt Judy's cranberry pie. He had

often wondered during his ride whether Fanny would not give him a piece of

the pie. As often as this thought entered his brain, he would turn down

the white napkin, and take a peep at the tempting pastry; then he would

touch it with his fingers and finally take it up and smell of it just a

little!

While he was making his way into Mrs. Crane's kitchen, Julia and Fanny

were in their room, the windows of which were open and looked out upon a

balcony, which extended entirely around the house. There was no school

that day, and Fanny was just wishing she could hear from home when a

servant entered the room and said there was a boy in the kitchen, who

wished to see Miss Fanny.