CHAPTER VIII. OLD TIFF.

ent. "Laws,massa,datarsmokean'tgoodformissis,"saidTiff."Shedonebeensicktoherstomachallday." "Oh,lethimsmoke!Iliketohavehimenjoyhimself,"saidtheindulgentwife."But,Fanny,youhadbettergotobed,dear.Comehereandkissme,childgood-night,—good-night!" Themotherheldontoherlong,andlookedatherwishfullyandwhenshehadturnedtogo,shedrewherback,andkissedheragain,andsaid,"Good-night,dearchild,good-night!" Fannyclimbedupaladderinonecorneroftheroom,throughasquarehole,totheloftabove. "Isay,"saidCripps,takinghispipeoutofhismouth,andlookingatTiff,whowasbusywashingthedishes,"Isayit'skindofpeculiarthatgalkeepssickso.SeemedtohavegoodconstitutionwhenImarriedher.I'mthinking,"saidhe,withoutnoticingthegatheringwrathinTiff'sface,"I'ma-thinkingwhethersteamin'wouldn'tdohergood.Now,IgotamostdreadfulcoldwhenIwasupatRaleigh—thoughtIshouldhavegivenupandtherewasasteam-doctorthere.Hadalittlekindofmachine,withkettleandpipes,andheputmeinabed,putinthepipes,andsetita-going.Ithought,mysoul,Ishouldhavebeenfloatedoffbutitcarriedoffthecold,complete.I'mthinkingifsomethingofthatkindwouldn'tbegoodforMissCripps." "Laws,massa,don'tgofortotryingitonher!Sheisnevernobetterfordeseyerthingsyoudoforher." "Now,"saidCripps,notappearingtonoticetheinterruption,"theseyerstove-pipes,andthetea-kettle,—Ishouldn'twonderifwecouldgetupasteamwiththem!" "It'smyprivate'pinion,ifyoudo,she'llbesailingoutoftheworld,"saidTiff."What'soneman'smeatisanotherone'spisin,myoldmis'susedtosay.Verybestthingyoucandoforheristoletheralone.Datarismy'pinion." "John,"saidthelittlewoman,afterafewminutes,"Iwishyou'dcomehere,andsitonthebed." Therewassomethingpositive,andalmostauthoritative,inthemannerinwhichthiswassaid,whichstruckJohnassounusual,thathecamewithabewilderedair,satdown,andgazedatherwithhismouthwideopen. "I'msogladyou'vecomehome,becauseIhavehadthingsthatI'vewantedtosaytoyou!I'vebeenlyingherethinkingaboutit,andIhavebeenturningitoverinmymind.I'mgoingtodiesoon,Iknow." "Ah!bah!Don'tbebotheringafellowwithanyofyourhysterics!" "John,John!itisn'thysterics!Lookatme!Lookatmyhand!lookatmyface!I'msoweak,andsometimesIhavesuchcoughingspells,andeverytimeitseemstomeasifIshoulddie.Butitan'ttotroubleyouthatItalk.Idon'tcareaboutmyself,butIdon'twantthechildrentogrowupandbelikewhatwe'vebeen.Youhaveagreatmanycontrivancesdo,pray,contrivetohavethemtaughttoread,andmakesomethingofthemintheworld." "Bah!what'stheuse?Ineverlearnttoread,andI'masgoodafellowasIwant.Why,there'splentyofmenroundheremakingtheirmoney,everyyear,thatcan'treadorwriteaword.OldHubell,there,upontheShadplantation,hashauledinmoney,handoverhand,andhealwayssignshismark.Gotninesons—can'tasoulofthemreadorwrite,morethanI.Itellyouthere'snothingevercomesofthisyerlarning.It'sallasell—aregularYankeehoax!I'vealwaysgotcheatedbythemdamnreading,writingYankees,wheneverI'vetradedwith'em.What'sthegood,Iwanttoknow!Youwasteachedhowtoreadwhenyouwasyoung—muchgoodit'severdoneyou!" "Sureenough!Sickdayandnight,movingaboutfromplacetoplace,sickbabycrying,andnotknowingwhattodoforitnomorethanachild!Oh,IhopeFannywilllearnsomething!Itseemstome,iftherewassomeschoolformychildrentogoto,orsomechurch,orsomething—now,ifthereisanysuchplaceasheaven,Ishouldliketohavethemgettoit." "Ah!bah!Don'tbotheraboutthat!Whenwegetkeeledup,thatwillbethelastofus!Come,come,don'tplagueafellowanymorewithsuchtalk!I'mtired,andI'mgoingtosleep."Andtheman,divestinghimselfofhisovercoat,threwhimselfonthebed,andwassoonsnoringheavilyinprofoundslumber. Tiff,whohadbeentrottingthebabybythefire,nowcamesoftlytothebedside,andsatdown. "MissSue,"hesaid,"it'sno'counttalkingtohim!Idon'tmeannothingdis'pectful,MissSue,butdefacis,demdatisn'tborngentlemencan'tbe'spectedfurtoseethroughdeseyerthingslikeusofdeoldfamilies.Law,missis,don'tyouworry!Now,jestleavedisyermattertooldTiff!Dereneverwasn'tanythingTiffcouldn'tdo,ifhetried.He!he!he!MissFanny,shedonegotdelettersrightsmartandIknowI'llcomeitroundmas'r,andmakehimbuydebooksforher.I'lltellyouwhat'scomeintomyhead,to-day.There'sayoungladycometodebigplantation,updere,who'sbeentoNewYorkgettingedicated,andI'sgoingfortoaskheraboutdeseyerthings.And,aboutdechil'en'sgoingtochurch,anddeseyerthings,why,preaching,youknow,ismazin'unsartainroundherebutI'llkeepondelookout,anddodebestIcan.Why,Lord,MissSue,I'sboundforthelandofCanaan,myself,thebestwayIkenandI'msartainIshan'tgowithouttakingthechil'enalongwithme.Ho!ho!ho!Dat'swhatIshan't!Dechil'enwillhavetobewithTiff,andTiffwillhavetobewiththechil'en,whereverdeyis!Dat'sit!He!he!he!" "Tiff,"saidtheyoungwoman,herlargeblueeyeslookingathim,"IhaveheardoftheBible.Haveyoueverseenone,Tiff?" "Oh,yes,honey,darwasabigBiblethatyourmabroughtinthefamilywhenshemarriedbutdatarwastoreuptomakewaddingfordeguns,onethingoranother,anddeynevergotnomore.ButI'sbeenvery'serving,andkeptmyearsopeninacamp-meeting,andsuchplaces,andI'slearntrightsmartofdethingsthat'sinit." "Now,Tiff,canyousayanything?"saidshe,fixingherlarge,troubledeyesonhim. "Well,honey,dere'sonethingthemansaidatdelastcamp-meeting.Hepreached'boutit,andIcouldn'tmakeoutawordhesaid,'causeIan'tsmartaboutpreachinglikeIbeaboutmostthings.ButhesaiddisyersooftenthatIcouldn'thelp'memberit.Sayshe,itwasdishyerway:'Comeuntome,allyelaborandareheavyladen,andIwillgiveyourest.'" "Rest,rest,rest!"saidthewoman,thoughtfully,anddrawingalongsigh."Oh,howmuchIwantit!DidhesaythatwasintheBible?" "Yes,hesaidsoandIspects,byallhesaid,it'sdegoodmanabovedatsaysit.Italwaysmakesmefeelbettertothinkonit.It'pearedlikeitwasjistwhatIwaswantingtohear." "AndI,too!"shesaid,turningherheadwearily,andclosinghereyes."Tiff,"shesaid,openingthem,"whereI'mgoing,maybeIshallmeettheonewhosaidthat,andI'llaskhimaboutit.Don'ttalktomemore,now.I'mgettingsleepy.IthoughtIwasbetteralittlewhileafterhecamehome,butI'mmoretiredyet.Putthebabyinmyarms—Ilikethefeelingofit.There,therenowgivemerest—pleasedo!"andshesankintoadeepandquietslumber. Tiffsoftlycoveredthefire,andsatdownbythebed,watchingtheflickeringshadowsastheydancedupwardonthewall,listeningtotheheavysighsofthepine-trees,andthehardbreathingofthesleepingman.Sometimeshenoddedsleepily,andthen,recovering,rose,andtookaturntoawakenhimself.Ashadowysenseoffearfelluponhimnotthatheapprehendedanything,forheregardedthewordsofhismistressonlyastheforebodingsofaweariedinvalid.Theideathatshecouldactuallydie,andgoanywhere,withouthimtotakecareofher,seemednevertohaveoccurredtohim.Aboutmidnight,asifaspirithadlaiditshanduponhim,hiseyesflewwideopenwithasuddenstart.Herthin,coldhandwaslyingonhishereyes,largeandblue,shonewithasingularandspiritualradiance. "Tiff,"shegasped,speakingwithdifficulty,"I'veseentheonethatsaidthat,andit'salltrue,too!andI'veseenallwhyI'vesufferedsomuch.He—He—Heisgoingtotakeme!TellthechildrenaboutHim!"Therewasaflutteringsigh,aslightshiver,andthelidsfellovertheeyesforever.