ars. Bill was a carpenter by trade, and by thrift and
industry saved money, bought land and built houses upon it, so that he
might leave comfortable homes for his many children. When the calamity
came which incapacitated him for further usefulness he had come into
possession of a whole block in the portion of the city known as "New
Town." His prosperity did not, however, lessen his activity; he forgot
that he was getting old, for his limbs were yet supple and his eyes
perfectly clear. He measured off his lumber and drove nails with the
strength and accuracy of a young man; yet, as death lurks in every
passing breeze, feeling well is no evidence of sound health or assurance
of long life. Bill Sikes seldom complained. Steady habits had made him
vigorous and confident; but one morning his fond wife stood in the door
and watched him as with head erect and firm step he strode away to his
work, only to be borne back to her at noon a helpless paralytic. "What's
the matter, William?" she asked tenderly, as loving hands lay him upon
the lounge before her. But the tongue which had bid her good-bye so
fondly that morning could not utter a word, and the eyes that had gazed
so sweetly into hers bespoke the bitter anguish of his soul as they
stared vacantly at her. "He's done fer," said one of the men, rubbing
his eye with the back of his hand. "The doctors seen him and says he
ain't fer long." "Speak to me, William," cried Mrs. Sikes, bending low
and pressing her cheeks against her husband's. He raised his arm to
caress her, but it fell again to his side.

But Bill Sikes did not die; he rallied; the lost strength gradually came
back to his palsied limbs sufficiently to enable him to hobble around,
and his tongue became light enough to utter words that could be
understood with difficulty. Full and complete recovery was impossible,
however; he was a child, helplessly clinging to his wife, whose burden
was increased tenfold with the larger children all away and management
of everything--the looking after their little store and other property
upon her shoulders; she felt that God had tried her as no other soul had
been tried. The property of Bill Sikes had for a long time been coveted
by his white neighbors, but even extortionate offers had been refused.
But the 10th of November offered a favorable opportunity for the
covetous to bulldoze black men who owned valuable real estate into
selling it at any price, and Mrs. Sikes was one of tha