Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1854-07-01

0u had better let Abranam nave MS OWL
way, Thorpe --
MAS Thorpe, I've got fust rate coon trap
s'Hang your coon traps." cries Thorpe, Civ
| ing the door vigorous kick, and making hi:
exit in ''raging humor."
| In half an hours time, Abraham emerged
from the room with the mornings smile deep
ened into broad and self-satisfed grin. 'Lool
you, Dr." said he, as he entered the kitchen,
"missus says you mus gim me fust rate sup
per, so stir round and git it ready. I'm des'
pirate hongry, tell you-aint eat nothin but a
tater since mornin'."
| "Why, daddy, you must be almos' perishin
for something to eat for shure, and while I'm
gettin things ready, jst tell me what you and
missus been talking aboutf''
sIts none of your bisness, gal, as tole Jim
| Allen dis nornin, when he had the imperence to
| AZ me de same request. Says l, Jim Allen ten
| to your cotton, dats your bisness; tens to
your soul, dats my bisness."
"But, daddy, amt Jim Allen, you know!
"Look you, gal," cried Abram, bursting out
into very unclerical "gufaw," 81 reckons
know the diffrence atwixt my own da'ter and
| another mans son. Eff had wished yer to
know, you tink I'd axed missus for private
con con. Look you, gal! you'se imperent as
Jim Allen" continued he, rather savagely, be-
cause he had forgotten how to say confidential
conversation"
"Well, daddy, do fur goodness sake eat your
vittles, you can't quarrel with 'em, fur its what
the Buchra eats demselves."
Abraham ate his supper in grim silence, and
feeling somewhat molliied by the GO vittles," bid
his daughter to look out for I" somthing sur
prisin," and wended his way to his own domi-
Gil.
The next morning Abraham had every car
penter upon the island ranged Indian file -
before ssthe House,
"Now Dr." said he to his daughter, "tell
missus dey is all here" -a-
''Missus jist Citing up, daddy"
Sc 'Nebber mind dat, tell her dey is all here
waitin for her orders" Mrs. Gozequil soon
made her appearance, and gladdened Abraham's
heart with her 9'good morning Abram; you
are earlys"
"Pse been up two hours afore cock crow,
missus, waitin fur de sun to rise"
"Boys," said Mrs. g., addressing the negro
carpenters, who stood quietly in file wondering,
in the name Of all that was good, bad and in
different, '.what had come over ole missus and
uncle Abrum." Boys, have given you in
charge of Abraham from now until Saturday af-
ternoon. Whatever he directs you to do must
be obeyed as coming direct from me. Now 60,
all of you, into the kitchen, and if Diana's
countenance tells the truth, you will not leave
as hungry as when you entered it." ssTank
you, missus; we all know what good cook
Di is.'' .z-. .,..@
"Now look yar limbo! "a corruption" 7"
with a vengeance! James Bowes was the name
of the "colored" individual in question: Use
gwine to have no time wasted, and you fellers
must eat your vittles quick tell you. When
gifts up you mus all do de same-dats order
number you yerra dat?
Abraham succeeded in getting his forces at
work an hour after "sun up" The sound Of
saw and hammer was continuous from morn
until ss sundown." Abraham was bent on ac-
complishing his purpose, and kept half dozen
urchins about him, to save the carpenters from
any unnecessary trouble. Water was brought
from the spring and food from the ''quarters +"
and had it been in Abraham's power he would
have made them sleep at their posts to be ready
all the earlier in the morning.
"Why don't you let the men 60 home to their
dinners uncle ,Abram p asks Thorpe, who having
volunteered his services, received the appoint
ment Of prime minister to his reverence the
Patriarch. NJ s.4s. Hgz ss-g @:
.Why Mas Thorpe, ef lets em out of my
sight dem stay too long in de cabin, and ef
don't git this thing done by Saturday evening it
wont git done at all. When q nigger gifts in
his cabin and smells de bacon and hoe cake,
and sees his pipe ON de harth, he looks at his
bed as much as to say "when I'm done eaten
and smokin, Fse gwine to lie down and Sleep"
Eh! Mas Thorpe! when . niger sleeps, he
sleeps for sure Z" By Saturday evening the
g idea had become IN ssevident and fixed fact"
The old barn q stood " . charged object; every
bench made by time and tempest had been re-
paired, wide pulpit had been s'knocked up"
and benches and chairs of home manufacture
were ranged in due order on both sides of the
room. Abraham had indeed begged hard for
i" sartain steeple," but this, his mistress told
him must be deferred until the carpenters were
more at leisure.
Regularly every Sunday the meeting house
Was filed with the plantation negroes of all ages
sexes and conditions. The Driver threw aside
the dignity Of his Office and fraternised with the
spruce house servants forgot their
and patronising airs, and held
confidential conversations with their old play
fellows. New headkerchiefs and flaming calicoes
1n one side Of the room, varied with each in
The brillancy Of their hues on the other, stiff
shirt collars, swallow tailed coats, while pants
md polished boots shone in comparison with the
dark tunmentionables' round jackets and well
creased shoes Of the field hand
There is but one other superanuated negro in
he room He sits upon that seat nearest the
pulpit, his chin resting upon his folded arms
looking out lazily upon the fields. His hair is
IS white as the cotton which in his younger
lays he had helped to pick and gin. He is re-
narkabie for having in his youth beheld Cen
.ral GEoHGE WASHINGTON. His description Of
hat old hero is glowing ii the extreme he
.ndows him with all the vigor and strength of
Hercules, the statue Of an Ajax, and the virtues
# God. His steed was of the purest breed,
milk white, feet . the wind. and Of most power
Ny