Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-05-15
Il III T. QU ALITY.

No. mas am said Laura. " we have be- n
here so long. and none have been to see US
until you. We were beginning to feel like un-
welcome intruders. But suppose they were
all much attached to the people who lived here
before US. and dislike seeing strangers in the
place of their old friends"
Oh, no that aint it; they was afeard to
come"
Afraid3'' said Laura, surprised . afraid
Of what?''
We'll, we heard you was all quality, if you
IRIS broke, and we was afcard we would git
ourselves into the wrong box. We've seed
them elephants and knows what they is" she
continued, nOdding her head knowingly.
Why, L did not suppose" said Laura
smiling, that we had anything 50 formidable
in this quiet little nook, and 1 am sorry that
our neighbors should make such bug-bears of
US, and suppose US wanting in civility to them. ,
oh, we wasn't amindin the civility. The
quality lays that on 40 thick minute till
You begin TO rub your eyes and wonder who
y"u Is-thinks sure you must be the Pope of
Rome 5 wife: then they push you one side be-
fore you know it, like as if you wasn't fitten to
tote they puppy dog. But theyse Sich a sight
Of trouble when folks begin to have anything to
90 with EN-. Now, thars the Featherc0ds
They lives eight miles of but the quality is a
sorter restless creeter that's alters wanderin
about outer their rage. Well, theys mighty
fine, and You see my daughter Betsy Baker
likes fine things. and took to em nightly She
was powerful anxious for 'em to come to see
her, so one Sunday she seed EN- all at meetin,
and axes EN- to come take dinner the next
Saturday. Well they all stood up thar in the
ineeen house an talked a power of dictionary
talk bout = exceedingly" an exquisitely.''
an = lnterchangin Of rural hospitality" but
whether they was a comm or no, Betsy she
couldn't make out. But hOwsOmever Betsy
lowed she better be on the safe side, so she
kept up mighty fxin all the week. When
saturday came she had everything as fine as a
bride : cake, 'ceptin the dinner Betsy lowed
sne wouldn't t put that on till she made sure if
they was comm. She had been working
mighty hard all the morning, her and the mig
gers, reddln up the house and dressin up their
sleeves. But when leyener clock come an no
quality, Betsy give EN- out, an they all took of
their Sunday close an went to Citing every day
dinner They had to hurry nightly, but it
was all ready arter a while. The hands was
wOrkln close to the house, so Betsy jest hollered
to EN- to come to their dinner. Arter the din
ner was all over, and everything washed up and
sot TO rights. an the niggers all sOt to work, me
an Betsy sOt down in the entry to cool and sew
Bout four o'clock Barney Baker he come
hack from the cOatOuse. says he, Betsy did
them hired men come into dinner1'' :. Law -
says Betsy, = was 50 taken up expecting them
FeathercOd folks to dinner, that forgot about
your hirin Bill and Jim Jones to split rails an
bein as theys so fur off, L reckon they didn't
hear when | called the hands in. didn't blow
the horn " COnfOUnd the quality" says Bar
ney, theys all Jest qualified for the Iunatiker
syium, and reckon you'll 60 along with EN-
just to be with the quality when they 60" an
he jeTke1 down the horn and blowed a blast
you would a thought all the stages that ever
run was irwin thar at Onst. Jest then we
heerd a mighty fuss in the front yard and when
we looked thar was fine carriage full o. wo-
men. with horses hitched up with fshin' seins
i cayortin about over the yard; and one o. the
pulled up niggers they had dressed up like SOL
gers settin on high bench outside the car
rage, was bounced oft like injin rubber ball
L thought the ereeter might be killed, and run
10 him, but he jumped right up and stood up
before me, an made sich a bow, you never seed
the like oft, jest like il part of his malish-
Us drill, an says he Mrs EeathercOd Miss
Feathercod, Miss Netty and Miss Angeline
FeathercOd. By that time Barney had got the
h0sses quiet. and says L, You, Mr.. Flunkey,
had better he aopnin the door an lettin them
folks out, StIdder standin here maxim manner"
50 he did it. 1t was well he told me who they
wuT, for such a looking cargo / never did see
before. They had the back Of their heeds xiv
cred with artificial flowers all fixed in little
hOunces, and little silk fans in their hands tbey
called sunshades; l reackOn they want much
acquainted with the sun, or they wouldn't
thought he was mindin them purity little
things Then they had hOunces all over their
frOck tails. and all over their capes. they called
" talmers;" and they was befOunced from the
tops of their heads TO The bottom of their feet
and all the fouuces pinted like windin sheets
only heap finer.
Betsy had run back soon as she got the fust
glimpse, cause she had on a mighty dirty frock
but she putt new white satin shawl all over her
and then she looked as fine "a any of 'em. and
aXed EN- 10 walk in. and tlke seats, and set
down. and be seated Arter a while she told
EN- she was a lOokin for 'em all the mornin
- Oh says old Miss EeathercOd. - we engaged
To be here To dinner; We never dine before four
and n wants some minutes to that now -" takin
out her fine gold watch. tho the clock was star
Tin right before her Betsy looked a. blank as
It she d run for sheriff and didn't get a vote
But she run right in the kitchen, and the way
she hOllered up dice, and Alec and Dina and
the whole tuckin of 'em from the later patch
and the wash tub, and the ironin board and all
quarters. want slow.
Soon as l got the quality all settled, went
cut 70 help poor Betsy. L was sorry for her
Sch a sight a. the kitchen was, Thar was half
picked turkeys, half killed chickens, everybody
runBin round. and Betsy lOOkin like she was
the demon Of cooks. Every side Of the kitchen
was hern. and she was turnin round all sides at
onet Says |, Betsy, honey, do let me help
you. Says Betsy, Law, mar what KEN Won
do, Do pray go long in the house and talk to
them ladies, and keep EN- from pryin about:
but for the Lord sake mar, don't talk nothin
lcwiife'
Well" says /, Betsy, will try to talk
anything You want me to. Says she. - Talk
about the fashuns. and Washington, whar they
went To last winter"
'' SO goes in. and says I, You all seed any
new fIshuns this year, Says one on 'em.
holdin up her head mighty high, We always
receive from our mantua-maker and milIiner
the latest styles, Well now saws |. Il
HoHSht you wouldn't spilled yourselves that
way. your own selves; an 10 and behole its that
manchermaker woman. She sent you all these
"utlandish jimeraeks. and thought you didn't
know DO better / don't know what made
Betsy think they d like to talk about the fash
uns. for they didn't L was cute enough to see
mat IN a minute; 80 tried Washington. Says
1. You was to Washington last winter2' Saws
one, mighty brisk, Yes, we went to see our
uncle take his seat in Congress as an honorable
representative Well, says /, if | aint
clean beat, So Jake FeathercOd is a COngris
man Well, if he ken make speeches a fast as
he Ken lay bricks, ges glib one But don't