The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1862-10-17
blood. Dey doesn't know what natural

didn't she b'long to him. Mars, l mean,
miss, dat pore chile is taken ten whippings
on her poor back, cause she resisted evil,
'cordin' to the way brought her up. And
finally ole massa swore with most tarrible
oaths, dat she should do as he said, or he
would sell her. Well, anything was better
dan dat disgrace, so after he'd give her big
beating, he sold her to wicked man, who
boasted dat he would git his thousands for
her. Just Gen dis war broke out, an though
he took her away, | has hopes dat she is still
de same good, pious girl she was. Oh, DEAR
miss, if | only knowed! is prayed to God
for her on my knees all night-yes, till de
morning broke. An pears 'sif God would
hear my poor prayers-'pears 'sif He did an
swer EN- till my pore ole heart. We leads in
His blessed Gospel dat He does. AID dar
was two, my ole man an me-tLough sure
sometimes poor Abram he'd 20 to sleep right
in the middle Of de prayer. But de good
God, He knew how hard pore ole man use
ter work an He knowed dat de sperit will
lin, but de body mighty weak, for Abram he
had de rheumatis bad, deed he had.'
This blending of the pathetic, the reveren-
tial and the ludicrous, was almost too much
for me; but l conquered my inclination to
smile, for the sake of her hearty earnestness,
and out of sympathy, for her story impressed
me most painfully.
Perhaps she has escaped said.
4 dunno, missus; pears if dars danger for
her on every side, poor chile. She wouldn't
have nobody to perfect her, an how'd she
find de way? Sides, l kinder 'fraid some oh
de soldiers might be rude to her; dey is,
sometimes, to poor slave girls. Is seen ii
myself, specially if deys good looking
How many children have you had, aunty?
rs had seventeen, miss
And are most of them living?'
4 thanks God, no, missus,' she said, with
the most solemn accents. Oars only three
as may be; de rest de good Lord took to
Hisself Nine of dem died when dey was
babies. You see, miss, had hard missus
at fust. 1t always seemed my luck to have
hard missuses, and she kept me for hire, an
had to tote out every day to do hard wash
ings den almost every night had to was!
and clean for missus, an dat done, took al
my strength, you sees, and killed de poor
children. Dey alters come into de worlC
weak and sicky. an den, you see, | has tc
leave 'em an can't tend to 'em, possibly, ID,
babies has to be that is delkit, and so Is lost
em. But, o, Is mighty glad, nissus, for
thinks the good Lord don't make no differ
ence i'll the other world, and my poor li,tl.
| pican;nnies wasn't none of 'em black, miss
Deys happy, if der poor old moder is misera
ble'
The utter mournfulness with which sh,
ended this sentence drew the tears to m,
eyes.
Five of dem, missus, lived to be grove,
up gals, den somehow dey sunk down one af
ter de oder-some of dem after dey was mar
ried-and died. You see dey hadn't no con
stitutions, no way, poor things. Oars thre
may be living--I don't krow-deys de likeli
est, and sold away up in Georgia, for hou,
servants
had little further conversation with ,h
old negress, anC then, after receiving The he
she had come for, she took her leave.
Just one week ago some one told me tha
Aunt Kate wanted to see me again. | Wa
j rather anxious for another interview, and vi
lipgly requested her immediate presence
r She entered the room as tall, as clean. s 1T
Y spectful as ever, but her intelligent face WI
t cleaning with happiness. 1t was so brigh
!, that exclaimed,
why, Aunt Kate, what good thing h;
;, hsppened2 p
r 20, sweet MISS cried the woman, liftin
(; her hands, Jest Joice with me. Is found m
1 lilly
e why, aunty, I'm very glad. How did
e happen:e'
S why it jest happen dis yer way said Il
t old woman, laughing till every wrinkle shon
: rs in de market buying some tomats for n
e ole man, when yeller boy, right smart al
, handsome, come up and KEEP peering inter n
= face. Well, thinks, what does he mean ?
S, He's right sassy, anyhow. But, bymeby,
comes up and lafs right in my face. 4 rec
on your names Morrison, amt it?' says h
e Says /, AN what then, boy9
"Nothin, says he, only how dye do, c
,e mother? p and he got hold of my hand. al
y went to shakin it right smart.
re "Who are you, boy y?' says l, for l did,
know him.
at "Why, Is Tilly's husband says he.
ID with that jest could knocked him.
didn't know what to do. l was wild, thin
l ing this an thinking that-and all mount
r. to nothing.
N Says I, Boy, is you foolin' me?'
u Says he, No, l tells ye I'm Tilly's h
IS, band. Iknowed you in minnt by wi
es she said-'cause, laws, she's all de time
ID talking about you-and she 'scribed you
nd lilly run away, she did, an fust thing {
e, knows she's into our camp, and golly, f
I'd thing l knows, Is married to her. It's
O, right, and no mistake, mother, and I'm "
,s, lovin' son, cause Tilly she's fine girl, T.