Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1864-03-04
The Market Woman of San Do
mingo.

beside our hotel in San Domingo, usin
g the little Spanish l knew, with an oil
negress, and she using all the American
she could, to sell me six beautiful oran
ges, when l was startled by hearin,
some one, in good round English, say !:
Good morning, madam
! replied, Good morning. and turned
to see who had spoken SO pleasantly
, for the voice and the familiar words il
that strange place stirred me with emo
tion.
This is sweet morning, madam
1T is, indeed, and made all the more
pleasant by meeting one with whom ]
can exchange familiar words. May
ask where you learned to speak them !?
| put this question because there was
unmistakable evidence on the woman's
face that European and African bloods
were mingled in her veins. She was
tall, symmetrical, almost white, with
hair glossy, and wavy, and black as mot
a ravens wing) but as the diamonds of a
coal mine, just brought TO light and fash
ing the hues of the rainbow in the sun.
Unlike those about her, her head was
unturbaned, and her hair was gorgeous
There was strange, wild look in her
piercing eye, and something in her face
that made one shudder. What was it?
Before l had time to answer this ques-
ton to my own mind, she replied to the
first as to her native land.
in the United States, madam, 1 learn
ed it.
'Ay, that is my country and held
out my hand for a friendly recognition.
And where do you live in the States ?
In the city of Baltimore. | was born
there, and brought TO this island when /
was nine years old, with the colony that
came in 1924
She had solved the mystery. 1t was
the blending of youth and mid age, and
record of wrong written in every line
of her still youthful and beautiful face,
that gave that look.
Noticing my puzzled expression, she
asked.
DO you know OF Baltimore P
%. yes
DO you?' she said, eagerly. May
be you would not like to tell me about
Baltimore
She lifted her eyes pleadingly.
%, yes l replied, would like to tell
you all know about the great city,
4 have never seen any one to ask
since l left there was her response
But what of Baltimore ?
told her of its growth in wealth and
power, its monuments and public works,
its great railroads, etc.
She heard me quietly to the end, and
then, with disappointed look, she said !:
Not that, not that. Will you be angry
if ask you something else ?
On my signifying that l certainly
would not, she dropped her tall head till
the CLASSY waves of her hair almost touch
ed my cheek, and Kissed rather than
whispered these terrible words
when l lived in Baltimore they used
to sell people like me. My mother was
my masters child, and l was his daugh-
ter. My mother angered him and he
sold her-my beautiful mother-to work
in the rice swamps of Georgia, and sent
me here to pine alone. Are they doing
that thing now"
Doing that thing now,' replied, just
as they did them
She raised herself erect, her dark eyes
flashed like lightning, and lifting her
hands above her bead in an attitude of
supplcation, she cried out, as if pierced
to the soul:
% God! @ God Doing that wick
edness all these years Why dost Thou
not send war, and plague, and famine,
and smite the wickedness o. that people
till not one stone shall be left upon an
other! o God, doing that wickedness
all these years
Her cry drew upon her hundred
eyes. Some one stepped between US
and when ! turned to look, the market
woman was gone.
bought no oranges that morning.
Night had settled at early dawn upon my
spirit. Above, below, at the right and
al the left, there was only darkness and
gloom. | sought the remotest room in
the old ruin, wondering if my own be-
loved country would awake from its night
mare sleep of slavery ere the curse sho'd
fall, and set myself to jot down the event
in my diary, and from its notes now pen
this tale.
Is the prayer to be fully answered ere
our people yield? Will the bes. blood
of the nation flow like rivers, and fire,
pestilence, and war sever and blight us
as they did San Domingo-leaving ev>
erywhere only ruin and desOlatiOn-ere
we
"Ceaso to do that wickedness,'
And 1et all the oppressed go free ?"
u