Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-06-09
BRICK POMEROY ANDHIs PENN
NAH,
She could't helpit!
Nor could II

She could't helpit!
Nor eould /!
1t rained all day, and all night, all th'
nextd day, and all the day before. Three days
/ was walking from plantation to town, neal
Macon, District of Bill Arp. think il
rained, as usual. | saw her gliding rom
cabin to cabin, from negro house to abode
of negro, like baby duck, much, on the
waddle. She carried little cadiss in hei
one hand, and in her other she held high
towards the cerulean her skirts-and all
sich. She was tall-lovliness on stills.
saw her from the distance she had black
stockings, wore blue garters, and moved
like doctor on a visit to his first patient
l hastened to overtake her. / slid my
umbrella over her waterfall. l asked her to
excuse me, she did and hitched crooks al
once. | was in my element And in mud
The woman was in white. She was a
lblushing daughter of New England. She
was gay damsel of many seasons. She was
polisher of Hams, She knew much about
hams. She was sylph-like educator Of
nigger-rooms. She taught education to the
ivorites-She left the white regions and
friends of New England to come South and
teach the Hams-the little Hams by day
and the big Hams by night, as she
continued her teachings by lightwood fires
in a dark wood cabin.
went home with her. She told me all
l could no more. She was a feminine
Yankee. She wanted stamps. Home was
nothing she was on the make. She had not
character sufficient TO teach school in New
England, she was not hansome enough to
go to New Orleans by sea and ride happi-
ness on the Evening Star" so she became
a negro schoolist. As a beauty she was
not above par, nor much else. As a school
ist she was not brilliant Smoked glass was
not needed. As lover of Hams, she was
not severe, but when it came to stamps, she
wore her prettys all the time. She told
me that her fathers name war Stone. Her
name was Penninah Stone. Itwas Bible
name-it meant Precious Stone. She was
Stone. Penninah Stone.
Being from home L was not accountable,
so | made love to her. We wandered TO
her abode. We ceurted till morning. Then
] went with her to school. She moved among
the Hams like silver thimble in dripping
painful of breeches buttons. She wasn't
much of catch, but better than no catch.
She was one of the stoutminded. Her early
years was spent in chewing gum, wedding
onions, pounding stone and such little
amusements, incidental to New England
couped with psalm-singing and praying
for damnation to rest upon all who were
sinners. 60
Peninnah was a sprightly sylph. She
could harness an OK, split rails, stick hog
and do all manner of such music
We loved. 1t was q matter of profit.
Being New Englander, She had no heart
Simply Stone. Harder than brick. My
cherished one in one volume as yet unopened
and unread. We walked about among the
cabins of her lambs. She was chief
engineer Of nigger teaching shop, and
of a hair oil trunk. We meandered under
the black jacks and huney. suckles. First
she'dsling her arms abont my neck and kiss
me then she'd kiss the little lambs. Said | ::
"Peninnah, sweet one, why kissest thou
the little he thopians ~
Then she bent her eyes into mine and
said:
"1he more we kiss'em the more hair oil,
brass rings, photographs and playthings We
sell 'em
All, l see-charming Peninnah-kiss
'em-kiss 'em all around-from cabin to
cabin-Ham to Ham-from infancy to old
age-and sell 'em gewgaws, for OF such is
the kingdom of New England and he tho
plans are the profit.
And We sat on messy bank, watching
the little Hams basking in the sun as they
wallowed in the warmth, and thus twisted
our love together Said my sweet PENN
nah:
"Oh, Brick, its nice Let us wed and
be happy. Pll support you I'm Yankee
schOolist not handsome enough to be orna-
mental, or should have gone farther south !;
but Pm several on the make. I'll make
mutton of these lambs in time. There's
no need of us at home, so | came here to
make my money. | kiss the little Hams
Epet 'em and caress 'em-I tell 'em that
the good Abraham was their Saviour, that he
sent me on purpose that love them 40
dearly: that they are, oh so sweet to me J;
and that in a few years each of them, male
and female, shall be in Congress from
Massachusetts. And | pats their little
heads and kiss their lips, and sell them
primmers and readers at five hundred per
cent. profit, and l sell 'em 'purty things"
and fines 'em for not learning their les
sons, and sells each Of 'em my photograph
for dollar, each of 'em blue clay grease for
half dollar box, and manage to diddle
the little Hams out of all their stamps and
to make teachin' big business. Amt a
nice girl, dear, dear, gentle Brick ?'
And she kissed me again and again, till
/ had link of wool left on my lips, when
she with smile pillowed my agile head
upon her spiral indicator and then went on /;
ooh it's nice to be he-thopian scheolist
We are from home. We are on the make
There are some teachers here that are good
but not sharp. They don't speculate as we
do. They simply teach for their salaries.
But they are not Yankees, only half breeds.
| can make enough here in a year, off and
on, TO buy plantation, then well set up
for nabobs Let us we'd I'll teach EN- !;
you soap 'em. Wen wed. You go north
as a southern loyalist; I'll go north as an
injured female; we'll do the darkies, and
then do the soft ones in the north. This
is big business. I'm from New England /;
on the make: lets unite and be happy.
Pm TO wed Peninnah. She is a most
desirable darling. So sweet, 80 kind, so
financial in affections, such devoted chris
tian that | know shall be happy And we'll
be rich While / whine injured loyalty up
north Peninnah will skin the Hams here
Well soon be bond holders, free from
taxation, and regular New England
aristOcrats. Bring me little niger.
Eel, Jan, -, g.