Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1869-02-04
Cilla,s Thanksgiving.
n MARY DALLAS.


ella sat on low stool, pairing apples
for pie The door Of the kitchen stood
wide open. and the warm Indian summer
air rufacd her crisp black waves of hair
little, and played with the narrow bit OF
ribbon at her throat without and within
were all signs of New England farmhouse
plenty, and every one in sight, from the
trim mistress of the house to the small
boy who made himself useful for his
board, were busy with preparations for
"Thanksxiving;" but there was no thanks
giving in elias face-that strange face
which would have boosted of patrician
beauty but for the dusky shadow of her
mothers race that brooded over it. She
sat still and did not sing her full lips
had just a tinge of purple at their edges !;
one caught no glimpse of her white teeth.
The kitten rushed frantically across the
floor and pulled at her apron string, but
she never looked at it.
Her MISTRESS white baby crawled softly
in, cooling and Growing, and climbed up
at her knee She only put him down
gently, and once more on her face the
shadow orept darker and darker, and the
eyelids grew heavier, as though unshed
tears were under them.
THAT amt much of a thanksgiving
face, ella. You, that ought to be SO
thankful, too"
What for, missus = asked Cilla look
ing mp.
The Yankee woman stared ut her.
"p'rhaps You don't realize that you're
free woman, ella Z" she said sharply
Eyes. missus, | do" said ella, with
sort Of moan. :" Pears | can't forget it
minnie it's sn loneSDme"
Whats lonesome, the kitchen 2" asked
her mistress.
"Eein' free" said ella.
after all we've done for you 2" gasped
the farmers wife. After prayin', and
workin', and sendin' our best and dearest
to shed their blood for you-yes, it was
for you-you black folks Twas so or
dained. Nothin' bat white blood ever
could have set you free, and here YOU are
to-day, with all your chains shook off
every one of you, and you talk so. ella,
I'd be ashamed of you, only that you are
poor. ignorant crtter, that amt capable
of knowing good from bad l reckon
on has been mighty good to me, Mis-
sus" said CHA, "but what I'm thinking
of i Zaok, Pears like | dunno about this
bein' free, but to home there was the
kitchen, and arter dark kinder shined it
up and made pone and coffee, and lack
they let him come. Jack drove, you
know, and Missus, gave rs 4 wedding, and
me a white frock. Missus, she was pow
erful good. Both of 'em was old and 10
memhered eonrtin' times Says She we
won't ssii you apart, and when we die
you viii have your freedom hadn't no
children, You know, to leave us to-
Poor benixhted critters, as if flesh and |
L AZ L,
ella went on without hearing.
They hadn't any more people only us I
--ah the times WAS good until war come:
and then there was the house afire and ,
missus and me runnn' off for orr lives.
and Massa only finding US jest to lay down
and die, and Mlssus dyin' after the last bit |
she eat, give to her like she was a beggar
and then the minister gentleman, he |
bring me North and | amt seen Jack |
since. Never shill now; they have killed |
him, likely, some of them"
The rebels, you mean 7" asked the |
mistress
Some of em-don't make no matter if |
they was North or South, so they
killed ,ck, said ella. mo, Missus, !
can't help il, free ant nothing to III =
White folks meant well, / reckon, but II
all they did for me was TO kill Tack now
do YOU expect me to keep Thanksg' VIM"
You poor benighted critter," 50 ID Mrs.
Baker. as she hurried away. IT'S not
your fault--it's that of them II mt fetched
you up-but | see you don't 50 much as
know what has baen done : or Won"
But there the bells beg N to RING. and
away hurried Mrs Rake - ,,.,ol, ~ bo,,s
and girls into th" light wagon" and
ciiin"er ai'er 'heih Upon the seat beside
her husband.
At home. Gil worked on in the kitoh-
en-, dong all 4eftly and briskly enough,
but heavy # heart, nevertheless. Her
heart was III the past.
SKID der seems | never told Zack how !
keer'-d for him, said ella Wonder if
he knowed = and that remorseful wonder
haunted her through the noon-tide dinner
serving, and made her gloomier and sad
ser still.
Seems as if all our labor was thrown
away" said Mrs. Baker, ''if many colored
folks don't realize their freedom morn
ella docs"
There was a family party at the Bakers
that eveniug-mu,ic and dancing and "A
supper. ella thought of the Christmas
dance, "wat down south" OF how lack
did the double shuttle and cut the pigeon
wing. She had tecn told to come in and
look on" aud She did. it. but no lightness
came into her heart. Serving the coffee
she helrd the chat!
Old Ms Ruby talked with Deacon Ba-
ker IN corner.
"Your'n came from down South z" she
asked. 80 did mine. THEY'RE a shift
less lot--hard To teach. and gin to grumb
lin
Don't realize their freedom" said the
deacon-Cilla knowing Of what they
spoke though their voices were low
''but they'll hallelujah after awhile"
There was one To our house this morn
IN" said Mrs Ruby-' kinder cream
colored oue--wanted vittles l gin him
some and tract He couldn't read it
but / told him to get somebody to do it for
him. He didn't realize things, neither.
Said it Seemed kind o mean not to belong
to nobody faint their fault; it's kind
o crushed out of EN-"
Hire him :" asked the deacon.
No" said Mrs. Ruby but he'll sleep
in the barn tonight. You wantin
hand 7"
Dunno but might said the deacon
-"Thevro trouble though they're CON
trabanda. But ! reckon I'd try him. Just
come up. has he y
And then CHA slipped in between them,
tray in hand.
'.Scuse me, missus,' she said but this
here nigger---'
"Colored man, you mean, Cilla,' said
the deacon.
ayes eah-colored man He didn't
mention nobody by the name of lack, did
he$"
mo- said Mrs Ruby; talked about
his wife IA bit, but no one e Sc"
'Missus is quite certain sure z" asked
ella. You see he mought have knowed
lack"
Pm quite sure, Cilla,' said the old
lady.