Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1871-07-08
THE QUALITY.

1
been here SO long, and none have
been to see us until you. We were
beginning to feel like unwelcome
intruders, But l suppose they were
all much attached to the people who
lived here before us, and dislike see
ing strangers in the place Of their
old friends
oh, Eo, that amt it; they was
Sfeard to come
ATaid?' said Laura, surprised ;
afraid OF whatY
We'll, we heard that you were all
quality, If you was broke, md was
sfeard ne would git ourselves into
The wrong box. We've seed them
elephants and lnoNA rhat they 10,
she continued, nodding her hend
| knowingly
why, did not suppoNc, said
Laura, smiling. that We had any
thing so formidable in this quiet lit
tic nook, and | am sorry that our
neighbors should make such bug
bears of us, and suppose us wanting
in civility to them
'Oh, VIC wasn't amindin the civili-
ty. The quality lays that on so thick
one minute till you begin to rub your
eyes and wonder who you is--thinks
sure you must bo tho Pope Of ROme's
vito then thoy push you to ono side
before you know it, like as if you
wasn't flttcn to tote their puppy dog.
But thcyse sich q sight of trouble
when folks have anvthingto do with
'cm. Now, thar's the Feathcrcodes.
They lives eight miles of, but the
quality Is a sortcr restless creeter
that is alters q wandcrin about outer
thcir range. We'll, theys mighty
fnc, and you see my daughter Bet
scy Baker likes fine things, ard took
to en- nightly. She was powerful
snxiou, for 'em to come to see her,
so one Sunday she seed 'cm all at
mcetin, and axes 'Cm to come and
take dinner the next Saturday. Well,
they stood up thar in the meetin
house and talked a power of diction-
ary talk bout exceedingly an 'cx-
quisitely,' an interchangin Of rural
hospitality but whether they was a
comm or no, Botsey, she couldn't
make out. But howsomever, Bet
sey lowed she'd better bo on the
safe side, 80 she kept a mighty tixin
all the week. When Saturday came
sho had everything as fine as n brides
cake, 'ceptin the dinner. Betsey
flowed she wouldn't put that on till
she made sure if they was q comm.
| She had been workin mighty hard
all the mornin, her and tho niggers
| a reddin up the house and drcssin UP
their sleeves. But when levcrn clock
come and no quality, Betscy give
'em out, and they all took OIL their
| Sunday close an went to Citing eve
ry day dinner. They had to hurry
nightly, but it was all ready arter a
while The hands was workin close
! to the house, so Betsey just hollcred
| to en- to come to their dinner. Ar
ter the dinner was all over, and
everything washed up and sot to
rights, an tho niggers al sot to work
me and Betsey sot down in the entry
| to cool and sew. Bout four O'Clock
Barney Baker he come back from
the coatouse; says he, ,Betsey, did
them hired men come to dinner!
Law ? says Bctsey, T wasso taken
! up expecting them Feathcrcode folks
to dinner; that ! forget all about
your hirin Bill and Jim Jones to split
| rails, and being as they are far of,
reckon they didn't hear when l call
cd the hands in. ] didn't blow the
horn 'Conlound the quality say
Barney, they are all jest qualified
for the lunitiker silum, and | rcckor
you'll 20 along with 'cm, just to bt
with the quality when they CO." ant
ierkcd down the horn an bloWod {
blast, you would athOught all Tho
stages that ever run was irwin thar q
onst. Just then we heard mighty
fuss in the front yard, and when W.
looked thar was fine carriage tul
of women, and horses hitched VI
with fishin scins, cavortin abou
/ over the yard; and one Of the putfet
niggcrs they had dressed up like sol
gers, a settin on high carriage, wa
bounced Off like an injun rubbe
ball. ! thought the creetcr might b
killed, and run to him, but he jump
, ed right up and stood up before me
and made sich bow, you never see'
the like OF il, Jest like it was a part o
, his malishus drill, and says he, "Mr'
Fcathercode, Miss Feathercode, Mis-
' Nctty and Miss Angelina Feather
codc.' by that time Barney had 90
l the hosses quiet, and says ], "Yo
: Mr.. Flunkey, had better be a openi
:, the door and lettin them folks out
! stidder standin here making man
! ncrs,' SO he did 1t. II is well he toll
mo who they wer, for such lookin
| cargo l never did acc before. The
t had the back of their heads kiverc
!. with artificial flowers all fixed !
4 little fiounces, and little silk fans i
their hands they called sunshadcS
, | reckon they wsrn't much acquainI
; ed with the sun, or they wOuldn
thought ho was amindin them purt
9 little things. Then they had mad
flounccs all over their frock tails, an
e over their capes, they called ta
q mers,' and they was benounced frol
the tops of their heads to tho bottol
y If their feet, and oil the flounct
printed like windin sheets, only
Q heap finer.
z "Betsey had run back as she g
the first glimpse, cause she had on
9 mighty dirty frock. But she put Q
u A new white satin shawl oil over he
- and then she looked as fine as any
d 'em, and axed 'em to walk in an
take seats, and set down, and |
A seated. Artor a while she told, 'el
n shc was looking for 'enI all the morl
1t Ing. 'Oh,' said old Mrs Feathe
code, I'VE engaged to bc here to. dil
a ncr: we never dine before four, al
" II wants some mintcs to that nov
~ ~ takin out her fine gold watch, tn
" the clock was stanin right before he
Bgtsev looked as blank as if she'd n
q for sheriff and didn't get vote. ~
II she run right in the Kitchen, and u
y way she followed up Dilce, and Ale
10 and Dina, and the whole tuckin
10 'em from the tater patch, and Y
i. wash tub, and the wash bowl, and Il
n. :.oui,, LnnrL and AL niIalinrs Mn