The weekly Panola star. [volume] (Panola, Miss.) 1857-1881, 1872-08-17
DlNAH'S STOCKINGS.


by profession. His sign, painted in
struggling, uneven letters, so in
formed the passers by in Sullivan
street. An airy colored dandy was
Cuifee, IN spite of his poverty and
bad clothes. When he sailed out,
with his brush over his right shoul-
der, his pail Of whitewash in his left
baud, and his hat airily balanced on
the side of his woolly head, all the
admiring wenches showed their adj
miration in broad grins. But if he
was captivating in his working
clothes, how shall | describe him in
his evening and Sunday dress-the
dress in which he leaned against
lamp posts and wore in his hours of
relaxation p?
Dinah lIucklebee was at this time,
by common consent, the darkey belle
of Thompson street. Her hair was
the kinkiest, her skin the shiniest,
her teeth the whitest, and her lips
the thickest. Dinah was the
daughter of poor but honest parents.
Her father was connected with the
peanut interest, and her mother
drank bad gin with assiduity worthy
better cause. Therefore, Dinah's
cxchequer was as lean as a church
mouse. Her wardrobe was not ex-
tensive. Her education had been
sadly neglected.
In the course of Thompson and
Sullivan street events, it fell out
that Cuifee johnson and Dinah
llucklebee fell in love. Culee was
an attentive lover. He took his
Dinah to the coored balIs--and
right here my story properly com
mences,
There was to be a grand terpsi-
chorean eyent-the greatest Ethio-
plan sllln-dig Of the season. The
swell walters of the Broadway res
taurants were to be there, aud the
waves of excitement in colored So
ciety ran high.
"Shall we go?" mid Cufee.
:" "Ef yer says So" replied Dinah,
showing her worries in blissful antici-
patton.
That settled it.
The night came; and Cufiee
called for his Dinah in ample season.
His get-up was Of the most agonizing
description. 1t actually included a
"biled shirt" and a paper collar.
But Cuffee found his Dinah in
tears, burning tears.
What, under goodness, is de
matter, Dinah y questioned Cuffee.
81 c-c-can't g-go,' whispered
the sable beauty.
"An' why,in de name of common
sense, can't you go?"
"Cause / amt got no stockin's,
Cuffee. Pop promised to get me
some to-day, but he didn't--an' now
| c-c-can't g-go."
The sight OF his sweetheart in
tears fired Cuffee's manhood.
"This hain't no time for besita~
ton" he exclaimed, waving his
arms in melodramatic style; i" THE
are time for action. Wait you
here, my Dinah, until ! return"
Out he bounded, leaving the
stockingless belle in doubt as to bis
sanity.
"He's got 'em for sure,' she mur-
muredl al tole him dat Robinson's
whisky was de wust whisky in de
hull ward. He's got 'em for sure"
Within ten minutes Cuffee re-
turned, bearing the implements of
his trade--a brush and a pail oi
whitewash.
" lou shall go, Dlnahj. ne cred,
You shall go. I've got an idea.
Stick out your feet"
| Dinah did as she was hidden, and
with few dexterous brushes by the
artist in lime, they were neatly
whitewashed.
Have 'em long or short2' he
paused to ask.
"Bout middlin', Cuffee,' was the
reply.
Middlin' it Is; stand up sec
ond. There yer are, an d winter,
cooler, or better fttin' pair Of stock
ms no gal ever had"
"Yes, an dey saves garters, too,
/ Cuffee."
And SO they went to the ball in
spite of adverse circumstances, and
we're the jollicst company Of jolly
negroes IN the whole jolly assem-.
blage.