The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1875-11-05
I" NANNY
BY JENNIE wooDvILLE.


II was a stony. neglected field, pow
dered with oN-eyed daisies and dotted
with dandelions-golden dandelions
that looked ike spots of sunshine on
the green grass and among the crevices
Of the rocks and the gnarled roots Of
the oak trees that were scattered here
and there. There were carriages and
buggies standing about, and horses,
some tied 70 the lower branches Of the
trees, Others held by De little negroes
belonging To the plantation.
In this field, away of beyond the
house. was a square wooden railing
painted black, and within it We're grassy
mounds. some large. some small; and
now in one corner had been dug another
long deep hole, and the earth Law scat
tered around il red and fresh. Friends
and neighbOrs had drawn near. some
within the inclosure. others leaning
against the black railing. The coffin
had been reverently lowered: and. while
the sun slowly sank and bathed the grain
in a flood Of mellow light, and hickered
among the leaves that trembled over
head. clear and solemn on the summer
air fell the words. Il am the resurrec-
ton and the life
Earth TO earth: dust To dust: ashes
To ashes And each time there was
the thud If falling earth and the rattling
of clods, and the hollow answer that 80
many aching hearts can recall. and
there were half-repressed cries and
choking sobs. and still the grave was
surely and inevitably filed: another
mound was raised and spaded into
shape; stones were placed, one AZ the
head, another at the foot, TO mark the
sleeper's place: and then she was left
alone, the sweet young wife and mother
As Mr.. Larrantree and his sister re-
turned To his desolate home, his eyes
rested on his children, Nelly and Grace,
two little motherless things, with fair,
curling hair and innocent blue eyes like
those in the coffin out in the field. They
sat on the piaZza-steps in little white
frocks, their hair lied back with black
ribbons: and Nanny sat between them
in a white turban and cape and black
dress she had worn before their mother
was born. She was about 20 years old.
with low black forehead full Of wrin-
kles, and a broad fat mouth containing
only the yellow remains ofteeth. and the
rim Of hair that peeped out from under
her turban had been gray for many
year. The little black eyes had retained
their brightness and cunning. but the
balls had turned yellow and the lids
grown ilabby, and Nanny could not
fasten the children's clothes "a DEITY
as she had their mothers; but, all /, how
Indignantly would they have repealed
the idea that she was growing or could
grow useless and her place be better
filed How obedient they were to her
delegated authority, and how tolerant
of the little shakes and jerks she some
times administered How trustful If
her love and emulous Of the praises she
was lavish in bestowingl Yes, Nanny,
you were wrinkled and black, and old
and ugly; you were ignorant and mar
row-minded and superstitioas-bu YOU
were true TO your musings, and tender
As true; and they gave you back your
love with fervor which neither time
nor taste nor reason could affect
As Dir. Larrantree and his sister APP
preached, Nanny stood up and the
children sprang forward TO meet them.
Papa" said Grace, "what you all
been doin'? Nanny said for us not 10
go. YOU would be mad. Would you be
mad, papa?''
He held her in his arms, and his eyes
were blind with tears: "Mammy was
right, baby-papa did not want you to
GO"
AN, papa, what you reckonPr asked
Nelly. NANNY was tellin' Us bout
Mr.. Rabbit and Mr.. Wolf, an she cried
cause Mr.. Wolf eat Mr.. Rabbit up.
Nanny keeps cryin' when amt any