Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-12-24

out nerves, but by no means an excelIent
person She was cold and hard and cruel,
and full OF vindictive feeling toward those
above her. which she could crafty only By
grinding those whom Providence placed tenn
porarily under her heel: NANNY. with I'M
Ennerby was "pOOr white"-that is she had
not had crowd of negroes at her command,
and ridden about In her own carriage-and,
despised her accordingly. The old WON An
knew her place too well to make any inten
t1onal display OF contempt, but she conduct
ed herself with digDified formality rmore
extensively suggestive than the most eIab-
crate mpertinence, and Miss Ennerby felt IL
with keenness she could not disguise from
The qualification OF the latter could be
measured only by Mammy's dismay at the
order to leave the children alone; and indeed
SO great was the panic created in the nur
MADE temporary compromise had IL not
involved triumph for Nanny. As 1t was.
she persisted in the enforcement of her order,
and 1t was with grim satisfaction that after
the nrst two nights she observed, the light
having been extinguised and Nanny gone
down stairs, that the children seemed to re-
sign themselves to their fate and quietly 90
TO sleep She did not know that Nanny Stole
Immediately back and was at her post, with
her paintings, nor how, as Miss Ennerby's
self on the floor behind the bed and the little
ones, taking their first lesson in deceptjon
would shut their eyes and feign sleep till she
pad retreated, satisfied with them and her
But one night they failed to hear her COM
Ing, and she stood moment listening. Nam
my was saying, AN Jack, he Were in Tub
wild de Kings dOrter, an were always a-cas-
sim sleeps eyes at her; but de King he didn't
want lack TO hab his dOrter, so he guy q greet
ball an axed everybody but Jack. SO de ole
par lhe were great friend of Jack)-de ole
bar, he say, I'm gwine ter roll in de ashes,
JACK, an den I'll 60 in de ball room an
shake myself an make such q dus' dat de
ord IN ~w~I-sr
full Of dus' you kin run away wild his dorter.'
so ole Mr.. Bar, he went an laid down in de
chimbly, an got hissef full o. ashes, an
while dey was a-dancin'. he went an shuk
"Aunt Maria" Miss Ennerby opened the
No answer. Miss Ennerby advanced:
"Ma'am?" answered the child, family.
.Who was that talking?"
No answer They were truthful children
AUNT Maria !" again called Miss Enner6y.
voice.
go down this moment
-Four little hands clutched Nanny silent
ly, but convulsively. and she replied by con.
descending to beg humbly for permission to
remain, but IL was of no avail; she was sent
down stairs, the door was locked, and two
little mOtherless babies were left to cling to
each other In an agony of terror, foolish and
wild and groundless of course, but so real to
them and so inexpressibly horrible that few
grown persons ever have an experience an
proachingit. ~
The next day Nanny petted and caressed
out under the trees, and then she said to
them, "Nebber mind, chillun. Don't you ali
be skeered tonight, COS Nanny gwine TO
rsbt Down AT c sHs e ,sids nm gwns to lay
ner locks It, an eff you all gifts 'fraid, you jes'
say Nanny kind o. easy, am NANNY,
she rs gW TIan ter say Meow, meowP like twere
"What you going to say meow, for. Man,
Zoos kyamt anser no oder way, honey
course Miss Edner would cotch me. Cord
bless my babies! Now don't you all be
skeered, COS Oar amt nufin' to be skeered
bout, nOhow; de good Lord Is a-watchin' NV
you night an day, an hOldin' NV you in de
boiler NV His ham; an Mammy's gwine ter
roll yo' bed close side de do, am den she
gyine tsr lay right down by it an stay dar
Sure enough, the door was again locked.
and NANNY sent down stairs. Presently
voices, Nanny! Nanny"
:. Meow" came from the hall.
Then there were little giggles and whispers,
and the next time Nanny s name was called
they could hardly do it for laughing: "Mam-
my! Nanny"
"Meow! meow"
"Oh, Nanny"
"Me-OVn
Mammy was alarmed lest miss Ennerby
should Overhear them, and this time gave
such an expressive meow" that IL produced
an unrestrained burst Of laughter, where
upon Nanny ventured to whisper Hishe,
again into giggles and whispers. Then Mann
my placed her mouth to the crack at the sill
Of the door and whispered again. $50 orn to
sleep now, chillun, COS sumbody might hear
you. Don't make me meow no mo-. Mann
my Amt gwine away"
And NANNY did not 60 away. The gig.
presently the drowsy lids fell over the sweet rect
blue eyes, and all was still; but Nanny
never moved till mornings cheerful beams
oniy when II had becSme bSo e s aav n,sn nd
she knew her babies no longer trembled-
only then, chilled and weary, she gathered
Night after night, NANNY! Mammy!'
"Meow" answered q voice at the sill of
the door.
"Oh, Mammy.,
"Meow! meow!"
Till one night, Miss Ennerby, wearing q
red flannel sacque, her hair in disgusting lit
tie crimping plaits, candle flaring in one
hand and broom raised in the Other-Miss
Ennerby came suddenly from her room with
intent to punish the cat, and beheld-Man-
Little was said at the moment, but that
little was to the purpose. Miss Ennerby
was angry at having been SO successfully
imposed upon, and Nanny was not only
ed as to the consequences for her children,
her ideas being very indefinite as to the ex-
tent Of Miss Ennerby's authority. Very
little was said at the moment, but the next
evening, as Nanny was about taking the
children OF to bed, Miss Ennerby sent for
Uncle Sawney, OBTAINING Nanny until he
came.
When punishment was to be administered
on the plantation, IL was the duty of the
0verseer to do IL, and as Uncle Sawney was
acting in that capacity this year, he was sent
for to perform his functions.
No one at first understood the position of
affairs-neither Nanny nor Uncle Sawney,
who stood to receive Miss Ennerby's orders;
neither the children, who were waiting to be
taken TO bed, nor the housemaids, who,
feeling that something unusual was about
TO take place, were lowering curiously in
the rear; and when they did, when It became
apparent that Uncle Sawney had been sent
for to punish Nanny, the state of feeling
is indef cribable. Uncle Sawney himself was
ashast.
"Good Lord, Miss Edner," he exclaimed,
81 darxn't toch dat Niger. Mas Jack nd
peel me all ober. Lord ha' mussyi Mas
Jack nd have me on de block fus' trader cum
along"
al win Be responsibleto your master, !" said
Uocle saWney scratched his head and
dropped his jaw, and "walled" his eyes at
Nanny very much O. II he would like to
punish her for being the source of his per
v,lo Int nj n fno<