The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-01-27
MRS. Rebecca H. Davis in the Independence
THE COLOR LINE.

MRS. Rebecca II. Davis In the Independence
THE COLOR LINE.
How Thoy brow 1t and Toed 1t at q High
Toned School.
Oh yes. l can tell you all about that
affair at our school. Pack Markle was the
hero of it, G. Packard Markle Esq, il was
on his cards. (He had a magnificent case
for cards and cigars-solid gold. the fell
lows said.) I've been four years at the
Beebe academy, and in that time I've seen
a good deal of the world. Sixty men usu-
ally on the roll-primaries, fresh, and
sophs but among them all i never knew
the match of Pack. The bravest, swell
est fellow That's his autograph cut on the
back gate. 1t somehow looks like him
bold, with magnificent tlourishes. He al
ways took first prize for original Grafton on
exhibition day and If you could have seen
the bouquets flying up to him, and Pack
holding them TO his heart, and the girls
whispering how splendid he was He was
big and broad, you see, SO that his clothes
showed elegantly. His originals used al
ways to be on the true gentleman or the
modern hero. That was the idea be ran
constantly:
'Why pirate of the widom of Cato, the
bravery of Brutus, the patriotism of the
dauntless thrce2 An American boy has
within him all these qualities" / forget
the rest but that was the Grafton we liked
best.
Pack was only q half -boarder. On Fri
days he went home, to stay over Sunday.
Old Markle had made a billion or two out
of sugar or fish, and you may bet that Pack
lived ct home like q grandee. You ought
to have seen him drive off on Fridays
coach, spanking grays, footmen in blue and
gold, and Pack straight as a ramrod, touch
ing bis hat with his foretinger to us boys at
the windows. We often wondered old
Markle never sent him a box. Most of US
got boxes. Pack used to talk of their ter
rapln and lobster salad and meringues until
we felt a gondness at our stomachs. But
we never tasted them. The little West In
dian Da Costa, who wa the other swell
boy of the school, used to stand treat every
week-send out and order in ice-cream,
fruit, oysters, the best of everything, and
hang the expenses d! Pack did the honors,
of course, Da Costa being such a baby.
Pack knew how to do it, / tell you; sat at
the head of the table and helped the dishes
like a lord, Oh there was nothing mean
about him
Leon da Costa was the only boy Pack
ever took home with him. His father was
very particular, the fellows said, about so.
cial position. But Icons father was a
planter in Jamaica, The story went he
slept on heaps of gold doubloons; 30, OF
course, his position was all right. Leon
had been sent down from New York, the
year or two before, to DR.. Beebe, with
trunks full of finery, and he had no end of
money. He just dashed it about! He was
"a queer little tad of a fellow, always good
humored, sleeping in tina sun or munching
candy, or begging somebody to do his sums.
You could not drive figures into that boys
skull. sir; but in history or anything with q
story tagged to it he was keen enough. he
was always buying the most gorgeous neck
ties or waistcoats, and wore his hat cooked
to one side over his little yellow face. Old
Sam Pottle-Gumbo, as we called him
used to smuggle in things from the shops
for us, and he and Leon were whispering
together every day about some new bit Of
tinery. Gumbo, you see, was the old darky
who took doughnuts and tarts about in a
push-caTt to the schools at lunch-time.
He'd been at the trade for years, and had
laid up money in bank, people did say.
But he was very humble. 1t was always
.'hlr. Briggs and ''Mr. Da Costa" hat in
his hand. OH Gumbo had very good
manners, and knew his place. Never saw
him forget himself but once, and then Leon
and another little chap had his push car
and were going about the grounds, calling
"Hyah's you ~doughnuts, now"
"Drop dat ar, young gemplem :" he Gays,
in a rage. "Mind you is young gemplem.
Push carts is fob pore niggers. Yoh isdis-
gracin' youself, Mr.. Da Costa"
At that little Da Costa drew himself up
to his full hight, and stood looking al
Gumbo in a queer way. his face going pale.
The old man crlnged and bowed to him.
"Yoh know yore folks is different from
got hundreds an thousands OBJ slaves a.
wohkin fob him 80 I've heern. Wbatd
he think oh yoh, sah, a-malin' companion
oh an old pie-man ?"
Pack took Leon by the shoulders anG
shook him. "Come along. What d. "
mind the old FOOLS gabble fori he said.
Da Costa drew a long breath and wen
away. But he was pale and quiet all day
He was a moody little chap, with all his fur
and capers. The very next day, Pack
thinking to please him, began tormentinl
Gumbo the minute ha hove in sight, push
ing his barrow up the walk.
"Hyah's de old pie-man Come RICH
along, young gemplems Bring yore pen
MES" The old fellow had been sick al
winter but he wouldzdrag himself to thu
school every day. He turned his grizzlet
head from side to side, Laughing as he cam
up; and Pack, seeing that he tottered, pu
out his foot in front of him. Gumbo trip,
ped and fell, and away went cakes and pie
into the slush. The fellows shouted ant
thought it a mighty good trick all but d.
Costa, who sprung right up at Packs face
and struck him between the eyes. Whang
1t rang all over the yard. Take that, yor
coward !" he yelled.
"De Lohd be good TO us !" old GumbC
cried. "Dr. Beebell driv' me off d,
grounds | You'll be de ruin ob-me, Mr.
Da Costa, eff yoh don't care fob yohself."
With that Leon hung his head and walk
away.
We boys would have cut Da Costa dead
1t was so shabby in him to take a Niger
part against Pack. But old Markle mad
Pack invite him home, the next Sunday
Leon didn't go; but Pack made a sorl
of lion of him. all that term, and was neve
done talking of how planters lived In Jam
aica-like princes and all that.
Da Costa, that term, began to study al