Litchfield enquirer., 1879-05-22

god luck would hab it, she hearn soon after da her husband done shot hlssef, an SO she ws sabed all dat, an wore mournin' fur him, like de lady dat she was-crapesveil two yards lcg-all de res ob her immortal life. She neber got married again, done clared foh 1t sh.'d had huff ob dat ar; but she went to lib wN her sister, Mss Savannah, who married de Reberend MT. Gridiron." 5'f -'-" '4;
 MT. who, Mauma ?"
 sGridiron-same name as Massa Joe here"
 "Oh! Gourdin. We'll, never mind; go on."
 "Spect Is been in de family long huff to learn de name. Mir. Gridiron he was preach CT, an not berry rich, an 1 helped Miss Sa- vannah raise ten chillen-Miss Virginia, an Miss Dora, an de little girl dat died an sebben boys. link ob dat, miss, sebben boys! dat all growed to men, and all went into de wah- oh Lordy oh Lordy !-one on lem wid Glner- al Beauregard, one at de head ob Jawja reg iment, two on 'em in gun-boat, an all de res' in de ordination serbice. Feared like dar always fightin' somewhar, an dose boys was so scattered bout dat dar was allers one or two on lem in battle. Dey was all married, too, an Miss Savannah an me kep' movin' roun', .ssogin roun, 'mongst deir poh families, chrk- in on 'em up But dey come back, miss, after de wah was ober, ebbery one ob dem sebben boys, safe an soun'; but 1 tell you what, l lbbed all dat wah time on my knees, prayin' fur our army an dem boys. Dey all stood roun' deir mudder's dyin' bed at las'-sebben sons an one son-in-law Miss Dora's husband -to be her pall-bearers. My poh deah baby, I t-us' she's happy now!"
 How many children have you had, Mau- ms?"
 Dunno. miss; specs about twenty or nine ten, moh or less. Oars de eight Tnliver gfls, an Miss Savanpah's sebben boys, an Miss Dora an Miss Virginia an de little girl dlt died, an all Massa Joe's young uns-I dis rmember zactly how many dar is ob lem"
 ''I don't mean the children that you have ursed for others-I mean your own children, Iauma."
 'Oh 1 nebber kep' no count ob dem; but iothing can't make me forget my white chl- en, and dey doesn't forget Mauma. I has ei- ters from Mss Tom sometimes; she's a right de lady now When Miss Savannah died, she t,ok IItuIe Miss Virginia an went to Paris wid Ter. She wanted me tos go too, but I want soin' to hab all dat water tween me au' all my udder chillen, specially when times was SO obstrepolus like-niggers gettin' out ob deir proper places an goin' de Legislation when dey ought to be in de penitentium, all de field hans leabin de plantation to jine de Seuf Car liny Tigers an go riotin' rOun' Chawleston. Massa Joe heah was de youngest ob Miss Sa- vannah's boys, an de nose high-sperrited, like hls aunt, Miss Tom and Missus Joe Gridiron was right young den, too. An Massa Joe he was 'bliged to leab her heap ob de time alone on de plantation wid muffin but a ontrustwor- thy oberseer tween her an de hans, an dey, now dey's done got their freedom, heap mo- oneasy dan dey was in wah times. link was gwlne to take my pleasure in Paris when my chillen needed me to home? De riot time it come soon after, an de oberseer lit out booty libely, an what'd my young missus say to me at hebben's gate ef hadn't stood by my chil- len den, I'd like to know?"
 "What happened, Mauma won't you tell me?" asked, fer the melting influence of the bonbons had departed, and she had re- lapsed again into stony silence.
 The next day Mrs Gourdin remarked to her husband at the breakfast table Really, Joe, must send Rose to look after Tot. Mauma acts so wild and strangely that dare not trust the dear child with her."
 Later in the day l saw Rose and Tst playing in the garden. Mauma sat apart under the Cherokee roses, sWaying to and fro, and sing. ing to herself-all day she sat there, nor could she De induced tv enter the house or touch 8 morsel of food. Mrs. Gourdin went to he, with temptingly arranged tray, and besought her to eat, with tears in her eyes, but Mauma only replied:
 ''Yous got annuder nuss you hasn't nc more use for Mamma"
 of her song:
 "I wonder where my missus' gone?
 I heard from hebben to-day.
 Peter, go ring demL bells
 heard from hebben today"
 When returned to the house there was com pony in the parler-the Rev. MT. Gilderpill- and Colonel Gourdin and he were talking gen ealogy.
 i've are a Levitical family" said Mir. Gil derpill; ''there has been no generation in which our family has not had it's representative in the priesthood. The first of our name that ap pears in the history of our country sleeps now beneath sepulchral stone which bears his portrait chiselled in relief, and states that his ministerial talent made a considerable figure that his composures were noted for their sol. emn and decent gravity, that he was man of presence in the pulpit, that he was witty and courteous in society, and undistirguished friend to all This latter phrase I confess have not been able to translate"
 Perhaps" suggested Colonel Gourdn, ''it means that he was friend to all without dis. tinction of class. Speaking of antiquities, came across very interesting old newspaper the other day. It contains notice of the marriage of my grandmother to Trevanion Taliaferro-the name which is now pro- nounced and even written Tolliver-of Geor- gia. The paper states that they had dinner company two days, and on the third Mrs. Taliaferro drew her share of the negroes, viz, Karen, Minge, and Afra (recently i'm ported from Africa by her father), Murriah, little Tom, Toney, Coffee, and Rose; and the happy couple left with their chattels for Mir. Taliafer, re's plantation on Goose Creek The princi- pal interest that this scrap of information has for me is that one of those slaves is still in my family-Mauma is no other than Karen, who heads the list, and is mentioned as a native of Africa"
 Excuse me-" interrupted Mrs. Gourdin, ''but Mauma is still sitting under the rese- bush. do not like to have her spend the night there at this seoson of the year, and at her age. The air is certainly miasmatic l wish, Joe, that you would try to prevail upon her to come in." <
 Colonel Gourdin returned with white face, and manner strangely moved and troubled. He took his wife's hand and the tears gathered in his eyes, but he could not speak.
 Mrs. Gourdin caught his arm. ''Has any thing happened to Mauma?" but as she asked the question an inexpressibly sad vail, or rather howl, was heard from the negro quar. ters. Little Tot in the next room heard it. and cried out in her sleep; and the new nurse, Rose, with her foot on the rocker of the era dle, lulled the child with Mauma's favorite tune: 4s" -4
 'tI wonder where my mammals gone?
 She's heard from hebben today"
 ssMr. Gilderpill," said Colonel Gourdin, 'syou are the only minister within twenty miles of the plantation. I am thankful that you are with us now. Will you not remain to conduct M auma's funeral P
 The lineal decendant of Levitical family coughed in an embarrassed manner. 1t is not" said he, ''that object to officiate at the burial of decendant of Ham. Though re- gard them all as under the Scriptural curse, l feel peculiar reluctance in this instance. have reason to believe that the recently de. ceased member of your household was not a Christian, and feel delicacy amounting te positive hesitation in administering the rites of Christian burial to heather and an idola- ter.' o
 ''Mr. Gilderpill!" ]" exclaimed Colonel Gour. din, indignantly.
 ''Calm yourself, my dear Sir" replied the reverened gentleman, in his most honeyed tones ssYOu have inst stated that this Ua.