The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-12-13
A GEORGIA SKETCH


A GEORGIA SKETCH.
The Loves OF Diam.
"Aliss Jasmin, want you please m I,
write me a letter. Diana said, as sh,
brought in 4 pile Of beautifully flute,
clothes, and slipped them down upon M,
bed from her extended arms.
Cant you write, Dlaua2" | asked, lay
ing down my book little reluctantly, auC
getting up to look over the clean clothes
"WhO? Me2 La, Miss Jasmiu, how dc
ever learn to write?" Diana protested
while rueiul smile visited her usually
sedate, not to say sulky, counteuance. a
got 4 daughter that kin write, tho'-heI
pas sister took her an give her a good ed
dication. But she's living up al Dahlo-
negOi she amt no good TO me-
Diana, how man. children have you?'
queried idly, sitting down with a pile Of
socks in my lap, and beginning to pail
them.
81 donno how many hav had, Mis-,
JaSnin," Diana said, leaning on the fool
Of the bed. t"Jasmin" was Dlana's version
OF Jessica, and it was negro's fashion o.
showing respect to me, alien and stranger
as was. Miss JasInin,' and not Mrs.
Alexander,-AS II she had been bred up In
the home OF my mAidenhood.) "Don
you know can't cOunt7 had three by
MAZE; my iuSt husban, an two that died
an | had one by billiard, my las husban'
Dat makes five, don't it?"
"Oh, hush, Diana, you are making be,
lieve," | said, Indignantly. "a woman /,
bound to know how many children she
has borne. You know you have had six. u
"ies'm, 1t Is six; Miss Lena told ME. )
Diana said contentedly. swell, | wants
to write 10 dc father 8 my las one, dis vel
KernRnny'S father. want dat niger e
sen me some money"
Now?" l asked, folding up the last pair o.
socks.
Eyes In, any time" she said.
"Well, take seat and tell Inewhat Il
say" l said, offering hera chair, and taking
up my portfolio, Diana Immediately sal
down on the floor near my feet, curIed up
her long, slim figure, spread out her black
fingers to the fire, and sat silent as the
Sphinx.
GLOW shall l begin?" asked.
~ don no mi you know how; you write
It like you does your letters"
"But what do you call him? Husband
or-what's his first name?"
~ calls him Mr. billiard; never called
him nothiu, else," Diana said moroSely
and in final tone.
"And what next" demanded, having
dated the letter and addressed "Dear Nj,
billiard"
"Well, Miss Jasmin, l wants some
money. He done sent me word he was
willin IN SEN me anything needed, but
he didn' know where / was. Tell him
I'm here cooking for you, an Kernanny
needs some shoes, an cole weather q
comm on, an he mus SEN me three dol.
lars. Tell him was in hopes he'd a beer
up 10 see kernAnny an she's been A'look,
ing Tor him, an he mus come an see US
Write II sort o. loyin', cause got 10 have
some money outen dat niger, TO- Bho'
He glts five dollars every week en- his life
at a carpenters shop, an he's got to give
me s0mepin. You write 1t for me now
Miss Jasnlln; fix It up like you know how
to write, and then can hear you read Il
OF afterwards"
"Diana, tell me about Dillard," l SAID
grayely.
"NoihIn' to tell" Diana said, in slow
sadness.
III he is your husband, why don't you
live togetherP"
"Cause quit him."
"What Tor? DidA'ty you love him2"
"Who? Love Dlllard?-Miss Jasmin,
donno'm. Nom; never did love no mar
but MAZE Scala. married billiard to spitI
MAZE, 3 much = anything, cause Mai,
wouldn't marry me himself, an billiard
he stood ready with the license. did Il To-
spite"
'"Why, what do you mean, DlauA?"
exclaimed, in despair OF comprehendiui
her varied relations. "HAye you got tw;
husbands living? Or were you not mar
ried to MAje?"
"well, Miss Jasmiu, you see MAZE an
me had each other In slavery times. WI
WANT never married, 'ceptin' TO call eacl
other huSban' an wife. We only took III
wi each other, an never cared nothin
bout him ontwell had chile by him,
"Then, Diana, how was It you ever call
cd him your husband?" asked, inten
on solving this dark problem. "Why die
you take up with him in the Grst place
you did not love2"
Diana gave me slow, haliincreduloul
look, and then uttered a sharp, hare
laugh.
Fer de sake o. de increase, chile; 70,
donno nothin'," ahe said hluntly ant
brutally. n didn' wanter be sole awaI
from my nanny an my home, an
knew II was dat or 70. My Aunt Marthy'
gal was sole Tor dat cause. She neve
would have no increase-an two othe
gals knew, l had TO have some man
an dldn' want mono on dc place, 80
took up with Majeto 'scape dem others.
"But weren't you married by minis
ter?' / asked after silent moment. "a
have always understood that when yot
married your master or mistress callet
you up and gave you white dress and
supper, with maybe a dance, and had III,
white preacher TO marry you."
, "Didn, do Us so; We JUS had one an
other an went along" Diana dryly reit,
Grated.
: "But II the people were not married a
oil, what was TO prevent their taking
J dozen husbands, one after the other2"
asked, desperately.
"Deir own pride an sell respec," Diam
replied, with some spirit aud feeling
Everybody knew We belonged to eacI
other; dat was enough"
And you lived on with MAZE after tn
war" said.
"Yes'm, did. had chillun by him
and loved dat Niger, use'ter beg hiu
10 marry me by license, an ho KEEP OF
promlsin he wonld, but maxim out III
no mus git new clo'es, and git fixed up "a
It, an look all right; an while I ker
hAngin' on an waitin' an waitin' I last b
took up with another woman, an then
goodbye MaIeW
did you leave him2"
Nom, but | fought him, an quarrelle,
with him an dogged him ontwell Their
want no peace, an he quit mo an wen
down to Macon, an that other Eoman sh
followed him, bnt he wouldn't marry ,ho
neither"
"Did she know he had a wife and chill
drcnP"
"Enow III Il toIC her! Yes'm, Mis-
Jasmin, ! did, l went to SEQ her, IN
asked II single man couldn't suit hcr
an leave me my iGsegnd Rn' my chlllun'
father, an she put her head on ono sid
an minced out that Mr.. Seals, he dom
tole her was not q married man, an del
Maze come In, an we had III An he bea
me, eVe'y stp o de way home-a lick an
] slam gil do way"
And could you forgive him, Diana 7
20 course !, d q iorSi'n him, Of he'd
come home an behave hlSaalli La. Mis-
IAsmi1' | never bore him no grudge 10
4 Seain me- Il wasn't 90 much be4tin' a
aghan' hall de time, an 20 so c0uIl
worst him, onespell. Ilaid him out wild