The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-07-08
"DOGWOOD BITTERs.n

"DOGWOOD BITTERs.'
One day, about two years after ssthe5
surrender there stood on the sidewalk
Of alarge town in Virginia negro school
girl, swinging her satchel, twirling on
her heel and tossing ner head, coquetting
alrly with mulatto boy about her own
age.
Presently there came walking feebly
and slowly down the stress an old lady
whose counteaance bore the traces of
sorrow as well as Of years. The hair was
parted on the forehead and the pale face
was framed In Grape.
AS Mrs. Daring approached the rest
of our dramatist personae, the girl with a
loud laugh and an elaborate air Of not
seeing her, swung her satchel round and
struck the old lady a sharp blow on the
breast.
The dead hands of her boys must have
been lifted in the grave at this afhont to
their mother; but they were powerless,
and she powerless as they.
.Didn't go to hut you," said the girl
carelessly to Mrs Darring-"An' SO Mr.
Simpkins, you excuse me OF being q
wuss firt an you is"
The boy was embarrassed and made no
response.
Mrs. Daring had stopped, and q deep
flush was on her cheek, but she only
asked, gravely and quietly, ''Isn't this
Adam Daring daughter2''
t'We sco'ns to be Darrln's. Mr.. Ad-
dunn Lefridge is my pa, if OATS what you
mean" replied the girl saucily.
"Carohne, Il
ssMy names Carrie
~ do not think your father,'' contin.
ued Mrs. Daring, ignoring the Interrupt
tion-"Whether he calls himself Left
wich or Daring would allow one of his
children to insult his old mistress. am
sorry-yes, for his sake as vel. as for my
own"
Mrs. Daring passed on, and the girl,
with toss of her head, said to her COM
panion. "She dent peer to ha' had q
good mealso' vittles sence pa stopped a.
wu'kin' fer her. Fridays my birtday; I
think I'll ak her up to dinner"
They walked off together.
Old Adam had ceased to dig and was
glarlng after them in a CULVER of rage.
The son had ceased to laugh, and stood
in dlsmay looking at his father. Sud
denly the old man grasped his spade in
both hands and shock it IN the face Of
the boy.
ssDid you heer dat niggerg''
Dave retreated without attempt at
valor.
"Lemme lone, daddy; amt toch ole
mis'.''
Again advancing on him spade in hand,
the old man reiterated, ~ ax'd you il
you heerd dat Niger"
"'Course heerd her; amt deef, is
Iso '.l
Dave concluded to let his father and
the air have it out together; SO, emulat-
ting the Arab, he s'silently stole away
without even waiting to ssfold his tent"
!. g. to put on his coat. In other words,
he embraced the hrst opportunity to %
home to dinner, without soliciting the
pleasure of his fathers society.
He found "Carrie" already there.
AS soon as he saw her he exclaimed.
with wriggle and grimace:
:Oh, my POI back! ~
"What matter wild yo' 9''ssked
his mother.
ooh, my poor back!' he repeated with
q second wrigggle, which almost upset the
plate on his knee, and shaking his head
solmnly, he fixed his eyes on his sister.
Goa line" said her mother easily, what
dat fool niger talkin' 'bouts''
"Her name amt Ca'line," said Dave:
sits Carrie oh, my POI backD, an Mr..
Addnm Lefridge Is her pa.
The girl gave startled glance, but he
fixed his eye on his plate, and, wagging
his head from side to side, continued like
one in reyerie 81 nuvver would ha'
agreed to bein' gal o. no kim, under no
suckumstances, white nor black; but de
way wouldn', gree to bein' cert'in
black gal to-day amt nothing to nobody
but me and Mr.. Addum Lefridge.
"What you talkin, bout, Dave? asked
his mother, planting herself before him
with her knuckles on her hips.
Oar come daddy now. Tell him I gwine
back to Mr.. Pollard's, whar we was at
wu'k dis mornin me an Mr.. Addum
Letridge, Carries pa. Oh, my POI back -
And, with the Parthian arrow Ut a
grimace at his sister, Dave disappeared
over the back fence.
"Gre't Jimminy, Ca'line! Sho'ly you
amt been fool nut to a-toch Mis- Oar
rim, so yo' pa could find it outs'' said her
mother in a hurried undertone as she saw
the old man coming down street with an
armtul of Usage orange switches.
II amt toch her to hurt her. said the
girl, sullenly. :My Lor! Don't you know
yo' pa better'n dat? It's time you wuz
a-knewin' him. You jes' git him on one
O. his rampages, an you won't want to
know him no better"
Apparently Indifferent to the cultiva-
ton of her fathers acquaintance, Caro-
line caught up her hat, and was about
vanishing through the front door when
the old man entered: ''Stop dar! Whar
you gwine?''
''I'm goin' back to school, pa" endeav-
oring to pass him..
He caught her by the shoulder, and
spun her like teetotum halfway across
the room:
"Shet up now bout pa! Don't try to
come 70 joggerly and rifumtik over me?
I'll par de skin often you from yo' head
to yO' heels"