The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1880-08-04
MY FIRST LAWSUIT.

How is trade. Aunt Lucy ?" | in
quired, with the air of one perpetrat-
ing a pleasantly.
The person addressed was slow to
take yremark in the spiritin which
it was Offered. Trade with her was
n solemn reality.
Things is a-goin' of" she replied,
seriously. SLOW. But they goes.
Two or three other colored persons
present chuckled, however. To them,
as to me, there existed an incongru-
itv between the notions of Aunt Lucy
and commerce.
Aunt Lucy was unusually old and
unusually black. Her blackness was
set off by her white turban and
white kerchief she wore about her
neck. She was heavily made, with
a delightful chubby face, and a de
lightful, cordial, chuckling way of
speaking. Only a severe attack Of
rheumatism would dampen her
chronic cheerfulness, and imbue the
tones of her voice with touch OF
melancholy.
1t had been my own idea TO set
her up in trade, with the eXpendi-
tuye of dollar or so, in the first
place. on needles and thread, and
tapes and pins, and so on atterward,
as these wares found a ready market,
she and | determined to 90 into the
confectionery line also, on a small
scale-penny cakes, penny sticks of
candy; but the latter we found to
be more useful in advertising her
place of business than lucrative. /
had been unable TO buy them for
less than a penny apiece, and they
sold the world over for penny, 1t
appeared.
Il can make ginger cakes an sugar
cakes fust rate, suggests the old wo-
man presently.
THAT viii be the way, then, |
said, clutching at the bright idea
'-the very thing. I'll give you money
to buy some -four and sugar and
molasses, and you'll make the cakes
and then well see what the profit
viii be"
Aunt Lucy chuckled delightfully."-.
She had an active soul, despite her
ninety-eight years. Yes ninety
eight? She insists that this Is hel
age.
Have you had your roof mend
ed ," | inquired, having already lefi
the money with her FOR that purpose
Cant get de man ter come. / ha:
bin a-tryin' an a-botherin' ob my
Isaiah ter Git the man ter come
hain't | Isaiah?" as at that juncture
a tail sloutchy young man entered
who did not seem likely to be ter
rified by feeble old Aant Lucy.
He pulled a front lock in courtesy
to me, and grinned. Il has went
mwent, ''heaverred IAN he promis
es ter come. Seems ike he dom
care"
myself entertain doubts of Isa
iah's zeal as Murcury. / said
persuasively, Il wish YOU would se'
to it Isaiah" Then | make m,
adieu.
The room contained half a dozel
persons beside Lucy. She had al
ways a number of quests, and is es
pecially popular since she has KEEP
shop, and thus established a kind o
neighborhood rendezvous. Her shol
is in the window, accross which slat
have been nailed, against whicl
articles of merchandise have beer
placed, Neutrality-suspicious. penny toy:
which have been found a profitabl
investment, as their value is a fiC
titious one
Aunt Lucy lives in an alley With
another alley, it being a circuitou
route, Milly, one of the old woman
daughters-Lucy's family is numel
Gus, and universally down on thei
luck-escorts me back to the high
way, conversing.
Mother was well brought up" sh
responded to some words of praise {
mine. "De white ladies as raise
her treated her well, an she shows i
Mother can't behave no odder wa,
De good manners will come out. Al
she's dat spry"
Its pity that between you a
you are not able to make yor
mother thoroughly comfortable j
her old age" ! say, slowly. In fa,
this view of thesubject has frequen
ly presented itself to my mind b.
fore.
I'VE are all so poor" was Milly
excuse. AN ! has, what's NOR
such bad feelin's inside. Sometim,
| don't hardly expee' to see one da
cotch anodder."
In truth, now that | took a goo
look at her, she was little more tha
skin and bones.
Its de misery in my head, sh
explained. 1t generally is this pa
ticular form of misery with colore
people, / have found. Poor soul
poorsouls weak in body, mind an
spirit, Milly and such as she a,
hardly able to take care ofthemselve
let alone each other.
/ was in a hurry-who of us is
all times free from the clutches
this familiar fiend of our overcrow,
ed age?-still, something in Milly
expression made me say, Il am sorl
YOU are so bad off Is your husbar
out of work ?"
Bless YOU sir, he don't do nuffi
for me now. i had him goin' on nil
years, but hedoDe lef menow. / HI
muffin but de @llun, an nubbod
wants dem desc days" And the
was actually in her tones an apparel
regret that boys and girls had cea
ed TO be valuable as chattels.
Underth these circumstances / aba
doned all hope that Milly might
able to contribute to her mother
necessities. Ieven inscribed herman
on my own mental tablets as an 50
ject" | parted from her with fec
ings of depression all the more live
because her own inherited Cheerful
ness had not succumed to the pre-
sure of adverse Circumstances. 81
was apparently on good terms wit
fate, and disposed to make the be
of things.
On Isaiah, however, looked wit