The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-08-05
MY FIRST LAWSUIT.

"How is trade, Aunt Lucy!' Inquired,
with the air of one perpetuating pleas
antry.
The person addressed was slow to take
my remark in the spirit in which it was
offered. Trade with her was a solemn
reality.
"Things is a-goin' off," she replied, SER
iously. ''Slow. But they goes.''
Two or three other colored persons
present chuckled, however. To them, as
to me, there existed an incongruitY be-
tween the notions of Aunt Lucy and COM
merce.
Aunt Lucy was unusually old and un-
usually black. Her blackness was set off
| by her white turban and the white ker-
chief she wore about her neck. She was
heavily made, with delightful chubby
face and delightful cordial, chuckl1ng
way of speaking. Only severe attack
OF rheumatism could dampen her chrome
cheerfulness and Undue the tones of her
voice with touch of melancholy. a.
It had been my own idea to set her up
in trade, with the expenditure of dollar
or so, in the first place, on needles and
thread, and tapes and pins, and so on;
afterward, as these wares found ready
market, she and determined to 60 into
the confectionery line also, on small
scale-penny cakes, penny sticks OF
candy; but these latter we found to be
more useful in advertising her place of
business than lucrative. had Teen un-
able to buy them for less than penny
apiece, and they sold the world over for a
penny, it appeared.
II can make ginger cakes and sugar
cakes fust rate" suggests the old woman
presently.
':That will be the way then-the very
thing. I'll give you the money to buy
some -four and sugar and molasses, and
then We'll see what the profits will be-
said, clutching at the bright idea.
. Aunt Lucy chuckles delightedly. She
|. has an active soul, despite her ninety
eight years. Yes, ninety eight! She in
sists that this is her ge.
"Have you had your roof mendoza"
enquire, having already left the none,
with her for that purpose.
"Cant git de man ter come. I has BIZ
A a-terrifyin' an a-botherin' OBJ my Isaiah
ter git de man ter come-haint I, lisa
/ iah!'' as at this juncture tall, SLOUGH
I young man entered, who did not seer
likely to be terrified by feeble old Aur
0 Lucy. ... .:--
He pulled front lock in courtesy
t, NE, and grinned. II has went an wen
e an he promises ter come. Seems like b
: don't care"
a myself entertain doubts of Isaiah
a zeal as Mercury. I say persuasivel,,
II wish you would see to it, Isaiah," an
d then make my adeiux.
/, The room contained halt dozen pc
d sons besides Lucy. She always has
d number of guests, and is especially pol
d ular since she kept shop, and thus estal
IS lished kind Of neighborhood rende
,e vous. Her shop is in the window, aero
W which Stats have been nailed, again:
which articles of merchandise have bee
placed. including various penny toy
which have been found profitable il
c. Aunt Lucy lives in an alley within a
other alley. It being a circuitous rout
as Milly, one of the old woman's daughte
bit escorts me back to the highway, co
~ verslng.
D. "Mother was we'll brought up" she
spends to some word of praise of mir
sDe white ladies as raised her treat
be her well, an she shows it. Moth
can't behave no other way. De go
manners will come out. An she's
spryp'
It It's pity that between you all y
are not able to make your mother tn,
ut oughly comfortable in her aid age,
say slowly.
1--WE is all SO porep' was Milly's
1t, cuse. can has,what's more, such b
feelins inside. Sometimes I don't hare
Is expec' ter see one day cotch anodder.'
In truth, now that ! took good 10
ne at her, she was little more than 81
ice and bones.
.It's de misery in my head" she
planned. It's generally in this particu
aer form Of misery with colored people,
IN have found. Poor soul! poor souls