Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1880-07-29
MY FIRST LAWSUIT.

How is trade, Aunt Lucy?" | inquired
with the air of one perpetrating 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.
seriously. "Slow. But they goes"
Two or three other cOlOred persons
present chuckled, however. To them,
as to me, there existed an incongruity
between the notions of Aunt Lucy and
commerce.
Aunt Lucy was unusually old and un-
usually black. Her blackness was set
off by her white turban and the white
kerchief she wore about her neck. She
was heavily made, with a delightful cor
dial chuckling way Of speaking Only
Il severe attack of rheumatism would
dampen her chronic cheerfumess
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 expenditure of a
dollar or SO, in the first place, on needles
and thread, and tapes and pins, and so
on, afterWard as these wares found a
ready market, she andI had determine
ed to go into the confectionery line al
so. on small scale-penny cakes, pen
ny sticks of candy; but these latter we
found to be more useful in advertising
her place of business than lucrative. |
had been unable to buy them for less
than penny apiece, and they sold the
world over for a penny, it appeared.
Il can make ginger an sugar cakes
fust rate" suggests the old woman pres
emily.
THAT will be the way, then," [ say,
clutching at the bright idea-''the very
thing. I'll give you the money to buy
some flour and sugar and molases, and
you'll make the cakes, and then We'll
see what the profit will be-"
Aunt Lucy chuckles deightedly. She
has an active soul, despite her ninety
eight years. Yes, ninety-eight! She in
sists that this is her age.
"Have you had your roof mended?"
[ inquire, having already left the money
with her for that purpose.
Cant git de man ter come. | has
bin terrifyin' an a-botherin' OBJ my
Issiah ter git de man ter come-hain'
|, Issiah?" as at that juncture tall,
slouchy young man entered, who did
not seem likely to be terrified by feeble
old Aunt Lucy.
He pulled front. lock of wool in
courtesy to me, and grinned. II has
went, an went," he averred; "an' he
promises ter come. Seems like he
don't care"
[ myself entertain doubts of Isaiah's
zeal as Mercury. Isay, persuasively,
II apish you would see to it, Isaiah. s."
Then [ made my adieux.
The room contained half dozen per-
sons besides Lucy. She has always a
number of guests, and is especially
popular since she has kept shop, and
thus established kind of neighbor-
hood rendezvous. Her shop is in the
window, across which articles Of mer-
chandise have been found profitable
investment, as their value is a fictitious
one.
Aunt Lucy lives in an alley within an
other alley. 1t being a circuitous
route, Milly, one of the old woman's
daughters-Lucy's family is numerou
and universally down on their luck
escorts me back to the highway, con-
versing.
Mother was well brought up" she
replies to some words of praise of
mine. "De white ladies as raised her
treated her well, an she shows it. Moth
er can't behave no odder way. De
good manners will come out. An she's
dat spryl"
''It's pity that between you all you
are not able to make your mother COM
Portable in her old age" say, slowly.
In fact, this view of the subject has
frequently presented itself to my mind
before.
"We is all SO pore!" was Milly's ex-
cuse. can [ has, what's more, such
bad feelin's inside. Sometimes / don t
hardly expec' ter see one day cotch an
odder."
In truth, now that took a good look
al. her, she was little more than skin
and bones.
Its de misery in my head" she ex-
planned. 1t generally is this particular
form of misery with colored people /
have found. Poor SOUL poor souls!-
weak in body and mind and spirit,
Milly and such as she are hardly able
to take care of themselves, let alone
each other.
[ was in hurry-who of us is at
all times free from the clutches of this
familiar fiend of overcrowded age?-
still, something in Milly's expression
made me say, II am sorry you are so
badly off, Is your husband out of
work."
BLESS you, madam, he don't do
muffin for me now. / had him goin' on
nine years. but he lef, me now, 1 has