The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1880-02-20

own ideas. She thinks herself safer OF
fair treatment If a white man is con-
suited. Have you never noticed
how much afraid negroes are of each
other?"
Before l could reply there was tap
at the door. Gordon threw me a
serio-comic look, and called out, /" Come
nj"
Diana's priestly admirer entered. He
was a stout, thick-set young man, GER
tainly not 80 years old, with heavy
law. furtive eye, and not at all win
ming smile. He had closc-curled
mustache and whiskers, and was very
we'll dressed in black.
"Good ebenin', Mist Alexander; ID
ebenin', Miss Alexander; d ebenin',
sah,'' he said, bowling from the one to
the other. 49,
"Good evening, Mr.. Brinley," said
Gordon, with great politeness. "Take
chair. What can I do for you this
evening?'', W p.s N.E
Well, sab, I donno, sab, as there's
any thin you kin do TO- me dis ebenin',
sah," said the sutton, with what struck
me as mingled bashfulness and effront-
cry; he smiled as one very well pleased
with himself, but sat uneasily on chair
in the corner, and twisted his hat.
"You have been coming here to see
the cook for some time, I understand"
Gordon said, SUCCESSFULLY.
b" Yes, sab. thought as twas best
to let you know, sab, dat I proposed to
carry off your cook" replied Mr.. Brin-
ley, relieved of his embarrassment.
"To carry her off? Doy you mean you
are going to set up housekeeping?'
ooh, no, sab; no, sab such was not
my meanin's. No, sab; proposed for
her to keep right on cookin' here She
say as how Miss Alexander thinks a
mighty heap O. her,
81 do think great deal of her," 1
said, "and am very anxious to have her
do well if she marries. Do you want to
marry her?''
-" Yes, ma'am; we've bin a-talkin'
roun' dat way, an She 'cepted of me-"
"What can you do to make her any
happier, if she takes you?" 1 inquired.
to draw him out.
Swell, IN, l donno bout happiness
he said, phlegmatically, with the same
unaltered smile.
"Isn't a pity to marry unless you
do?"
"Well, IN, 1 reckon We'll git on
somehow" s- 90
"That is all you have to say?'' de-
manded Gordon. You wish to know
if it's agreeable to us for you to have a
room in the yard, and if we are willing
for you to marry our cook and stay here
at night?"
eyes, sah.'' ......
Il" You are away all day?"
eyes, sah.'
"Where do you work? You're a
preacher, are you not?''
eyes, sab; 1 b'longs to the Alabama
Conference; it's sickly whar was, an
l cleared out an come here count o.
my health" Che did not look as if he
had ever known a sick day., "an' Pm
layin' bricks now TO- de men as built dis
yer house TO- you. was butcherin' fo'
a mont or two, but 1 done quit dat.''
"Very well, sir; I have nothing to
say against your plans, if l hear no
harm of you between now and the we'd
ding. That is all, I believe.''
"I knows mos white folks dom like
to ha' colored men runnin' about der
groun's," the clerical bricklayer OBJ
served, in an obsequious way. "Seems
like niggers got tar on DER fingers, folks
tells me-every thin dey touches sticks
to 'em. But you won't ha' no trouble
wild me, sab; don't handle muffin what
dom b'long to me.'
Not at all more favorably impressed
by this declaration, Gordon regarded
him critically.
"You are legally free to marry?"
eyes, sab; yes, sab! is!''
"Never been married."
"No, sab; not but once, sah.''
ssWife dead?''
"No, sab she's Twin, sah."
SHOWS that?''
"Well, sab, you see married her
when I was quite boy, sab. She was
a very handsome woman, sab, an was
a boy, full O. nonsense an mischief; l
didn, know much ,bOI,t her: hit 7 mar