The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1881-03-04
SKIDDY.
The Contraband's Love Story.


In the garnet of an old country house for
nearly twenty years. 1t is a perfectly true
story, taken from the poor fellows lips, who
told it with passion and pathos which its the
this day.
am carpenter by trade, and was
mending de roof OBJ house, when look
ing down into garden opposite I saw
oh, de pootiest little short lady that ever
you could see; she had long hair way
down her shoulders, and was SO trim
and neat looking. When see her,
says to myself-Dat's de woman I loves {!
I turned to my companion, and says,
'syou see dat pooty little short lady
down dar?'' and he says, eyes, do. -
swell, 1 love her." He laughed and
replied, "You may love her till you're
dead, but you will never get her." He
didn't know what pang went through
my heart when he uttered these words,
they cut me like knife. l didn't say
no more, but went to plotting in my
head how could get an opportunity to
see her.
1t was Saturday AFTERNOON, so when 1
got through work I went into de house,
but could think of nothing else but dat
pooty little thing all night. I kept
plotting till finally arranged dis plan !:
First, you must be 'quainted wild de fact
dat we darkies have what we call q
sstea- drinking" Sunday afternoons,
afore we set de table for de big folks. 1
thought Oh dis, and says to myself, dis
would be good wav for me; to ascer-
tain arter church tomorrow if dar's any
one amongst de congregation as knows
dis young lady. Well, I did so, and
found one was 'quainted with her. l
gave her fifty cents, and said, evil
You give a s'tea-drinking," and in
vite dis young lady?" She agreed, and
went home mighty tickled, 1 tell
you what. I slicked and starched up
mighty fine, and when de time come,
went round to de house. Oh course,
on entering de room 1 made my obedi-
ence to de ladies, but my eyes flew like
q flash round de room, and I see who
was sitting in de corner. warn't slow
to get de introduction, land Imade myself
as agreeable as de possible. De lady's
name was Skiddy. l found I warn't dis
appointed in her, she was mighty nice,
but says I to myself, if l don't be pooty
spry in de asking to company her home
der won't be no chance, for I see de
young jelarkies looking sharp at us; so
1 said, " May 1 have de pleasure of com.
panying you home dis EVENING"" She
said she would be most happy to
accept my company. tell you, felt
fine when one, two, three jelarkies,
came up and asked de pleasure of com
panying her. did say nothing, but
laughed so hard to myself when 1 heard
her say, "No thank you. 1 have de
company" and den L see dem look al
one another, and say. "What company
Skiddy got! is it you? or YOUR s'No,
faint me-" dey said. I was just SO
tickled didn't know what to do.
BY and by it came time to 90, and
Skiddy went for her shaw, and l stood
waiting by de door, but I could see de
jelarkies looking and opening der eyes.
When she was ready, we bid dem very
good evening. walked mighty straight
and opened de gate for her, and as
went through I flung glance back.
saw de jelarkies looking wondering at
me, and 1 hear one say: {" Poorly good,
for he's cut us all out-on fust acquaint-
ance, too"
Oh, it was happy walk dat night. I
was so joyed to know her. When we
came to her place she said: 81 should
be happy for you to call on me some
evenings" I, of course, said nothing
would please me more, and went home
feeling SO grand.
You may laugh, lady, at my quick
love, and say you don't believe in love
1T FIRST sight. 1 won't enter into any
discussion on de matter, but knows I
did love Skiddy den and always. 1 was
impatient for de time to come when it
would look proper for me to call-arter
dat used to 60 often for several weeks,
and all de time kept loving her more
and more, till at last one night I asked
If l might have de honor of addressing
her! She said, eyes" Oh! wasn't 1
happy! Den thought when can We get
engaged! we don't like to in de kitchen
when all de folks is round, SO we plotted
together, and finally agreed to take .
walk on de next Sunday evening. I
could get little sleep dat night, l tell
you. I felt so happy! Skiddy loved
me, and would one day be mine! Oh
lady, l did love her! Iloved her better
than mudder or fader. 1 loved her wild
ny whole heart, wild my whole soul,