The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1881-03-04

ing how happy we should be. was
only boy of 20, but I had de feelings
of man.
Sunday night (the I'd of May, twenty
years ago) came and we took walk in
-. You don't know, lady, how de
beautiful trees grow on de sides oh de
streets, SO big and fine! De moon was
out full and bright silvering eberyting
all over, and de trees cast shadows on
de ground as Skiddy and I walked on
! telling how I fust saw and loved her !;
den we made solemn VOW to love each
other till death and ever afterward. She
was SO pooty, not quarter so black as
me, and you may wonder, lady, at her
choosing me, but 1 was not SO big and
large den. 1 was nice, trim young
man. AFTER we had exchanged our
word we shook hands; no one that saw
us knew what dat wer for, but we knew,
we were clasping hands and hearts for
life. What blessed night it was. I
felt I can't tell how-but so happy. If
l slept little de night previous I slept
less den. Skiddy was in my mind all
de time. AFTER that courted her bout
four years. 1 did wish to marry her,
but how could 1? She was q lady's
maid and her mistress thought de world
OBJ her, used TO take her to de Springs
or travelling in de summer wild her. She
dressed her SO smart and nice. What
could l givei her!- nothing. only got
my fifty cents q week and a sack of
meal. used to work from sunrise to
sunset for my master; arter dat had de
evenings to myself, but I could do but
little den. I tried, but couldn't save
much out of my fifty cents. couldn't
ask Skiddy to marry me yet, when 1
could git her nothing nice. thought
twas awful hard to wait SO many long
years, and still be just as poor as ever.
/ looked at de massers round, {.
and saw many dat did not love der wives
as I loved Skiddy; dey could marry
when and who dey pleased-while l,
poor slave, must crush my feelings, and
wait de time. Sometimes, when 1
would see her, it seemed as though 1
could bear it no longer. would tink-
God tries de black mans patience awful
far-but I tell you, lady, 1 never said
one dishonorable thing to her, no more
than would to my massa or missis, and
l was just as kind to her as would be
to little baby.
Toward de end oh de fifth year oh our
devotion l thought, if de folks was
willin', I would marry her anyway, even
if l could glib her nothing; but didn't
feel just right about it, as she had so
many advantages, being her lady's
maid she could read and write, while
could do neither, for what 'centive is der
to de slaves learning to read! if you too
smart, de missis sell you to New Orleans
and work you on de plantations. One
evening while working in dis despond-
ing mood, l got word dat Skiddy would
like to see me as soon as could come.
AFTER work l went round and she says:
"Oh! l can give you light of such news!
What do you think! Missis sent for me
yesterday. l went up to de room, and
missis says, sDere's some one counting
you, Skiddy,' and 1 says, Yes, missis.'
Who is it?' answered, 1t is George,
dat lives wild Mr.. - why didn't
you tell me?' says missis. s'Cause l
was so 'shamed.' You're sure he loves
you?' Il guess Use pretty certain of
that said. sWen, how long has he
been counting you?' Five years, I re-
piled. Five years!' says missis, sthen
he must love you'll Il reckon he does
I said. sWhy, Skiddy, and you never
told me! Why didn't you get married?'
Cause we're so poor sWell, you
shall be married dis fall says missis.
You just send for George to come and
see me, he must be good faithful lover,
to wait all these years. He is worthy
of you, for I have heard of him before.
1 would allow you to be married this
but am going to Philadelphia
and want You to accompany me, but
when return you shall be married, and
l will see you have all that is right I
did bless missis den, I cried, for so
much joy, and den I sent for you to
come. Missis is out, but she wishes to
see you tomorrow"
Lady, I went home; mudder had q
nice bit of chicken on the table for me;
1 tempted to eat it, but something
came right up in my throat and choked
me. I couldn't swallow, my feelings all
gave way, and like Skiddy, I cried till
lQS utdTL was cstScu. NcAL IuOTuluS,
when l woke, de thought of going to
Missis was de first ting entered my
head. AFTER breakfast l walked out. l
could see Missis Is house from my
hut, and I see de masssa and missis, and
de young ladies and gentleman, stand
ing out on de veranda, and knew very
well what dey was standing dere for; it
was just to see George, de lover. Well,
dere was no way for me to get dere but
to walk past de veranda. I felt 80
'shamed I didn't know what course to
take, but says l to myself, "What l got
to be 'shamed of? Is 'shamed cause
loves Skiddy? No, dat 1 isn't. 1
wouldn't be 'shamed to tell de whole
world 1 loves her! Well, what is it?''
couldn't tell, so l got up all de pluck I
could and walked up straight. Just as
got in front of de veranda I took off my
hat and made my bow to the ladies';
dey all burst out laughing and went into
de house. I didn't feel quite SO smart
arter dat, but nevertheless, I went in,
too. Skiddy came right to me and says,
81 am so happy!" 81 am, too," says I;
den we went together to missis, and she
asked me if I loved Skiddy very much,
and I told her how much-much 1 loved
her. She took Skiddy's hand, and put
it in mine, saying we should be married