The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1883-09-14

"OLD YiRGINNY.o
Old Time Life still Exciting in
Obscure Sections-Household Ar.

MI.
~rangemen1.
Letter to New York Sun.
In one beautiful, old-fashioned county
in Virgin. the following arrangement
exists: First in importance comes Eliza,
who is the nurse, housekeeper, and gem
eral factotum. She is the foster sister
of the master, the humble friend and
maid of the mistress. the head nurse OF
the children, and from her position, be-
ing married to one of the most inhuen-
tial preachers in the Baptist church, is
q person Of consideration. She and her
husband own n house and q piece Of land
within a quarter o. a mile of the planta-
ton house. Eliza is tall, commanding,
addicted to the use oflong words, openly
deties the master of t e house, and SUBJ
mits absolutely to the gentle mistress.
the part of the head of the house with
great cooln ess. 'Tain't ncthin' but
Mars Williams way. Ole msrster he
do jes' de same. When l was gettin' re-
liglon ole marster he fuss and fuss.''
lDuring the process known az 'gittin'
religion" the p%ostulant must never smile,
else the devil resumes his reign. The
repentance is gagged by the signs,
groans, and tears emitted until
the supreme moment arrives;
then JOY and hallelujuhs re-
sound. KEEP on ta!lin' from grace
cause dat fool niger Cupid he make
me laugh" Cupid was blacker than
night and was the dining-room waiter.l
Every time dat fool niger see me, he
mos turn his eyes outen his head and
he begin a break down. Lord ha' mer-
cy on his sinful soul. and l couldn't help
laughin' 'twell l mos bust. But arter
long triberlation l done got religion
Dress de Lord. One day | was gittin'
de butter fur dinner outen de 'frigerator
in de back passage, IN de savin' grace
of de Lord come to me. l set up a
shout and ole master he come out a bilin'.
"What in the devil is all this a. gwine on2"
he bellered. ''Glory hal!elujah!' a y
l. Praise God! Master, l done got
converted" Ole marster he look at mo
pretty hard, an he says. Good God!'
says he, an he nuver said annuddel
word"
When a boy was born to Eliza and
her husband, who is known as Uncle
Jeames. the naming of him came near
causing a serious split in Uncle James's
domestic relations. OF course the baby
must be named Jeames; but in addition
to that Eliza who had a fancy forsurh
names as Emily, Maud, Win
danetta, Amelia Ann, and so
on which she had given her
daughters wanted ole 'marsters" name
lacked on TO Jeames, and Uncle Jeames
wanted his "ole marster's" name appen.
ded (they had belonged to different
owners, so they compromised by com
bining all the names. The baby there
fora uoc coIlol Taomac ph;1ip r,,efi,
William Randolph Carter. The opening
of the circuit court is a great event in
the country, and Eliza dates all of her
cycles of time from the ''circus court"
Cupid. the dining room servant, is
regarded b. the rest of the servants as
exemplifying total depravity. He lisa
first-class waiter, but is always cutting
up monkey shines and wickedly obliyi-
Gus to Uncle Jeames's solemn warnings
that ode judgment day am comm, mig
ger. You better look out, kase de Lord
don't low ne foolin' wild SIM"
Aunt Keturah who was "Marse Will
liam's" nurse, and has been h%onorably
retired for some years filling an honor
airy sinecure in the nursery, ~recounts to
Cupid her struggles to ''git religion"
'Brer Jeames, he tole me ter go an
pray or de side of de hill" there is su y
posed to be great virtue in retired and
secluded spotsl, an 1 was fourteen
years setin' on dc side of de hill mos
all de time"
"Lord-ee!" exclaims Cupid, irrever-
emily. "Ain't you jes' a lynn a little bit
Aunt Kit?''
Gore God I amt but I'd a got
through sooner. ef it hadt't been fur
dem devilish leas!"
Cupid has picked up from the lawyers
who are entertained at the house dur
ing the ~"circuit court" various legal
phrases of which he is very proud, and
he Tugs them into his conversation by
the head and shoulders. This style of
conversation on Cupid's part inspires
great respect among the younger por-
tons of the negroes and is not without
effect IN the older ones. The general
verdict is, however:
"Ef 'twarn't fur dat fool niger, dey
neber would hab no trouble OF dis yer
rloptotiopD !