Kimball enterprise. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1883, 1883-07-20
:, A Trial in the Open Air.
Jllen H Mps1v in w,


The cause Of dispute was a yerv c,n.
moh one with this susceptible race-tbe
ciaims OF two rival wives to the affections
ana companionship of certain-or nor.
maps | should say an uncertain-yonno
mulatto, named Eben johnson, and es-
teemed highly for his good looks and
staggering manner. Eben had married
when very young, negro woman black
as ebony, called Dolshy Strother. They
hao llVed together in great contentment
ana harmony, to which Dolshy's flaky
pastry and fried chickens probably con-
duced IS much as sentiment, until the
appearance on the scene Of vonno
mulatto glrl Sarah Williams, who with
her light complexion. fine lady" airs.
and sneers at Dolshy's color, and want
OF OF style, finally succeeded in weaving
Eben tom her. He had even Of late
openly avowed his intention of living
WIN ner as hts wife, and even put it in
to effect. Dolshy, wounded, insnlted
and deserted, her heart full of passion
ate Jealousy and wrath as only those Of
her own race could know, appealed to
the church, and the elders and deacons
mad appointed time to hear the case
and decide as to her rights.
Inc place had been chosen with sing
ular appropriateness 1t was a deep hol-
low between two hills where the trees
grew thinlv, and the sunlight fell freely
The rustling of the dead leaves and the
signing OF the winds went on as an un
dertone or an accom mpanvnent, witt, the
voices OF those speaking and the groups
OF the friends of the different parties,
the leading members of the church and
the witnesses were.arranged in kind of
seml-clrcle around the two women. In
front there was glimpse of a wide land
scape Wnere the tar-oh mountains and
the shining waves of the "unreturnine
river gave a certain sense of solemnity
to the scene. | was riding by on horse
back when the voices arrested my at
tentlon, and one Of the oldest deacons,
Richard Green, a former slave to nv
fathers, seeing that had halted nv
horse on the outskirts, and was listening
with interest, came up to me after q
whispered consultation with his breth-
ren, and with a loN bow invited me to
witness the proceedings.
We would be glad, sir, and hon
ored," added the second deacon-He
was colored politician of much influ-
ence who prided himself upon his fine
AahSuaSo " tiljIlh tldl gentleman OF
your distinguished mediocrity and yo-
racity beheld our poor endeavors to re-
minister justice" and with deferential
air that quite disarmed any suspicion
which might have been aroused by the
pecnllar nature OF his compliments, he
lead me to prominent seat in the assem-
ply, little apart from the rest.
knew Dolshy very well, as she had
cooked for my sister, and had often
been struck by the remarkable sweet
ness and soctness of her voice, and its
contrast with her coarse physique, irreg-
ular features and black skin. In every
other respect she seemed only a good
humored, healthy negro, lazy and care
less, but as happy as the day was long.
Yet when she began to speak or sing
with voice as clear as that of wood
thrush, AID with all of its LIQUID sweet
so pathetic and touching as if inherit
ed from long generations of those who
had known the WEAKNESS and darkness
OF bondage and been Acquainted with
grief,"-you would feel the sudden tears
start, and only look at her round,
blacs face, usually in broad grin, would
bring you back to realization of practi-
cal things.
Dolshys remarks were not generally
at all pathetic in their Character. In
deed, think she decided Y inclined to
the comical view of human nature. One
day some Of the ''po Whites" as she
termed them, passed in full view of r
kitchen on their way to "protracted
meeting at the nearest Baptist church,
and heard Dolshy soliloQuizing:-
'Jes look at dem folks yonder! Did
yo' ebe1 see such narrow chile? EN-
dressed in yellow jes' like her ha'ar.
Spec day want fer tn match de sample
all de way fro!'
l could not see her face now, for while
Sarah Williams looked freely from one
side Of the audience to the other, rust
ling the feathers and flowers on her hat
with every turn Of her head, and NOV
ing the silver bangles on her arm, Dol
shy dressed in an old calico, with ia
ded shawl over her head, sat in half
crouching attitude, moaning low to her
self
Eben johnson sat between them in an
Indifferent and rather impartial attitude
which appeared to me strictly charac-
teristic of the man, for he had rather
allowed himself TO be captured by this
modern Deliah after sleepy fashion
than take any active part in the love-
making.
Sarah Williams was speaking us ] took
my seat Nov you see dat Brer Eben
acted of his own free will in dis matter,
an If he prefer me-which he seem ter
do with toss of her head which
made her earrings glitter III the ligi,t-'I
karn't prevent MS discrimination. Not
but 'scuse Sister Dolshy. for her feelin'
in dc case, fur she amt had no oder ad-
mirers. She is of an unfortunate com
plexion, an amt had no opportunities,
.sech as I enjoyed, Of learnin' style an
ways of living, sech as we seed among
de fust folks in town"
Dolshy threw back her shawl and lift
ed her tear-stalned face with certain
pride. "Den eff I is ugly en- 'spised,
seems dat de mo- reason why dc good
Lord 'membered me, en- give me de
one thing kear mos about. en- de less
l has ter kear fur, en- ter pampcr in
myself. de mo- time I has fur ter be
pleased wild my husband and slider what
he likes. En-, de mo- heart l has ter
give him in 'versity 'en hard times, in
sickness en- health"
Dolshy's tones, with their tender hui
mility of pleading, addressed secretly to
Eben, moved all the audience with a
strange agitation, but Sarah Williams
only greeted her speech with a scorn-
ful litter
81 didn' kno' dat a man eber value a
"a l.