The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1884-01-04
JUDY.

ing himself ia some garment, soon (ai-
ter a whispered conference on tn
pOnch} ushered i9to the privacy OF our
room, dimly lighted by n smolderIng
wood fire, q coIored women, with
strongly marHed African f-atures.
Fwttrhed her curiously from my pill
low as she stopped over the embers,
warming her dark, ~misshlpen hands,
hardened and toilworn by field iaHor.
Her face indicated kindness, but wore
a ssIbdued expression which touched
nav heart; and when my little Lucy
awoke and needed attention, all the
mother in her heart bl0ssomed into win
ming smiles on her home y fec and
warmed it into a glow of gentleness and
love.
SO, before I had risen, l had mentally
appropriated her to my own use and
comfort, il that appropriation accorded
with my husbands views and plans for
his sable protege. We were passing
through an experience on the servant
question. even under the old regime IN
a slave State. equal to the present day OF
freedom and equality.
Our Trustworthy Susan had s;Ckened
and died Il say ours, but only ours as
we hired from year to year.. While We
required the assistance they gave US, We
we're too thoroughly northern to deal IN
humanity IVY carter and sale; and 81 we
availed ourselves, each succeeding New
Years day, of the public hiring OF slaves
and provided ourselves with the help
We needed.
Sasan had proven such a treasure that
this was her third year, and the only
temptation | ever felt 'to Own a Niger"
was TO take her out of the hands OF a
cruel, rapaCiOus mistress and give her
glch Il home for Iite as she deserved;
bat Azrapi Gained her as his OWn and /
doubt not size found a home in THAT
house" not made with hands eternal in
the heavens"
The next vas Cynthia; who prove'P
tkiet and sac an aEgravdtiou that We
sent her 10 her mistress IN despair. Then
for = time Nancy Bell, a white girl, ruled
IA ire culinary department. | O o
tired Of her and determined TO take ad-
vantage ui my early training and be my
own cook. For q time the novelty
pleased me, but br the time Of the mys'e-
riouS advent o. the dark stranger into my
bedroom | was m-Te than willing TO re.
agn my position. After d heavy break.
hast Sis sand: Now / sh&Il take Juddy
down town and put her into the hands
esf the sheriff 10 be hired, and ii you
wshit mydsar, ] will hire her for YOU"
he graciOUsly ~youchSaied me; That is"
he continued, eff Juddy thinks she can
Sand YOUR wretChed temper" She
locked from one. 10 the other of us as
mza Gfnra CraSfH-v h.E.ra - 49,, hoH
sad eve frightened with a sembiance OF
halmor as she said laconically: Il risk
1t master" Siias merely explaining:
"Ssic il q slave suing for her freedom,
and / have consented 10 defend her"
the hiring took place accordingto law
In such cases, and in a few hOu' 5 judy
vas snuElF ensconGed in my kitchen.
Her story was n of thousands OF the
dark ares OF human slavery Of which no
note h2s ever been taken.
1t impressed itself strongly on my
memory +, and row, after a third of a
century it ali COMES back TO me, and |
Rei compelled to give it u~tterance.
Yell me Your story, judi" [ said to
her one day, rs | WAS assisting her to
snake some garments for herself, rs she
sat m nay room.
Oar amt much to tell, missus." said
she; 'leastways what white folks would
care te hear" sine added. s1yly.
4 shou q like to hear il very much"
! said, and, a. near as possible, will give
&c III ter own language.
Wei, Mlssus, Mr.. Dugan bought me
10 Years go, a ter my ole muster died,
an | KEEP house for min, an he oi'en
tole me ! was q good woman, an ef |
@ouid work tor him an take care of him
a. long aa he wanted me, dat he'd set
u tree. You see re hadn't any family,
AND seemed sort o. lonesome like.
~ did IL be5' / o1ulu iur de ole man,
to MAKE han comi'able. He had one
great iatlin. ms8,us. an dat was d~iak.
lit seemed Iiae he couldn'5 help it. 4
many Z time ned CONS a reelln' home, |
an IA plt hin to bed an' lake care q
HAL | k7i6w deere wer 81 { many WoTns
GA as woutd do fur him what | dil, an
ne showed 4 too, fur IA day he cane
nome, IN q ma me SOM papers Ia n
blg yatier kirer; an he says 10 md.
Take care Of dem, J idy; dey's your
lrce papeis, an don't let ~aayDo,fy
iopi YOU out Oh 'em: fur | tel YOU
4eY Is all ElgAt, no 4hlattaA who seq dey
FEn't.7'
bat was two yeah ago come neg
sGafisi as hit see8ned ike. r5c WIS
TOO good 10 las. / spec | was too proud
skase Was q free woman, dat de Lord
alk mo down do way he did.
u ole man KEEP a drmkin' mo- ar.'
mo; an at las | got feared ~sunfin' 'oula
happea, SO l les got him TO let ne 90 to
see dad ~ ans Inam,ny, an / tux dc
papers wild me, to- make shure of dem,
an 4 hid 'ern, rnissns, whar it was hard
to fin ,em--n anda smile lighted up
her sad eyes Tor a moment, az she
paused ref1ecttyely-syes missus, | hid
'eAa.D
where and how could you hide a
paper so saicly?" Il asked. She pointed
70 a tult OF wo.l winch formed q knot On
q back Of her head, with only the