The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-07-30

PI.ANTArION sKETCHEs.
The Old Egg woman---Chicken---A
Postal Song.
a nnLrE TAn NTLNrE.

The only cool place 70 he found on
that intense August day was under a
group Of magnificent mulberry trees at
the foot Of the large garden LOT. and 70
this place ] vent, cigar and Newspaper
In hand, my factotum. Ike. preceding |
me uith an easy chair. IL was com |
paratively cool there bcyond mistake. |
Tho ground was dark and moist the |
foliage dense and green, and from i
came a balmy perfume that was most |
grateful 20 the senses.
Just above me a small owl clung TO |
o shaded branch and looked down In |
grave surprise.
/ liz my cigar and laBguidly turned !
% my paper, 10 half read, hall dream, |
while waiting for gentle night 70 muster
her cooling shadows.
Az INTERRUPTfOS AND An APPARITIoN.
Hearing o step Ia the dusty road
outside. looked through the crevice
Of the fence and saw a tiny witch-like
figure toiling YEARLY along. a heavy
bundle poised upon her bent head
II was an old colored woman, so thin,
wrinkled. bent and gray that she might
have stepped out Of the pages Of the
immortal William after prophesying
20 tho ambitious Thane. She was a
wee bit Of n creature. made after a
scant pattern Of some forgotten time.
Her eyes were deepset. black and keen,
half hidden by a strange arabesque Of
wrinkles. revolving Ia their hollow or
bits like the furtive glances Of q snake.
A snow-white turbnn covered her hair,
and a short cotton gown covered a
frame that might at one time have been
comcly, but was now n bundle OF
geomotric angles.
Her mouth was small, the lips thin
and one tooth, yellow and snaggish.
protruded far upon the chin.
Indeed n most uncanny figure. and n
sudden SILVER momcntarily cooled my
spino rs she gave me a sudden fierce
glance.
what IS that, Ike?" said turning
10 my boy with kick, for he had fallen
into the arms Of Morpheus, and his
wide open mouth was rapidly being
converted into tho hospital for weak
and weary flies.
THE OLD EGG WOMAN.
.Who DATE who datp" said be, start
ing up, why. dat am ole Aunt Sofy,
de nig woman People bgs sorter
'irnid Oh her, says she conju', but she
haiut neUbah done hurt Ike yiL Glib
mo lot OBJ figs once. White folks GIBBS
her heap oh wu'k. Dey say she am
rich too. got lots of money packed
away. morn'n a hummer dollar Wishes
knowod whar. Like ter git some my
own self"
THAT Is all right Isaac" said /.
ambition Is n very laudable virtue in
tho young, but yours will eventually
land you In the chain gang. Why do
they call her tho egg womRnP"
With n chuckle and grin he replied;
"Kaso she Kin fin aigs when nobody
else can't Dc white folks sons fcI
her all the time In this hyer country
dc hens steals dcre nes', but ole Sophy
fin 'om out ebry time. / 'spcct she
cOnju's dem
| jumped from my seat, temporary
excitement dispensing the languid ease
In which / was wrapped as with q
garment Said /, "Call her, thou dusky
descendant Of n Timian ancestor,
whose chief enjoyment consisted in
throwing cocoanuts nc drunken sailors,
and will give unto thee n silver dime.
lie understood the dime portion OF
my Grafton 40 least, for he went over
tho fence like n squirrel.
WHY I WANTED HER
"Now, am very fond Of eggs.
like them raw, soft-boilod poached,
fried or in any shape the skill Of the
cook can fix them. and semi-occasional-
ly. say about Christmas. like them tc
take part in what ! believe you West.
ern people call "nogg," but of late
had been dcbarrod from enjoying then
In any form.
There were lots OF placid, able-bodieC
hens on the place, plenty of the riches
sort 81 ogg-producing food, but the
nests had carefully made in the barr
Of materials that should have won tn,
fancy Of any fowl Of refined taste
remained empty and bore no fruit
had searched In the high grass ant
among the tangled vines, and has
called to my aid the services of Isaac
and oil his brethren, but without avail
SO | was determined TO give the egg
woman n fair trial, and II she proved
successful | would reward her beyond
all expectation.
ENTER THE AUNTY.
Absorbed in these reflections | did
not notice her approach until she stood
bowling before me. and heard her say
WAITS you want wild ole Sofy, Marsel
Young man like you hadn't orter hal
no trubbles."
but l have, Aunty," said /. 81
want some eggs. See if you can't find
some somewhere around the place. III
give You this silver two bits il you find
me basket full.
"All right marsep," she said brighten.
ing up and glancing sharply at the
half hundred or so of fowls that were
roaming around. "Dem brown 'pooters
an white leggins is mighty cunnin'
but they can't fool ole Sofy."
Then, turning to Ike she said wrath
fully: "Gib me dat basket YOU triilin',
lazy. no'count boy. l doan' see what
do white folks wants to fool wild sich
trash fer on'y tic ter eat, ;" and she dis
appeared among the high weeds and
tangled vines of the field
THE RESULT OF HER EGGsPEDIrIoN.
In about an hogr she came back with
the basket heaping full Of eggs, and
sat thom down before me with an air
Ofprofound pride.
Good gracious. Aunty." said l,
''where did you get them.n
Right in this yere yad'd, sab; some
obor yam nor, some out dar, an'd res
sortor scattcrin' bout like"
"But tell me how you found them. "
said IL was more anxious to know,
for | love eggs, and the famous an.
thoross, George Eliot. was of my opin.
ion, too. for you viii recollect thai
she says in Adam Bode." IAN err /.
liquid symphony in q major before
which the most inspired strains OF
Beethoven sink into insigniEcance."
"Well. you see. honey. de white folk,
doan' unucrstau' dc natter of hen
70 see s hen cacklin' an coin' OF
out in dc grass. an you tink dc egs
must be right down BY her feet Doan
you set fooled dat way, honey. ID,
hen. when she drop dc egg. run power
full fast away from the mes. Den she
holler an cacklc an keep lOokin' rs i
she was soein that egg olus' by her,
an you allus hunt an hunt an hunt
an cant fin him an den de hen dui
cacklin', an saunter round an say L
herself fool dat white man powerful
easy, didn't me. Ole Sofy was raised
VIZ ANAa IN I, N.ANA Qdl MAllls
gave her the quarter and she was
about leaving when old Aunt Jenny.
our fat good natured cook, rushed out
Of her cabin and said; 'aOh. Aunt
Sofy, you mus stay an take dinner
wild us. for ives
GwINE TER uAB CHICKEN PIE TER DAT.
We'e rwino % hab chicken pie ter day.
Aunt Maria I know you will stay.
Uncle Mas you mustn't 80 away,
50 wei chop de ole rooster head,
An tank dc Lawd fer De chiekeni
Dat rooster fer pic am less nt,
Ny lcctlc sal Venus found hit
ruamin down the road yore a BIT,
An ut pears ike hit mighty well fedf
ny gua1lo does a banker fer Dc chicken.
iix De dour doin's up Nancy Jane.
doesn't wantcr tell you again.
81 hts you rap wid de camel
Nolks -ud tink dat you wasn't my wifei
Use des' drcamin' 'bouton that chicken.
Here's a-comin' ole Fcod parson Snow.
goly, how them chicken bones IN 70.
tor BE teeth IN des' crush him 90.
An ne doan nebbcr need no knife
To SCI de- tcs' % de chickeni
pes van IN brudder. howdy dot
lcclar, te proud ter sceyou.
newhiie folks furnish dis Stew
~ az nlack ones de- Oh dcy'sen