Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1884-11-05
MERRIMACk.

j am sure no one KNOWS HOW MeIIf
mack came by her queer name. She
did not know herself, for when she
came to my mother, in the old slave.
times, y tall girl of II or Is years oi
age, she retained but the faintest idea
of her childhood's home or her parents
She had been taken from them when
too young to remember anything.
@Dey's called me Merrimack, mis-
tress, eber since could member,
she said. II reckon dat's my lawful
name. Anyhow, it's all Use got"
OF course, she became Mack in all
the household, and ar invitable Mack
she proved. honest. capable, industri-
GUS, but with sharp tongue, which nc
consideration could bride. She was
fond of us all, but my brother Eugene,
boy of II, was her favorite, probably
because he was puny, sickly boy who
needed constant care.
She would hurry through her work
to take him to walk of an evening, and
they would march off to the woods, she
tall, 1.-the, and strong, lifting him over
the rough places, her clear, loud voice
and his shrill merry laugh floating up
to US as We stood at the window.
II don't know what we should dc
without Mack" mother would cay.
"How entirely Eugene depends upou
her, and it seems to me he is getting
better and stronger since she came tc
u.s."
II suppose it's transmission of vi.
tality," answered, laughing. "Mack
has enough for ten ordinary people
and Eugene almost lives with her."
My mother shuddered. "For mercy's
sake: Augustal" she said, "don't talk in
that manner. Do You suppose want
q negro's vitality infused into my son p
"Not it it means health and long
life ?" asked rather saucily.
Poor, dear motherl She was full oi
race prejudice; SO much SO that the i'm.
pulses of her good heart we're some.
times stifed by them. She was kind
to her slaves in lofty way, but she did
not allow herself any sympathy for
them. She never spoke to them on
any other subject but their work, and
II they were sick, she had them we'll at
tended to; but 80 far - any interest in
their thoughts and feelings was con-
cerned, the mistress and her slaves
were as far apart as the poles.
She called this maintaining discipline.
She had been trained to consider it the
only way to manage slaves, but some
times the warm woman's heart stirred
within her, and she would have been
glad to unbend. She was rather ap-
palled at my heretical opinions, and the
freedom with which expressed them
and this particular afternoon she was
evidently troubled in mind.
"How often must request you, Au.
gusta, not to talk in that disagreeable
manner?s she said. "Mrs. Staunton
was here this morning Ind asked me il
! was not afraid to trust Eugene to &C
much of 'nigger, as she calls Mack.
She said children learn nothing but
vulgarity and superstition from colored
nurses, and she would look upon her.
sell. rs Q criminal il she allowed hef
children to be contaminated by init.
mate association with the race"
ut was unladylike, to say the least,
Of Mrs. Staunton 10 take you to task in
that manner I cried angrily. "Why
didn't you tell her that what you did
was none of her business?"
sAnd be as rude and intrusive o. the
woman herselfas mamma said, scorn-
fully. Unfortunately, felt there Va
thruth IN her words. / have been
thinking more Of bodily health than ol
the moral injury which may be inliict.
Cd upon my little boy
sBut mother !" I cried, II never heard
Mack 0xpr0oa any n0ntimtnta that yon