Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-07-11
"AUNT MERRANDY."
BIZ MARY TUCKER MAGmu.
AUTHOR OF THE RoLCoMBs," "HIsroRY
OF VIRGINIA" ETC.

fCopyrig5ted. 1861
To one who remembers the negro Of the
past in all his inimitable Individuality
In negro Of the present with his cuitiya-
ton and ''white foxes manners, Is mat
ter of regret; not that one would stop Tn e
march of progress or have him back agatc
as he was for our amusement; no. we rec
ognize his education as Il necessary &C
compartment to his citizenship, but st!I4
fond memory brings him back C. us as he
was. a perfectly unique character and not
an iInitator OF any person or people, ana
we reg ret him, we mourn him as we do a
friend in his grave, even though we feel
he is far better of. Yes, the "darky' OF
the past is quite oYershadowed, nay. al
most obliterated by the "colored gentle
man. of the present, When in the south
one occasionally meets with specimen
OF the lost tribe he enjoys HIM as trophy
Of scientific research, remnant OF Inc
ssau d acquaintance which can never be
quite forgotten by those who lived the OLD
uays.
But while, as have said, it Is still not
a very rare occurrence 10 meet with
good old-time darby IN the South, II IS
hardly to be expected that New York
should present to us an old IrgluIa ne
gro, lingo and ali complete, an magma
tive, storytelling darby, " hese variations
are not limited by possibility and whose
confidence in your credullty Is boundless.
But 1t was my blessed privilege to hnd
one of the rarest specimens Of tnis class
in one OF the numerous PARKS with which
New York abOunds. She was seated on
bench, little apart from the nondescript
herd of idlers who throBg the seats, the
most conspicuous object in the place.
She might have been amy age from % TO
90. for when they are in the earlier wink
ling stages it is not an easy task to read
between the lines" W hen they reach
tine last stage OF all nothing succumbs
more completely to the raNages of time
than the negro. His flesh then orlnkles
and mashes until ne looks more like
well-chewed quid of tobacco than any
thing else. My specimen had not yet
attained TO this ultimatum, but all traces
of youth and cOmehness If the latter
grace had ever been hers had taken flight,
aud like many another OF her sex, she
seemed anxious to recall PAST charms by
especial attention to her attire, which in
its variety and brilliancy OF coloring re-
sembled the plumage of a tropical bird.
Let me draw her picture, as she stands
fiOunced and furbelowed dress OF ligat
blue had, perhaps In the past, been the
pride OF some successful mOdste, but the
hand OF lime and the soil Of various con-
tacts had marred its cOmellness and OBJ
secured without obliteratlng the complex
ion of lts snowy white trimming. The
upper section of her ample proportions
was enveioped in shawl of as many
colOrs as "JOseph's coat" there was
general predominance OF orange, however,
which made II a very picturesque drapery;
a pair of royal purple gloves, somewhat
the worse for wear, sulll chung to her
hanos and served to lena an appropriate
hue TO the rapidly developing rainbow; a
bonnet which had once been red velvet,
adorned with black plumes, surmounted
the whole With was going 10 say--a
proud, disdamful air, but | withdraw the
descriptive falsehood, for truth cOmpels
me to say that both velvet and plumes
had long ago surrendered ANONYMOUSLY
to the battle of the elements and dropped
in melancholy bedragglements with no
remnant of former glory to sustain and
cheer. Ny muse here makes rapid leap
from heT head to her feet, which were Of
ample proportions, with the characteristic
"lOng heel and were incased ia what
must have once been fine prunella boots,
but button hook was wanted 10 bring
them into shape. Nay, more, buttons
nay, more, pruueila, was scarcer than
was al all desirable. These pedal eXtrem-
tiles were filling the role OF guardians
over an immense bag or bundle upon
which they were planted with an air OF
defiant protection. THIS bag, it may be
cOniectured, contained her surplus ward
robe, and on! the revelation ofpast gl0ries
sight OF its contents would have given.
1t was this same bag which especially APP
pealed 10 my sympathies IN her behalf.
'SOme poor negro from the SOU ~ said
to myself, "aiOne in thls great city, who
does not know where to 60, and is actual
iy living, clothes and all, in this park"