Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-12-24
LARkIN AND MARIA.

"T7en folks set umse'ves up ter say at er
dArky hain't got feelius des de same en- hite
folks tells um bout Ria en- Larkin. Amt
none Nv uin gwine ter spute wild me den, no,
sab. dey cayu' git roun dat pint
"Yoa ste twuz dis erway," old Edward
continued complacently marking the inter
est his coluGed hearers exhibited in hi' words,
as they 50, AROUND uis cabin door one sunday
afternoon De amt meme er you young
sprouts at knowed Larkln, do some er yo'
maws en- paws do speck.
ave all blonged to Marse John Paxton
den, twuz long TO de war, way down in
middle Ge.5'gia. He had SO many nigeers be
halter ax um sometime is dey his'n or do
dey b'long ter somebody else.
"Larkin wuz des de fnes young darby on
de plantation. De wuzn't muffin at any
bdy hay Cey hans to at he couldn't Leaf UNI
at it lie wuz erhead wen it come ter
maxim shuck collars, ell door mats, Ell broonls,
putin in split bottoms in chars, mendin
shoes. Marse John say time en- ergin at no
body 'cep' I.arkin kin half sole his boots fur
I'M
Bout dis time Larkin shyin' his eye
might, spicious at RIA, de purity yaller gal
at waits on de table in de big house Dc
wuznt no doubt in my mind at RIA wuz
wiliin 100, for she mighty ready ter hang
back wld i'm after meetin' broke up evey
Sunday
We'll sub. Marse John tuck US all by
'splise ono day Twuz dies after de family
hal eat Ell big watermelon in de dinin' room
en- der preacher wuz in dar wild um.
"Marse John SEN fur jim en- Luke en- lobe
en- Dave en- Larkn. Den he cali fur RIA en-
70 mo- women ter jine um- All de while
trl, t.r KIN 1ry- W.
nigsers come sloucbin' in de room, de Las one
er um feard at dey gwine git de lash fur
sonpen wurr dey done
wen day all stan'in' two rows, tax
Marse JOHN put UNI, facin' one nurr DIES Ike
dew gwins dance de Frginey reel. Marse
John say:
Folks, &c Is gutter be some marryin' done
OH dis plantation-de Is too many er you peo-
pie living by yoseves Des cast yo' eye at
big May dar, she's fat en- forty, en- amt
nuver knowed wat 'twus ter have er husban.
En- Tobe los all bis teef wild age, en- haint
tried matarmony yit.
NOW, parson, git yo' book ready en- wen
count SIX, desc folks mus choose der part
nersl Wild dat Marse John gin ter count
'one. two free. TO, Ave, six, den he holler
out.
"'Ch.ose go partners
Lu uf no mo got ue uS OUT Il
his mouf TO Lsrkin en- two mo- nigsers jump
at RIA La dogs at er bone. 'Ria scream lax
you s.iokin' er knife in 'er, en- tcrked away
from um all cep Larkin, en- put her head
eryin lis brcas' en- KEEP Oh cryin'.
or Mlrster seem LAX be feel kinder sorry
for Ria, fur lie quit hughin' all at once, en-
order Dave en- jim ter stan back Den he
say
"'Larkiu, does you want ter marry 'Riar
En- LsrAin say, Yes, marster,' so low you
couldn't hardly hear i'm. Den Marse John
LOOK at Ole Inlssis pow'ful curis en- say;
a. Ria, Is you willin' to marry Larkinr
En- RIA say. 'dout lookin' up;
"'Yes, Marse John.
We'll, sub, | amt nuver yit seed white
folks look 50 serious over er trifin matter.
Ole MISS put er hankercher up ter or face en-
Miss l.ucue. my young mistls, wuz actu'iy
cry
Den Mars JOHN look las he try ter make
light NV at en- couldn't, fur his voice trenholm
mighty strange wen he say:
wen, | recon dc res Nv you don't care
bout slt.m' married. SO uooody won't take
part IN DIS cep' RIA and Larkin But we'll
put it of tell mex week ell den have big
time EN- plenty t eat
En- wen lie / me 'riv 'twuz er gran we'd
din infare. RIA wuz dressed out in er
file silk dress Ell Larkin .ad Oh bran new
broadcloth en- calfskin boots De supper
in de biz house dinil' room, en- dar wuz
'nugh teat fur reg rlent er soldiers After
de- done married dey all tu'n loose ter
dancui' in de barn. en- hit last4d tell mos
day
Now | m eittin purity or en- see consid-
eI''bie married people, bofs white en- black
but DEM two wuz certenly de mos happies'
ever come er crust
Lar. in ioos lax he do mo- wo'k en- ever en-
Ria wuE de same way Well dey 1--we long
dat way fur twenty year. Den come de
trouble fur us all
'Marss John got ter speculatin'-fo say
he not satisfied Nid wat he had, en- want ter
git rich, He wuz erway IN New Orleans fur
er mont after time. One day we all hea at
de plantation en- US darkeys all gsine ter be
sold ter pay OF Marse Johns debts
'Ol' rd,stis mos 'stracted, en- Miss Lucille
waikiki de 10 Ell cryin' lax 'er heart broke
De Ian en- slaves halter 20; de wuzn't no
way glttln' roun' hit Judge Bacon wug
pinted receiyer by de law. But ali dis didn't
come W ter wat We halter went thoo wen
De day come UT slaves ter be sold on Do
block az de court house. De wuz powful
big croud Tom all sides: des lax hit vuz er
hangin'
I'm tell. you de trufe I wux more sor-
rier fur Larkin ell Ria an wur fur myssf;
reckon 'twuz kase dey take on So
Oar wuz er nigger trader f'om Louisiana
ready ter buy six ur US, On be wuz wriggiin'
roup' in de croud. AKIN questions en- lookin
n US De folks in dat settlement wux mighty
lackin' or money dem times, On We know Ut
some er US boun ter BE- tuck way rom home.
"Dey put Larkin on de block fust ons, sn
dsy gin ter bid up on I'm. Somebody start
it At eight hundred dollars den dc t-adsr ny
eight afty. Twur ergin de rules fur UNI ssr
open der moufs while dey on Do block. but
LAr.in clean forsit de rules; On wen dey got
ter biddD bot en- high on i'm. his eyes got
plumb full of water en- be tar open his shirt
at de neck en- twis bis bat twix' bis hans lak
twas or rops-Larkin pear LAX be gwine ~
die vid err spasn-
En- wen de trader say ''leven hundred dol
lars, Llrkin des bend down tods i'm en- bog
i'm
Nov. marster, ef you buy me you mus
buy Rim, sub, she's my wife Oar she is vid
de red bead clcth on
De woz considerable talkin' rnongss de
white people, en- er farmer wild er plantation
jinin' We ais Did leven hundred en- ffty.
LArkin look at i'm powful glad, den de trader
say:
"'Twilvs hundrsdr
"LArkin look at i'm ergin en- say;
II you buy NE, sub, fur God saks saks
Ria, tosi, sub wouldn't DO NO count 'dsass
G. On aa, 70 er mighty faithful woman; -
1r uaizfiz abe tell YIN, -