Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-11-03
Written for TEE EvExIra sTAA
WoT OLE PAHsrMMoN SAVED.
BIZ ELLA LOUISE MAcARTNEY.

BIZ ELLA Louise MCCARTNEY.
A splash Of red on n russell sky in the west;
heights Of gloomy purple clouds in the east.
with lightning trickling down their crevices;
and all around a wind that comes in quick.
short sasps from the rain-choksd earth. carry
ing ON its breath the opening sobs OF Schubert's
..SerenAde."
.Persimmon," I say to the old darkey whom
Ih.ve engaged to wheel my equity body round
during its stay at the springs, ..Persimmou ~
He 10 vide-swake In an instant from his sag
gins-headed sleep on the bench behind my
chair.
"Yas-suh"
"were you asleepy
"Jess-a-dozin, SUBJ"
He stands before me like an umber Mil,et. q
charred pine-knot for a head, brown face cob
weooed with wrinkles, eyes in which the cor
ners have grown yellow from age, SPRAYING
nose, mouth distorted and prodigaI as to
curve and extent-altogether a symphony in
browns save where his heredity from his color
loving ancestry Of the Old Testament mani
Tests Itself in the sorgsousnsss Of purple and
criInson handkerchief
do you think you can get me place on the
piazza where can see the dancerss"
Il kin, sub" .-,..-
"Kin what2" say-''think?"
''No sub. Kin git" and so he departs.
little later he establishes me comfortably
near one of the open ballroom windows. in a
place not too near the band, and well out of the
glare Of the lights and the observation of prom
enaders. Few OF the guests Of the hotel have
come down yet. and az We wait for the reoms
10 NIL, Persimmon seats his old self at nv gouty
feet and proceeds calmly with his inter
rupted slumbers. ..
thin. new moon creeps ont on nearing
say; In the soughing wind. the shivering young
down in the cold, green gloom of the marsh
frogs "cloap; frefiies wink; the toad comes
out, bugs buzz about the new-gnade light; the
spider > eyes CLEAN through his filmy doors: a
moth, large-winged and tawny, touches rose
cheek eareiessiy, haif-hesrtedly, as one who has
many loves; shadow, swinging shadow. creep
ing shadow. music and night. Il sweet rich
gloom TO wrap sore memories in
odd PersimmOn.' 1 say. punching him
vlciously with my stick. '.Uld Fersimmonr'
Wide awake in an instant
Why don't you entertain me?''
''Whyn't enertain yo? Heish. bow
am almost sixty. Sly old rascal That means
another pair of breeches.
Yes" continue. why don't YOU talk?"
Muffin tuh tauk bout cep'n duh people an
none on EN- wots down vi. wuth hit Wait till
my folkses KEN in. Dare dey is now-Missa
Lane, an she's aunt. wild Cap'n Thorndyke an
duh ole marse."
l look in the direction in which his wrinkled
white-hned old paw points. and see, standing
just inside the door by the tall begonia plant.
womsn-girl. rather-vividly beautiful, and
Older civiIizs.ior tn ,r- o,r OS-o"s' '" "N
She stands iyresoIrte Tor n n,n,,sn. a,a than
with her chaPer0ne and the gentleman who
form her escort, moves over near the window
outside of which sit
9reet y,yIe- nnr,-I. 80 r., 80, ~. . VIC
iashes almost bfack and nv.r enhaals ni.b
scarlet ting. n skin war;, creamy oiou;rg
Her dress. of what in my Young days we
broidercd with a fine cold thread is ,oonaad
high ON the hips leaving tn III nis;n - ttba
side to show the pliant Curves ~ her holy as
she walks or dances The Iav.cnt bo,,;ce ,,ss
against skin liz velvet II, ~ - o,aIs
CLEAN. while in her hands and ON. her hreast
bloom trembIinp sDraVs ~ nnrnje nass;n,,
flower f
'-Heavensr' say. involuntarily leaning for
ward who ia she p,r.iuyo,,2'''
.D., ;, hs a. ;anchinn a =. .r.
her name. dat are Mi,sa Lane 'f~-'
Miss Lane who ~ 7 az ,n,,.,,;sn,,~
..Eyant Won taIe2 Earouhax ~ 80, ~
What F,ronbsr2~ Wv W ....
vuh. Dew, ben sence Gnb b.g;n1;n, 1A ''A'
Wbetbsr he r,ean, 80 IS hA
Der. or piouslv refers 10 the creation oS all
things am still nncar,a;n WIG 'ie"''oA vi "i
n A, II. -
W.. IL. LII 1 1 owneo me
7 msans Iandi o .rA uJ' 1iias Sl Jun van,
-,,n t;r,. a. - 80; e : ~ ruin1i,ip r
s,;n NJ Ssb,,s Lis ~. sob ~ irss;s ne
e., o. -. - -, 'n S.n ois gu We
- ~ n .I. ANY, W. .uu uo "h'uI ivan Ia dun
= .S oo nun eoeh wen We gn uen news.
~ aoan adn s'ains .otih Missa
~i'H 81 Jun ois niarse say; a-Pintin tah duh
ho1~f1plh noe IN nan NO mo tonn
ailIE 80 uIy ms I 20 Is Tree. gin
70 70 sc L An Jun ionesomehess oroke OUT
an over me, an 4 orap al ieet a-sayln.
Doan 40 dat' Mafse> tan. aosn DO DAT l
won tex DUN gn. gu mysef pack again
Gawd! iuh 80 a new saw nm W Gu 1 saved
dat fng- DE teams stan big In eyes; dey DID
fah deh lac an Mlssa LANE Sc w1S nopt duh
Size OF pine kiniin al duh time, se wfap
huh Ill arms roun dis ole wolly ffaid an say,
Mine. Mine: simmons mine ana wen duh
ole marse e heah duh I'LL scrap say dat Pahsim-
mon wah she-uns. e say. Vale, fahsimmon,
i shell be glad enough to hcb yuh eff yuh keer
to stay D=yli be few enough wot xoan' go,
few enough
The old negro pauses, scratches his head with
his nat-ended fingers. and turns his Ethiopian
profile. with all its Hrsconcihble angles.
against the hight OF the newly-risen moon. They
have begun the "Casliostro, and az l lean for
ward 10 see Miss farqnnar dance, Persimmon
says Sc wiil not dance tell Marse Phii hev
come; heah hun W EN- sc promise him..
Aarse PM say inferrogatively, " also