Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-03-31

loncer'n Ray did. In de years aiter
f,,st came here, when you fust uster ak
me bout my white folks, i could'n say
nnthin' tall, but de cravin' after EN-
make me tell you now, an lis mighty
thankful 10 you fo- them two years you
tell mo bout jist now. :,
bIeiye. Marster, when folks tells dc
story OF dee self dee gins wid de most
'portant day IN dee life. Sometimes i's
de day dee was born. Mine wont; 1
wish twas. an dat dat same day I'd ha.
died. den | wouldn't hab to be settin'
down here dis day in de bar PRISON.
I'd be angel, Hyin' rom wld dc
blessit baby o. my marster, whar l was
'cuzed Of 'stroyin. III begin ct de time
when I was nigh 'bont ten year old, an
INV msmmy tie white apron 'roun my
make an tole me to run iur 70 mol dc
marsters horse.
He were 30 pleased wild rue dat he
tuck me TO de house TO muse little
Mars Albert, whar was several months
younger'n me- Well so come we TO-
eether. and growed up together fur
years, tell my young marster git SO ole
dee sent him to college. he were dc
onliest chile for long time, but when
he nigh on to seventeen thar come ono
mother baby boy whsr dee cali hay.
sac list as soon as Mars Al. sot he foot
on dat step whar me an Ray was set'in
in de sun he got no use for &c BABY
Gaze he face look like storm IN de
harvest fiel when do niggers run to de
harm fur shelter. 'spect how he'd say
somep'n 10 de chile. but he nevur even
look at him, he jist frown at me an
saw as how / better min out dat me
baby git me in trouble some desc days.
/ done been hearin' some monstrus
hard stories on him while he gone, an
felt's If Mars AL. wasn't right bout de
baby nor nuthin' else Id hearL Mars Ned,
whar knowed him while he was at col
lege. tell how be self he two bay myars
TO pay he gamblin' debts, an writ home
an tel he pa how dat be horses died
wild 'stemper. He soon had one nuther
pyar. too de was as black as tar bucket
We was quality white folks, an mig
gers, too, as fur dat. We didn't MN
our folks spendin' money, but Mars
Albert made il fly like he had de whole
Jeemes river full on it. Mars AL he
know he dom wrong, fur he pa an he ma
tel him 30 constant, he don't keer
bean an he say to ole mistis face.
Pres'n't dee git tired o'de row Mars
AL. a weedin,' an dee speak an tol him
bout it plain. I'll never furgit dat day
ef / live TO git like dat ole skeleton in
de doctors shop, wild de teeth achstterin'
on agrinnin'. Susan say Mars AL.
have like a lunatic in de 'sylum he lis'
up wild he fist fur to struck ole marster.
den mistis she scream an faint of in
her YARN cheer, an her hans drop in
her lap. hear dat scream, an her
voice SCUM so pitful like | run In to see
what de matter, AN thar were Susan
aleanin' over her acryin' an begin her
fur to speak to her. Mistis looked so
white she skeered me too. L tell Susan
eff she ever want TO see her agin IN de
live flesh to fling cold water ober her.
We done it too, we empty dc whole
pitcher full ober her; an Susan she fan
her while / rub her hans an unloosened
her shoes, an sho' nuff pres'n'y We
brung her back to life. De Marster he
done run out. but he git back by dat
time. an stan thar like he were stunned.
De fust words ole Miss said when she
opened her blue eyes was whar was
Marster an Mars AL.
Hef step right up to her, and l run
ID In to call Mars Al. didn' know den
n Nat make him 60 down.
As run by / stop to see bout Ray ;
he still seepin'. Jack an de boys tell
me as how Mars Al. nuver comm back
no more, case dc marster done sent
him of.
/ study an study how 'twould turn
out. | know my mistis had a great
hankerin' arter dat boy, but l Tess l
didn' know how he raisin his han 'ginst
he pa iud feet her. So jis' lay low
an never low de servants to spute bout
it 10 me.
De time pass by sorter slow twell Ray
was nigh on three years ole. Sarah had
always nussed him, but now he ma nd
let him run arter me jist to please Us
bofe.
l can hear be little foots now how dey
patter hind me. an pear to me hear
ag'in dat baby voice calm to me.
await, Pomp; | tant wun so fast. J"
Den I'd stop an mount him on my
shoulder. an sing dis dear ole song to
him as go on to de gyarden;
Oh. what ship Is dis dat will take us all homo
On, glory halielutah
IT'S de ole ship q Zion, haielu!eh.
DO you think che will be able
Eur 10 take US all homer
Oh. glory hsllelu1sh!
She has landed many thousands,
AND can lend as many more,
Oh, glory hallelutahl
Raw liked to hear niger songs He
always make me sing m TO him as l go
to help Sam hoe in dc gyarden. 1 use
fur TO put Ray in de hotbed whar do
sweet later slips was tuck out, an
leave him thar to play while work do
vegetables. One day | call to Ray, an
he never answer me. / run to de hot
bed an be done putt dc glass.door down
over he self an couldn' git out. De sun
shine down dat hot feared de baby got
sunstroke, but he all right when l let
him out l never put Ray in dar no
more.
/ member once Mistis tell me take
kear of Ray tell Sarah come back from
Miss Ann LOTIONS. whar she done gone
to cyar some nourishment, Gaze she
were sick.
] lay down on de pump an pult my
hat over my eyes, pres'n'y de sun shine
30 warm fell to dozin', an fust thing |
know splash come whole pan full OF
water all ober me. Jump up an thar
stan Ray aholdin' he gray kitten in one
han an de sponge in tother. He done
try 10 gi' dat cat q barf. an she done
kick de pan o water spang ober my
hade. Ray he look like he couldn' hep
his self alaughin'. He was jist as wet as
of he done sot down in de duck puddle in
de back yard. He didn' keer one bit,
an when carry him to he ma. an toll
her how drap to sleep in de sun, Ray
be keep laughin' tell he ma jine him.
and she amt never scold me bout il yet.
All dis time dey amt said much bout
Mars Al, but know mistis want him.
Pear to me she lookin' pale an sick, 30
say one day 10 ole Marster as how I
notice she don't eat nothin'; an she
never play an sing like she ulster do ON
the pisnny. An how she 'ud set at De
window an gaze out in de dark. An