Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-12-23
WHITE MARIE.

WHITE MARIE.
fMaris 10 . whitA, but knowing only black
4uxstte - hsr NANNY" Two couples, lie
and EIvfra. and JAKE d black hruss, end M
rfs, have hesn commanded TO marty. The
sosns n the nighs hsfors ths double welding
Suites cabin b lighted by the rcd glow
Of . spiuttering pins knot Ia tbs chimney.
Shs bends over the smoke dyed flame. hs
handkerchief covered bad aznk dssp In hag
fat and shining anna
She iooks over her shoulder into tho dask-
neas tsbind hsr Her own bulky form In sx-
Aggerstsd into . shadow xiAntsas On the vail,
and, round this siihouetts vsird, make ike
sprit4s II shade. born Of tbs ropss II ssneAs
from the pine, pirouSess gissfnily. Traces Of
dried up tears are In the wrinkles of the das-
~ woman's chseks Hsr work hArdsnef 6n-
gers trembls on hsr knss and her frams
qaivsrs conyulavsiy.
% my LA~dr' she prsys, in dssp anguish,
show po' Sazetts do right way. Nov wat
kin she do Ia dis yer trial en- tribu.ationf
Der amt er spark er light in do wiiderns.,
ca it's all vid swamps On dark ez pitch. en
no way out. Oh, my fAwdl you mus I'LL
my lamp srgin."
Bhs csas>s 10 pray, but docs not look up
~hsn slow, light step neArs the door on ths
dew covered grass Marie stAnda On tho
threshold. . picture Of youth In the clutches
Of dark despair drawn the vast space
canvas which il stretched from earth 70 the
starr
Hincs Mars can rerneIDher SuEette has not
failed 10 meet her with . sInils-ths smile ID
mot forthcoming tonight As the girl ianguid-
iy places her hat on the bed she eyes the do
jectSd old form in a way that shows that she
fully oomprehspd1 tho woman's fsslings+ She
sghs and turns 10 the door. She peers out
iato the far spreading bIackness a. one In
dream sces strange, threatening aspects and
feels unable TO fee from them
Somstimes, when tho rapidly scurring
clouds are thinns~t in front Of the moon, the
majestic couvsIity Of the nearest mountain
shows, clear cut, against the sky.
Sounds Of unalioysd merriment from f.
virns domicils subordinate the singing Of
tho breeze touched trees nsar by. They are
the harmonious thnmp Of . banjo and the
resonant. drum like beating Of bare fest on
panchson floor Now and then snatches Of
happy plantation songs are sung amid bursts
Of hearty laughter.
This merry mAking Ia intended To do honor
10 the da~ning wedding day Of Ike and r.
vira Neither had sought marriage, perhaps
for the reason that they had not been taught
10 think and decide for themselves in matters
where their own welfare was concerned; but.
now that thsir banns had been cried by their
masters resntless agent, they could raiss no
word Of objection. Indeed, after the hrst
family queer sensation ~as over they hogan
.,,.if bal. fHssi af
revelsrx' turbulent fun making
Tho banjo player" and my crowd" ~
he terms the stsntorian lunged ioungers who
Join in the chorus TO the rhymeless stanzas he
invents are seated some in the door Of the
cabin, others on the floor, with willowy bend
ing bodies and clapping hands Cries one:
Dance, Ike shuttle yo'sefw
shake dat long foot. you foo, darky'"
,hrilly pipes a pickaninny who is wriKgling
and gyrating in . corner and kicking and
Shaping the wall with his feet and hands ~
IL hewitched with the music.
Mex am bofs kick de high weddin' fing"
sings out another Then from the mouth Of
the leader:
De boiler his foot mex hobs In de groun',
Hole In de groun hole In de groun'
Who's teen yer sence been gone,
Er long slim darky wd or white shut on
Willing Ike rises from the floor with q
mouth stretching grin and plants himself in
the center of the ring Of faces, and begins his
performance by simply swaying his body TO
and fro and now and then slapping his bro
gan sole against the door.
"Git out. I'm wild you'll Dis Zoo amt gwine
ter hol me Oh I'm err slidin' down dc snow
mountain"
Hump. hump, he humps er long
po' ole darky Amt much strong"
chimes in the deep voice Of the random
soloist.
He gettin' in er ~eavin' way. Ike. do yo'
bes'-cut her clean thool Show uIn whAr you
been raised !" shouts an enthusiastic admirer
In a spasin Of glee
MEX Elvira jine inn yells the banjoist.
"Puil sr out. mex 'er show up. Dey amt
fittin ter marry less'n dey kin dance tergsrr.
See Itch kin outlas de longes'f'
In an instant Evira is drawn into the
ring Ike emits defiant guffaw to greet his
antagonist
You'll find me light yer on dis plank at
sun up. Elvira." he says: you better not
try me; tex er gal. en- one at Amt long
windsdn
"Shuhi" This exclamation Of supreme and
defiant disgust liz all that Elyira can spare the
breath to say, Is she vigorously bends herself
TO the contest.
she amt gwine talk. " laughs a woman
above the roar OF voices and music Shes
or savin' 'er win | boun' you see Ike laid
out lax er tr-e fell on I'm. done seed too
many women shuttle. Ike's er fool. She kin
do 1t en- not half try. See 'er hol 'er dress
lax she is drivin' er brood OF chickens. She
amt even wuk or hans"
The dance continued till Ike began, indeed,
to show signs Of tagging. Under the APP
plause and enthusiastic praise OF the audience
Elvira kept up brightly, and Ike skunk with
hanging head and quivering knees from the
ring For some moments Eivira refused to
quit the circle, but at last she allowed two
other aspirants for eclat to take her place,
and she staggered proudly from the ring.
Marie turns gloomily away from the door
and closes her ears to the sound Of this mer-
riment.
Nanny, she says, standing behind Su-
zette, who is lifting live coal OF fire from
the hearth TO her pipe. The woman has &C
complishei the trick innumerable times be
fore with infailible dexterity. but now her
trembling fingers fail in sdroitness. and the
angry coal intiicts burn on her hard palm.
NANNY. Marie goes on, painting 80 that
she can hardly speak, 'have you heard what
The momentary sufferer OF bodily pain ap-
plies tho smarting spot to her tongue, and
then rubs it on her gown over her round
knee. with a greater show Of pain than The
incideut calls for, and obviously to excuse
hcrsf from making . reply To the girlS
earnest query.
"Mammy," continues Marie. hsr words a.
most inaudibie and touching her bowed COM
pAnion with . gesture OF despair. Il can't
bsar it Oh, God, want TO diet
"Honey"-but no effort Of Susetts's can
induce the words TO come forth which trembls
IN her brain She lowers her turbaned heaA
almost into her lap
Marie turns from her to the door with .
deep sigh and face void Of blood
"Whar you 'gwiner asks Susetss quickly.
he back soon. l feel I'm burning up, soul
and body. Let me 60 out in the night air."
She GOES out into the zelda The clouds are
swiriing dark overhead. and danling electric
hisroglyphics split their density. On, on shs
strides, the turbulence Of her mad thoughts
giving springs TO her feet. A nns mist b
blown into her fevsrsd face. A low, threat
ening rumbling comes from the clouds, and
the mighty trees on the mountain are tor
sursd 70 groaning in an upper current Of air.
The music In Elviras cabin dies away into .
faint hum At last abe finds hsrsslf 90 the
river bank. and experiences . faint ssnaAr
ton Of surprise to see that she has walked 70
far In fact. she can't rememher wheh abe
crossed the branch, about half way between
the river and her cabin. She dos not won
L.. Il kx.- ~ l.~A