The Delta independent. [volume] (Delta, Colo.) 1886-19??, 1890-05-13
At the end of four years she came

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Aunt Betty looked with awe at the
quiet, neatly dressed girl. "Yoh look
like white folks, foh shuah; dough 4
tink yon ought to wear somc jualry.
kin afford it. Dere's some pink di.
monds i'll dc drug-stoh windah--"
"Never mind them now" J" said Polly.
"All need now is something to do.
There was no place as teach + vacant.
/ But l want to begin at once. / want
to see you at rest, NANNY. You've
worked for me long enough. Now ]
am going to earn the money and you
shall have long holiday" She lifted
the withered, yellow hands and kissed
them.
Aunt Betty's eyes shone with delight
and pride in her girl. can what'n
yoh gwine to do, Paulina?" she said.
"Oh, don't know. There are a
hundred ways in which an educated
woman can earn her living"
GA white woman" muttered Betty,
under her breath. But Polly did not
hear her.
The village had grown into thriv-
ing town. Polly, eager and hopeful,
set out the next day to look for work
1t was impossible for her to find a
place as teacher in the frcedmen's
schools. "Twenty graduates of the
university are waiting for the first
vacancy" said the principal.
She went to the large retail store of
the town and met Peter Barr at the
door. "You advertised for book
keeper, Mr.. Barr?" ...
81 did did. Walk in, ma'am. I'm
goin' to try woman this time. They
come cheaper, an Fin in favor of Civ
in the fair sex a chance. l suppose
you have references?"
"Yes; am sure you will find them
satisfactory" She turned to the win
dow to open her papers.
"Why, bless my soul!" exclaimed
Barr; otis Be,ty's Polly. Hello, gal!
Are you bookkeepcr?"
81 am sure you will find me COM
petent, Mr.. Barr" she said earnestly.
ssI haint doubt of it. But it's on
possible! Your color. child: you hail't
forgot that? l couldn't give you work.
Don't be worried now, gall" lie said
kindly.
"You need saleswomen? Try me,
Mr.. Barr. If you will not trust the
books to me, let me go behind the
counter"
Barr scanned the neat figure and gen.
tie face. 81 bet you'd be a sight nicer
and poli,cr than them impudcnt
wenches I've got thcre!v he broke
forth. "But l couldn't do it at no
price! If you was behind the counter
not customer would come before it."
had known her since little child, was
touched by the tears that crept down
her cheeks. 81 need scrubbing done.
l could give you that?" he said.
elf can do no better will scrub"
said Polly. "But," she added reso-
lutely, ~ am fiji for better work than
that
Mr.. Yeats, the lawyer, had adver-
tised for copying clerk. She went
to his office and showed him page of
her writing. every fair, clear and
business-likew
81 can also use the typewriter" she
added, modestly.
"Why, that's just what want! You
don't belong fere. l fancy; a new
conner like myself?"
"No. was born here. belonged
to DIR. Blake"
ga slave! You're niggcr? Great
Scott! You didn't expect me to en-.
ploy nigger?' He sprang to his feet
and hurried her out of the door.
Two weeks passed in such efforts as
these. Polly sometimes met with abuse
or insult in her efforts to find work,
but not often. Her mother was IA
vorite with the kindly people, who had
viewed her own efforts to gain an edu-
cation and standing-room in the world
with an astonished amusement, as they
might have looked at a worm that was
trying to stand upright. She came
home one night and sat down in front
of the fire with set face.
"Yoh Civ up, darlin'?" said Betty.
eyes, give up. There is 10 place
for 'nigger' except in the Kitchen"
she said, quietly.
"You kin help me lot, Polly" the
old woman, venturcd, after pause.
utes. "Mother," she said, "l'll make
place Ior lnyscII! IL is my neau
that is trained, not my hands, and I'll
live by it'll III give you rest. You
shall have your holiday
A week later the towns people were
surprised to see one of the front win
dows of Aunt Betty's little house filed
with tape, pins, ribbons, ETC., while in
the other were rows of jars of jelly
and pickles. They had always bought
the jelly and pickles, il was convenient
to buy their needles and thread ut the
same place, especially as they were Of
fered at a less price than at Barr's great
emporium.
After month or two, when the wo-
men OF the town had grown used to
running into "Polly'a" little shop,
they began to find there patterns, knit
hoods and mittcps, and other little tri-
fes that Barr had never brought to the
place. Polly herself was always quiet,
courteous, quick. Why should they
buy jam from her and not hool?
They fell SO gradually into the habit
of buying from her that they probably
never asked themselves the question.