Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1890-05-08


Aunt Betty was a slave the cook In
family living, forty years ago, in vii
lage on the borders of southern state
She was one of the most striking figure:
among the negroes when they gathered In
the evening under the great oak trees by
the spring-a tall lean mulatto, with pip
ing voice and tirnid resolute face. She
always wore huge clean apron Of bed
ticking and a red handanna kerchief about
! her white hair. She had one child, cir
of five. who had the singular beauty sc
often found IN quadroons.
| They belonged to Dr, Blake. His only
daughter, Elsie, had no other playmate
/ than little Polly, who was 10 be her maid
| when both girls were grown In the mean
time. Polly. who was a. fair a. her Young
mistress. wore her ca-t-of clothes. ran
| and rode with her. saI beside her when
I she took her lessons and even slept on
( cpt in her room. In consequence. when
the war Was over, and Aunt Betty. much
| 10 her dismay. found herself free and
obliged 10 earn wages and buy clothes foI
/ herself. she had a young girl Of fifteen on
her hands, beautiful. full Of energy and
hope, and with the tastes and habits Of a
refined white child,
lDr Blake was dead his widow and
daughter going down 10 Louisiana TO live
You will 20 with u. OF course. Aunt
Betty said Mr. Blake, Il cannot af
ford u pay Polly anything; but She will
have her home with Us until you teach her
/ 10 cook a. you 80, snd then She can earn
high wages in New orleans"
flank YOU. Miss Laura" said Betty
goodness knows it takes a load onrn my
ncher bought picayune's wurf foh de
chile in my life. Faulna. You suttingly
- ,uto de kitchen dis day" :"
Miss Laura. | doan want TO De a cook "
/ said Polly coming up 20 her mistress, her
] voice Aoarse with fright ST her own te-
merity
4 Mrs. Blake stared at the girl, who was
usually gentle ana timid. 1t was SIS If a
mouse had started up to stop her path.
"Nou~ense." !" She >ald. "Do a. your moth
rr bids YOU"
Mamma" said Elsie. II do not see why
/ Polly must De q cook. She could earn a.
much money as q !aundress or a lady ;
maid
II dont-know." said Mrs Blake,
thoughtfully, Il think not"
II am free now" gasped Polly. vehe-
mcntly. "Doan 90 way, Miss Laura Just
listen to me You are making all my life
fo2h me in this minute Ieinn7 sneak ,istt ,iqst
Elsie can do sums n play on the piano
all her tunes She taught me.
- you learned quicker thah u'N'
said Elsie. laughing.
They say therc'il be a big school for us
now why cant | stay here 4 learn n be
Ike white folks: WHY must | he a cook"
She held out her hands treho.hS' f"r
the first time Mrs. Blake notlced that the
Eir!s lace was me ana strong ana h'f
eyes luI4 OF ihteHischHc-
II have nothing 10 say IN the matter
enid, she SAN Win HaWh. lou rs
long 70 yourself now Bnt you can hafi-
~ expect me To support you ID your c"i-
legiate course. No" you see Nhe
conilnued, turning coidiy 10 Elsie the
imprudence OF teaching these people any
thing"
Polly alone with her mother, terrified
the old woman with the Nehemence OF her
protests.
We are free " she repeated hundred
times. There is to be school where
can lesrn just the same things IS Miss IL
Sic If she was poor she wouldn't have 70
be a cook. Why must i; Why can't be
/ Ike white folks, mammal"
Aunt Betty cried and scolded, and theu
/ fen to kneadiug her bread and praying at
( the top OF her voice 10 quiet her soul. But
1 he was >orely shaken. Her child was at-
ter all. her child, and 10 see her ike white
/ folks
/ .Ef you 90 wid Miss Elsie she Glib you
her cloes," she suddenly interjected into her
PRAYER. How yoh gwine get frocks n
SIX apuns gwine TO school, hey
THE more ! knows the more | can
learn. said Paulina. There are hundreds
of ways of making money when you have
been to school"
Betty, Of course yielded at last Mrs.
Bake and Elsie departed 70 return no
more. Betty, who was famous as cook
throughout the county, went out as al
expert 10 weddings, parties, etc, ana made
mary elous pickles, jams and jellies which
she sold at high price. With the none.
thus earned Polly was sent 70 one of the
universities established for colored peo
pie. She studied faithfully the teachers
were competent. At the end Of fonr year,
she came home
Aunt Betty looked with awe at the quiet
neatly dressed girl. "foh l"ok like whit
folks, for shuah; dough l tnk you oush
to wear some lualry. KIN aHoru II
Dere's some pink dimonds Inde drug-stol
Wlndah-
Never mind them now, SAID Polly
IAN need now Is something TO do Ther'
was no place as teacher vacant But
want to begin at once. want TO see yo'
at rest, NANNY. You've worked for mi
long enough NO" l am going 10 earl
the money and you shall have holiday.
She lifted the withered, yellow hands an'
kissed them
Aunt Betty's eyes sh'ne with deiigh
and pride in her girl IAN whatn yo
gwine to do, Paulina?" she said.
"Oh, don't know. There are hun
dred ways in which an educated woma
can earn her living"
"A white woman" mutered Betty, un
der her breath. But Poly did not hea
her.
The village had grown into thrivin
town. Polly, eager and hopeful, set ou
the next day to look for work. 1t wa
impossible for her to fno place as teach
4 er in the freemen's schools. Twent
, graduates of the university are waiting TO
the first vacancy, SAID the prlnclpal.
She went to the large rs!ail store of th
town and met Peter Barr at the dool
You advertised for hDok-keeper, MI
Barr"
Il did did. walk 10 ma am. IL
goin' to try woman ms time. Ihe