Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1890-05-15

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ditch, anthem a loud voice benin hol-
Tered out: Eyer don't know this hero
road like duz er yer wouldn't get in
sech ditches."
NO" says I, scramblin' out, II doan't
expect do. Which way are yer goin',
Sol?"
"Me? Ize gwine down ter see Miss
Clio. thinks me an her can fix it up
fer de picnic ter-morrow. Whar is yer
gwine?"
We'll, we are gwine in the same di-
rcction. ! thought / would step in at
Mr.. Jones' an have er talk bout straw
berry culture. Mine amt doin' so
we'll"
We was most ter de house now, an
looked at dis tall black feller by my
side an wondered how Mr.. Jones could
have him goin' with his daughter SO
much. There was sech cortras'. He
was black as crow, an he had she big
ges' teeth an mouth yer ever see set
in a mans head. Well, l owned ter
bein' niger myself, but then Clio an
mo was like in color, an our upper
stories had receive some cultivation. l
don't know why, but l never like ter
see mixture of color. What suits mo
is blacks ter blacks an tans ter tans or
in other words, likes tor see distinc-
tion in caste.
When we went in de ole man an his
wife was sittin' on de porch an Clio was
in do hall by de lamp readin'. We took
seats, an do ole lady called ter Clio ter
come out an bring de banjo with her,
an knew what dat meant, for dey was
gwine ter ask Sol Peoples ter pick 1t an
sing. He got up an took it with sech
grace you never seed. That was de
frs time in my life l ever wished ter
be an artist, for would liked ter have
drawed his picture as he sang: Dew
Drops is Fallin' on Me, Love-" Then
he picked for Clio an she singed: "Way
down on de S'wannee Riber." When
she got through felt like kissin' her.
it was rendered so sweet. Clio had
good voice, an there was no disputin'
de fact. De frs time l ever noticed
her musical taste was when she
were goin' ter school ter me at
Osceola school-house. She could
ies' warble like a bird / loved Clio
from dat time, an watched her develop
ment with much interest. Clio was my
ideal of girl. She was tall, straight
as an arrow, an carried her head like
tingo of color in her brown cheeks dat
made her look as fresh as half-blowed
rose, an her eyes was jes' like two load
stones dat would draw yer to 'em If yer
was two miles off.
Well I have digressed little ter
give de reader an idea of my fair hero
Inc. When de singin' was over fell
ter talkin' ter Mr.. Jones bout my straw
berries, for there was no chance ter
have word with Clio, as Sol Peoples
had monopolizd her company. But
was listener to their conversation all
do same, an smiled when he asked her
for her company ter dc picnic, for was
safe on dat question.
who is yer gwine wid?" he interrer-
gated.
You'll see ter-morrow," she said,
quietly, but his face changed expression
an he bit his lip, at tho same time
givin' me look which l never forgot
and which meant: "You are to deprive
me of that pleasure, are you? I'll have
my revenge.
Why he hated me I do not know, but
he always had from my frs day as
teacher of the colored school at Osceola.
i had heard that he said that was too
proud niger and needed the starch
took out of me, but had never noticed
any of his remarks, little dreamin' that
thcre could be trouble ahead.
The spring was over, an had more
leisure an would often go to Clos ter
while away my dull moments, but al
ways found do house full of colored
gentry of dc black type. and it made
my blood boil to think dat one of these
might be successful suitor for hor
hand. AS never had chance ter put
In a word in that direction at her home,