The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-04-19
COMMODORE ROSCOES "PAR CLOES.'

fGilberta S. Whttle in Philadelphia llmesJ
NANNY. / wished you'd buy me par
clo'es."
This request. in q whining monotone, came
from a small ebon specimen Of the masculine
,Oonder. who, arrayed in single garment,
bearing o suspicious resemblance to Il recon-
s,ructed meal bag, sat on q stool in the corner
of the broad stone fireplace, slowly rubbing
The top Of one rusty black foot with the horny
sole of the other. IT was warm afternoon in
AUGUST. The sun was three hours past the
JAGGED twelve O'Clock mark cut deep
across tho door sill. Aunt Dilsy. with tuI-
boncd head and shOeless feet protrudlng
severri inches through n pair of worn yarn
stock;noa stood ironing at board stretched
between the open door and the sashiess wih-
dow whose clumsy shutter was fastened back
against the wall to admit more hght
Tho room. the only one of which the cabin
boasted was scrupulously clean. Inc pine
Aoor worn about the doorstep and the stone
hearth. was "a white as "suds' and vigorous
rubbing could make It. On the walls, Tor the
douhle purpose of ornamentatlon and 70 Keep
ont the keen winter winds, which Ia that BIT
Ter mountain climate forced an entrance
throuph every crack and crevice. pictures,
cut from story papers. fashion DOCKS ana
floral
ouins Of scallOped newspapers were tackled
about the mantel-piece and the woo1en
shelf Upon the latter. arranged with mathe-
Jnafical precision. wes n pen which would not
write. mn inkstGnd and few calicO-covered
books. ana above II depended vltYlng mir
ror looking like n small lake under the lniiu-
once of a stiff breeze. I'm one corner stood an
unpainted bedstead with snowy "cover-led
md rutiled pillow cases OF coarse muslin.
This with "A table and few rough chairs and
stools. completed the furniture OF the room.
for the cro 1."ry and cooking utensils we're
hidden away IN n closet under the steps which
led to the loft above.
las summer" continued Commodore
Aunt Dilsy. who was fond Of quar- name
an didn't had nothn' else to give him" had
called the boy SO in honor Of Mars Commo-
do Roscoe who bad once spent "A summer
at the mineral springs near when dat lazy
whar was bO'dn' at Mr.. 1Tashers wanted me
10 fotch Ter letters fom de Office evy mail
day YOU wouldn't lcmIne, cause YOU was
feared I'd skecr do folks goin' long de big
road | can't never make no money twell
gifts some clOes.
Aunt Dilsv set her iron down on its ring
with "a sharp thud. and began pulling out the
ruiiies on delicate garment she was prepar-
inc TO smooth.
IWhat YOU tall1n' so simple bout boy?"
she said at last pausing moment IN her oc-
cupation and fixing n whitening look upon
Clmmodore You know dat lady won't give
YOU enuf money 10 clo'es YOU
II know she won't replied Commodore
sulkily. but eff I'd had par clo'es could 'er
been geth'rin berries all de summer an car
ryin' EN- TO de springs to sell"
Aunt Dilsy met this last argument with chill
ing silence.
NANNY" broke in Commodore at last
describing circles with one terrapin great tO'
in a pile OF ashes he had drawn out upon the
hearth, "ef gifts de money to buy me some
clo'es Kin hap em;.,
Aunt Dilsy gave a significant chuckle
Eyes. chile. # you gifts de money to buy ZEN
wild YOU kin hab 'em." Then. with a suddeI
change of tone, quite startling TO one less &C
Quainted with her varying moods than Com
modorc was, An now you stop maxim al
dat fuss an git up fom dar an go an pick m'
up some bresh. you hear me:"
The interrOgatOry portion of this sentence
WIS pitched ut least an octave higher than rs
opening clnuse. "a key Aunt Dilsy was very APP
to drift into when issuing her orders TO the
little darkey.
Twelve years of intimate association will
her had taught Commodore 10 gauge the ma
tcrnal barometer with great accuracy. At tn,
least fall in the mercury his custom was I,
drop the suit he was urging, pOstponlng i
until the fair weather indications were une
quivocal. He was on his feet the momen