Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1892-03-02
HE CAME OUT OF THE ROYAL
FAMILY.

seven different roads meeting there
Doubtless people are born, live and
die in Weldon with independent his.
tories, but the outside world only
speaks of the town in this way, TIDid
you make the connection at Weldon p
There was disjointed period when
1t seemed exce~tional to make this
necessary connection promptly, in trav-
elling South, and it was my lot to
miss it by half an hour. They told me
at the depot that there was nothing for
me to do but TO wait twenty-four
hours at the hotel. The one hit upon
proved very dreary, having the barren
air of restaurant in which no one has
stayed long enough TO make it feel in
habited. To add TO the loneliness. the
rain was pouring down in great tor
rents outside, and the only books |
could discover in the hotel parlOr were
pOnderous gilt-edged Bible, moth
eaten copy of "Burton's Anatomy of
Melancholy" "Baxter's Call to the
Unconverted" and some old census
reports.
/ cherished my fascinating illusions
about the South; its romantic social
life beckoned to me i.vitingly through
the perfumed vistas of orange groves
TO come on and get initiated into the De-
guiling ways of dark-eyed women with
soft speech, and strong under-tow of
easy-going men, whose chivalric DALI
ance formed but a light coating for the
volcanic energies of CRur de Lion. L
loved this land of extremes, but it
might be "Great Tropical Delusion'
today, for all that was visible of it at
Weldon. My tour must be short
one. Delay was irritating. Could
nothing be done to make this day
countI
Glancing at the negroes who were
waiting OH me at the table, l had 10
confess, that, though attentive, they
were far from picturesque. There APP
peared to be a great many of them.
Judging hastily from this dning-room,
one might infer that the staples of the
South were negroes and flies; the latter
charging at me in battalions from their
ambush in the fringed arscnic-green
papers attached to the chandeliers. The
fried chicken and corn bread, however,
were compensating.
When embowered in my solitary
bedroom | began to count the hours 10
be spent there-twenty-th three; and it
would be impossible to sleep away
more than eleven of them.
Harkl Somebody was grooming
snatches of a quaint tune in the back
pl&nises.
An idea broke in upon me--I dis
robed my banjo from its travelling
ulster"
Why not spend the time learning the
songs the negroes were singing over
their work down in the yard and
kitchen? In all the accounts of South
ern life had read in novels and maga-
zines the negroes were represented as
always singing merrily, except when
they were drowsy and nodding.
L tuned the banjo; then the song
stopped. Not another note did | hear
for al hour; there was plenty of
noise, but it came from the clatter of
dishes, the slamming of doors, the
steady rainfall and the shrieking of
the locomotives on the seven roads.
1 was not to be baked in my project
rang for the chambermaid, and asked
her to get some colored man who could
sing and play the banjo to come up and
give me a lesson-I would pay him
well.
She first gazed at me vacantIy for a
moment, as if her brain were busy en-
lsrging to receive bra .d-new idea;
then she grinned from ear to ear.
"Yes, miss, I'll see eff | kin find YOU
one of de good singahs; eff you had
only sont word fO' you arrove, and
got ii norrated roun' dat you want
'structions in de banjer-dat would "a
been de bes' way. But Louvinia II do
de tes' she kin for you. | gwine ter
be a real good darkey to you while you
heah-dat is; you can put 'pennarce
on dat, miss"
She talked to herself all the way
down the hall about what she meant to
do for my comfort while L was at the
hotel.
Imagination now began to work; |
expected to see lively young fellow
with laughing eyes and dancing feet
ushered into my room. 1t would be
Jolly; he should teach me all he knew.
Presently muflled knock came at
my door.
"Come inl"
A large, middle-aged negro, with
very grave and very black face, stood
on the threshold, making a low bow
with all the ''deportment" of a Turvey-
drop, hat in one hand, banjo in the
other. He wore shabby blue tweed
suit, his toilet getting poor er as it went
down, the coat still attempting to
make an impression Of style, with its
double row Cf white china buttons,
the pants well patched about the knees
and threadbare in spots, and the shoes
broken into gaping holes, and tied
with red twine strings.
''Yes, come right in. ] sent for
you. What's your name"
"Sirza1 Barjona, dat's my proper
aame, man; but dey mostly calls ME
Roy'l (Royal) bout heah, 'kase l come
out O. de Roy'l family in Fahginy fo'
I come to Weldon"
81 hope you are well, Royal?'
"Pretty well, man, ceP'n | subtle
to typhoid fever and consumption;
when l gets het up is attacted wild de
fever, an eff gets cold, 1 breaks out
Wild de consumption; but l makes out
to keep goin'; my health is to'able
good now am"
''Pm glad to hear it; sit down
there"
The negro looked doubtfully at the
:hsir indicated, us if it would bc disre,
spectful to me to take it.
II want you to make yourself conf
Portable, Royal, so you can teach me
some of your best songs. You sing
don't your"
"Oh, yes'mp
"Did you ever live or planta-
DOM"
''Sho'lv did. I ain live nowhar'
else, clear o. desc las two years | been
refugeein' down heah i'll Weldon. |